Quote Originally Posted by Mabouya View Post
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Edit: Extra points awarded if the bar doesn't have to be clamped in a bench vise, which means that I'd have to go back inside to do it, which is of course a pita, or maybe even impossible if the job's being done far from home.

TIA
Basic file sharpening (I could listen to this guy all day):



I don't think there's any need to worry about raker height out in the woods.

Given how soft the steel is on a chain, three swipes of the file following the witness mark on the top of the tooth will put most chains back in business. I don't see any need for an angle guide if you're paying attention.

Trying to sharpen without some sort of retention on the bar is going to be frustrating and won't be likely to yield a good result.

Two options for retaining your saw in the woods:

1) Traditional stump vice.




2) Clever wooden "vice".



Good luck! I think sharpening a chainsaw blade is pretty straightforward compared to more complex sharpening tasks.