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Chainsaw file or grinder

Updated: 22 October 2026

You are choosing a round file, a crank jig, a motor on the bar, or a 230 V bench wheel. Electric is not automatically sharper. The question is how much metal each pass removes, whether the angle repeats, and whether you can carry the tool. This chainsaw file or grinder page says when to file, when to grind, and when to ignore the cheapest jigs. Prices are on the [chainsaw sharpener comparison](/hub/forestry-tools/chainsaw-sharpener). Peter F. used Oregon UK guidance and HSE wheel notes. We did not measure metal removed in a lab. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

You are choosing a round file, a crank jig, a motor on the bar, or a 230 V bench wheel. Electric is not automatically sharper.

Our top picks

Oregon Oregon 617067 field kit

Best overall

Oregon Oregon 617067 field kit
9.2/10about £22.09
View offer
Oregon Oregon 310-230

Rank 2

Oregon Oregon 310-230
9.2/10about £52.98
View offer
EzzDoo EzzDoo handheld electric

Rank 3

EzzDoo EzzDoo handheld electric
8.8/10about £28.04
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.What a file still does better
  2. 2.The crank jig is not a file
  3. 3.On the bar with a motor, or off the bar on a wheel
  4. 4.A recommendation with a condition

What a file still does better

A round file takes a thin slice when the strokes go forward and the count per tooth stays equal. You can carry it, pause, and touch one dull section on the bar if you clamp the saw. Without a guide, angle drift shows up as pull or dust. The Oregon 617067 pouch adds a guide, three round sizes and a flat file for £22.09. The 601981 case adds a stump vice and a depth-gauge tool for £26.61. The DTFDDE set at £6.58 is cheaper only if you already know the diameter. Files suit a few cuts a year. They lose when you reset many chains in an evening.

The crank jig is not a file

Crank jigs use a fixed bit and, on many listings, a 30 degree hole. They claim a universal fit. ARROMI at £9.98 is 3.3 from 74 ratings, and a UK review says the chain is not held. APLUMTREE at £13.99 is 3.4 from 139, with fiddly clamp comments. They are clamps, not cheaper files. OMCCHK kits near £20 to £22 add bits and still omit a depth-gauge tool. Try one tooth before you trust a jig for a day’s cutting. A sub-4.0 crank listing is not a substitute for the Oregon pouch and its 1,899 ratings.
Oregon Oregon 617067 field kit

Testsieger

Oregon Oregon 617067 field kit
9.2/10about £22.09
View offer

On the bar with a motor, or off the bar on a wheel

The EzzDoo at £28.04 stays on the bar with six bits and an angle guide, 4.4 from 3,891 ratings. Volts and plug are unstated. One UK review questions bit life against the five-chains-per-bit bullet. It is a touch-up, not shed volume. The POSENPRO PGSS220 at £29.99 is 220 W at 8,500 rpm with one 3.2 mm wheel, and UK reviews mention plastic flex. The Oregon 310-230 at £52.98 adds a 4.7 mm wheel and no flat disc. The 410-230 at £210.14 adds a 6.0 mm flat disc. Two UK reviews report a Euro plug. Oregon’s method is light taps, then unplug. HSE HSG17 says not to exceed the marked wheel speed and to keep the guard on at work. A grinder removes more metal per hard pass than a file. That is a mygreenshed.co.uk rule of thumb, not a count for these ASINs. The stroke is on the how to sharpen a chainsaw page.

A recommendation with a condition

Choose a file when you sharpen occasionally at the wood and will use a guide or a 2-in-1 for your pitch. Choose a bench grinder when several chains come off the bar each month, the tool is mounted, and the touch stays light. Use an on-bar motor only if you know the bit size. Skip a cheap crank jig as your only sharpener until the clamp holds your bar. Stop if the edge turns blue. At work, PUWER expects a maintained saw and a trained user. Square-ground chain is outside this batch.

Common questions

Does a grinder ruin the chain?
It can if you grind heavily and often. Oregon’s UK method is light taps so the tooth does not overheat, then unplug. Blue steel means the temper is gone and that tooth is weakened. A file removes less metal per stroke when the counts stay equal.
Is a hand-crank jig a file or a grinder?
Neither exactly. It is a guided bit in a clamp, often with a fixed 30 degree hole. Treat it as its own category. In this batch the cheapest crank listings sit under 4.0 stars, with UK comments about clamps that do not hold the chain.
Can I sharpen in the woods with a bench grinder?
No. The Oregon 310-230 and 410-230, and the POSENPRO, need mains, a secure mount, and the chain in the grinder vice. For the log pile, use a file, a guide, and a stump vice if the bar will not stay still.
Will an electric bit tool beat a file for one chain a year?
Unlikely on cost and bit wear. The EzzDoo at £28.04 has 4.4 from 3,891 ratings, but volts are unstated and a UK review questions bit life. A file with a guide is the simpler kit for one chain touched up a few times a year.
Why do cheap jigs score under 4.0?
Clamp fit and angle mismatch show up in UK comments in this batch. ARROMI at £9.98 is 3.3 from 74 ratings, with a review saying the chain is not held. APLUMTREE at £13.99 is 3.4 from 139. A low price does not make the angle match your chain.
Do I still need a flat file if I own a grinder?
Yes, unless the grinder includes a flat disc. The Oregon 410-230 lists a 6.0 mm flat profile disc for depth gauges. The 310-230 and the POSENPRO do not. Rakers still need a flat file or a gauge tool.
What about heat and a blue edge?
Stop immediately. Blue means the tooth overheated and the hardness is gone. Do not keep grinding that cutter to tidy the colour. File the damage out lightly, or replace the chain if the wear mark is already close. Do not polish the colour.

Related pages

Chainsaw sharpener buying guide

Best chainsaw sharpener

Chainsaw sharpener

Chainsaw depth gauge setting: when to lower rakers

How to sharpen a chainsaw: match file, then stroke

Sources

Public UK sources used for this comparison. Prices in the table are amazon.co.uk shelf prices from 19 October 2026.

  1. HSE INDG317: Chainsaws at work (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  2. HSE: PUWER overview (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  3. HSE: Maintenance of work equipment (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  4. HSE: Hand-arm vibration in forestry (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  5. Stihl UK: Sharpening a chainsaw chain (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  6. Stihl UK: When to replace a chainsaw chain (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  7. Oregon maintenance manual (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  8. Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008 (retrieved 19 October 2026)