Chainsaw sharpener buying guide
Updated: 22 October 2026
Your saw is dusting instead of throwing chips, and amazon.co.uk calls files, pouches, crank jigs, on-bar motors and 230 V wheels a chainsaw sharpener. This buying guide goes in order: read the chain, choose where you work, then match the type to your volume. Price comes after that. The twelve GBP prices from 19 October 2026 are on the [chainsaw sharpener comparison](/hub/forestry-tools/chainsaw-sharpener). Peter F. read those listings. We did not run a lab test. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Your saw is dusting instead of throwing chips, and amazon.co.uk calls files, pouches, crank jigs, on-bar motors and 230 V wheels a chainsaw sharpener.
Your saw is dusting instead of throwing chips, and amazon.co.uk calls files, pouches, crank jigs, on-bar motors and 230 V wheels a chainsaw sharpener. This buying guide goes in order: read the chain, choose where you work, then match the type to your volume. Price comes after that. The twelve GBP prices from 19 October 2026 are on the chainsaw sharpener comparison. Peter F. read those listings. We did not run a lab test. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Our top picks
| Badge | Product | Where you sharpen | Sizes in the box | Guide or vice | Note | Price | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall |  Oregon Oregon 617067 field kit | On the bar, in a pouch | 4.0, 4.8, 5.5 mm | File guide, no vice | 9.2 | about £22.09 | View offer |
 Oregon Oregon 310-230 | Bench, chain off the saw | 3.2 and 4.7 mm wheels | Profile guide | 9.2 | about £52.98 | View offer | |
| Best value |  DTFDDE DTFDDE four-file set | On the bar | 3.2–5.5 mm | No guide | 8.8 | about £6.58 | View offer |
On this page
Four tools under one name
A round file restores the cutter by hand, on the bar if the chain is supported, or in a vice if it is off the saw. A file guide, or a 2-in-1 that also touches the depth gauge, holds the angle. A hand-crank jig pulls the chain past a fixed bit in a 30 degree hole. It is neither a pure file nor a bench grinder, and the cheapest listings here score below 4.0 from UK owners. A bench grinder takes the chain off the saw and removes more metal per pass if the touch is heavy. Oregon’s UK pages describe light taps so the tooth does not overheat, then unplugging. A crank jig that claims any chain in five seconds is still bound by pitch and file diameter.
Read the chain before the price
Pitch chooses the round-file diameter. Gauge must match the bar groove. It does not choose the file. Stihl’s UK article maps the depth-gauge code: 1 is 1/4 inch and 4.0 mm, 2 is .325 inch and 4.8 mm, 3 is 3/8 inch and 5.2 mm, 4 is .404 inch and 5.5 mm, 6 is 3/8 inch Picco at 4.0 mm, and 7 is 1/4 inch Picco at 3.2 mm. A UK seller table puts Oregon types 25 and 91 on 4.0 mm, 20, 21, 22 and 95 on 4.8 mm, and 72, 73 and 75 on 5.5 mm. Some of those families want 25 degree, not 30. A fixed 30 degree hole can miss that loop. Read the code before you look at GBP.
Stump, shed, or several chains a month
At the stump, carry the tool. The DTFDDE set at £6.58 has four diameters and no guide. The Oregon 617067 pouch at £22.09 adds 4.0, 4.8 and 5.5 mm files, a flat file and a guide, with 4.6 from 1,899 ratings. The Oregon 601981 hard case at £26.61 adds a stump vice and a depth-gauge tool. In the shed, several chains a month point to a bench wheel. The POSENPRO PGSS220 at £29.99 is the cheapest 230 V unit here, with one 3.2 mm wheel and UK reviews that mention plastic flex. The Oregon 310-230 at £52.98 adds a 4.7 mm wheel and a profile guide, and no flat disc. The Oregon 410-230 at £210.14 adds a 6.0 mm flat disc. Two UK reviews report a Euro plug, not BS 1363. How much metal a wheel removes is on the chainsaw file or grinder page.
What the listings actually include
The PAKJCKERM 2-in-1 at £11.60 claims cutters and rakers together, only for .325 inch and a 4.8 mm file. ARROMI at £9.98 is 3.3 from 74 ratings, and a UK review says the chain is not held. APLUMTREE is 3.4 from 139. The 310-230 listing prints 85 KW. Read the plate, not that field. At home, sharpening a garden saw is not PUWER paperwork. If the saw is work equipment, HSE INDG317 treats sharpening as part of operator training. Unplug the saw or remove the battery before you file.
Common questions
Do I need the file size before I buy?
Yes. Pitch and chain family choose the round-file diameter. Stihl’s UK code on the depth gauge maps 1 to 4.0 mm, 2 to 4.8 mm, 3 to 5.2 mm, 4 to 5.5 mm, 6 to 4.0 mm on Picco, and 7 to 3.2 mm. A universal crank jig does not replace reading that code or the chain box.
Is a £10 crank jig enough for a garden saw?
It can work if the clamp holds your bar and the angle matches your chain. In this batch the sub-£15 jigs have the weakest star lines. ARROMI at £9.98 is 3.3 from 74 ratings, and a UK review says it does not hold the chain. Many owners still prefer a file with a guide for a first kit.
When is a bench grinder worth it?
When you remove several chains to a bench each month and you can keep the touch light enough to avoid blue edges. The Oregon 310-230 at £52.98 is the compact 230 V option here. For one chain touched up twice a year, a file kit or a 2-in-1 for your pitch is usually enough.
What if the grinder arrives with a Euro plug?
Two UK reviews of the Oregon 410-230 describe a two-pin Euro plug rather than a BS 1363 plug. Plan a proper conversion or an electrician. A travel adaptor is not a workshop fix for a bench grinder that stays plugged in.
Do I need a certificate to sharpen my own saw at home?
Not for private garden use in the way HSE describes work equipment. At work, HSE INDG317 treats chain sharpening as part of operator training, and PUWER expects the saw to be maintained by someone competent. Unplug the saw or remove the battery before you file.
Which listing actually includes a depth-gauge tool?
The Oregon 601981 hard case names a depth-gauge tool. The Oregon 410-230 includes a 6.0 mm flat disc. The .325 inch PAKJCKERM 2-in-1 claims simultaneous raker dressing. The 617067 pouch has a flat file but does not name a gauge tool.
Related pages
Sources
Public UK sources used for this comparison. Prices in the table are amazon.co.uk shelf prices from 19 October 2026.
- HSE INDG317: Chainsaws at work (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- HSE: PUWER overview (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- HSE: Maintenance of work equipment (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- HSE: Hand-arm vibration in forestry (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- Stihl UK: Sharpening a chainsaw chain (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- Stihl UK: When to replace a chainsaw chain (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- Oregon maintenance manual (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008 (retrieved 19 October 2026)