A gardener’s best buddy can be a chainsaw. But, like any instrument, it requires some care in order to function at its best time after time.
The blade is one of the most important aspects of your chainsaw to maintain. A dull blade will reduce your chainsaw’s performance and put your safety at risk when operating it.
But how can you tell if your chainsaw blade is dull or blunt? The 5 most prevalent indications are shown below.
Issues while the chainsaw is pulling into the wood
When operating a chainsaw, the wood should naturally draw the chainsaw through it. The tool appears to be dragging into the wood as a result of this.
It’s possible that your chainsaw isn’t pushing through the wood because there’s greater resistance than usual. When the chainsaw blade becomes dull, this is fairly common.
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Fine Sawdust equals Chainsaw issues
A good chainsaw should produce a lot of stranded sawdust. When a blade becomes blunt, however, it must work harder to cut through the wood. As a result, the sawdust produced is finer.
It’s time to sharpen the blade if the sawdust produced by your machine appears finer than usual.
Overheating and excess smoke are obvious indicators
The engine has to work harder for longer if the chainsaw blade is dull.
While some heat is to be expected when running a chainsaw, if it feels unusually hot or is smoking, the equipment has been overworked.
If the cuts aren’t straight, there is a problem
A chainsaw should cut in a straight line, but this isn’t always the case when the blade is dull. A dull chainsaw blade leaves a chewed, uneven line instead of a single straight line.
This is due to the fact that the cut isn’t smooth, and the blade is chewing on the wood rather than gliding through it with ease.
More vibration than normal
When operating the chainsaw, you may notice greater vibration than usual, which is another sign that the blade is dull. If you notice a lot of vibration, that’s because the saw is biting the wood as it cuts.
All you have to do if you detect any of the above symptoms that your chainsaw blade is dull is sharpen it.
Although this may appear to be a difficult task, it is actually quite simple and can be completed safely at home. A good chainsaw sharpening tool is all you’ll need.