How To Keep Your Chainsaw Sharp Cutting Firewood Logs

[@Dora_walking]

Me having one fallen branch, thinking of renting a chainsaw, now in this rabbit hole of forestry…I never knew and now appreciate the expertise

[@urbanturbine]

Buy a chainsaw and you will end up buying a couple more. They are addictive :)

[@mrsmartypants_1]

@@urbanturbineMy guess is you must own a lot of guns 🤣

[@pauladams3789]

It’s all about the rigging for sure. When my boys were young, I would challenge them on how to figure out the best way to skid a tree up/down to the road. They loved it.

[@oconnaugh]

Wasn’t sure how to do this. But Your forestry knowledge has kept me from getting hurt at one point or another and I’m a fairly seasoned landowner. Least I could do is buy you a cuppa coffee.

[@WilsonForestLands]

I just noticed your super thanks. Thank you very much. I appreciate that and your comment. I am always happy to hear when my videos have helped someone out. 👍

[@tomsmith4484]

Not a single sawtooth was harmed in the making of this video 😂😂😂

[@WilsonForestLands]

That is a good one, I should have used it in the video. 😁

[@horacesawyer2487]

Whaat no way . . . . 1:43 lets the saw tip drop straight to the ground.

[@timstoltzfus8408]

I use a cant hook to roll the log. Works great. Thanks for the vid

[@urbanturbine]

Yeah, cant works great but only if you don't have to move the log over to a better place. This method helps moving the entire log over to a place where the rounds will be easier to pick up. I guess every method has their place.

[@aksourdough4890]

Not a chance you'd be able to move log that size.

[@jeremyfortune7274]

Have you ever been a school teacher? Shop, Ag, math? Your tone of voice and the way you explain stuff just reminds me of a school teacher. Not a bad thing I just had to ask

[@WilsonForestLands]

Never have. Never even liked school. 😁

[@wayned2315]

Sometimes I drive a wedge or two into the kerf after cutting 3/4 of the way through the trunk and this actually lifts the trunk off the ground. Always good to keep wedges handy to help prevent the kerf closing up and pinching your saw and stretching your chain.

[@RealJeep]

The Mr. Rogers of logging.

[@TheOldManAndTheSaw]

I almost never hit the dirt with my chain; the rocks stop it just in time. Dave

[@southernadirondackoutdoors]

Years ago I felled a tree and it landed perfectly (not intentionally) on a dead moss covered stump. It was at perfect height for bucking, however it turns out that moss covered stump was actually a moss covered rock which I found out the hard way!

[@WilsonForestLands]

My rocks aren’t that reliable. They only do that about half the time. Thanks for the comment Dave.

[@WilsonForestLands]

For a moment you were probably stumped as to why that stump was so hard before you realized it was a rock. OK that was a bad pun for a good story.

[@TheOldManAndTheSaw]

@@WilsonForestLands That's actually happened to me.

[@G.I.JeffsWorkbench]

Thanks for showing us how it’s done. I always appreciate your straightforward presentation style. You teach us at a speed we can absorb, without wasting time, and no distracting (un)cool music.

[@bc5cd]

The mechanical advantage of double-palling cannot be understated. Love the content.

[@MsdMakingSawDust]

Good video on moving the logs with snatch blocks and rolling them, yea that little ranger did good again.. lol thanks for sharing your tip on keeping the Saw out of the dirt. Take care

[@WilsonForestLands]

Thanks, I always appreciate your comments.

[@davidwarren4569]

If you don’t have the option of doing what you did with convenient hitching points, you could take your cut most of the way through the log and hammer in a wedge where you have just cut which will raise the log off the ground allowing you to cut all the way through. I am in the rural fire service here in Australia and are constantly called out to clear logs off roads after storms. Using this method helps clear the roads quickly with a minimum of equipment.

[@littlefootinalaska6253]

I would appreciate a video of how to do the wedge method.

[@andysmith8544]

I like that technique to get the log to roll. We need to use our snatch block more often.

[@WilsonForestLands]

I find them quite useful, don’t leave home without them. Thanks for the comment.

[@marksparkplug7758]

Thanks Wilson. Take care.

[@WilsonForestLands]

Thanks for the comment.

[@dwhallon21]

Excellent video, your way of moving logs to open and out of dirt certainly works. I have been trying something similar without cabke and snatch blocks with dads tractor or my can't turner. The bad thing about the cant turner is that it can handle so big a log and then no more, whereas your snatch blocka and cable are nearly endless.

[@WilsonForestLands]

Yeah the cant hooks or peavies have their limitations. if you don’t need to drag the log somewhere, just rolling it with a cant hook can be a good solution. It’s good to have multiple techniques for all the different situations. Thank you for that comment.

[@CamperKev]

Spinning the log around as you move it. Thanks for the tip. I will use that one day in Australia and I will be thinking of you when I do it. Now it's time for me to subscribe.

[@ericwanderweg8525]

I feel like an entire video (or multiple videos) could be made just about rigging, block and tackle. That’s all voodoo to me as I’m just a firewood hack. I do enjoy your content

[@The_Bench_UK]

Nice work! Good preparation= good results!

[@The_Inca_Stargazer]

Nice! I've never seen that trick before. Usually when I'm cutting I don't have room to get my truck in there. What I usually do is just go three cuts down and cut all the way to the ground being as careful as I can, then just roll the log with the two incomplete cuts over by hand and make the cuts. I bring my sharpener too. The Stihl two in one hand sharpener makes quick work of sharpening a chain, maybe just as fast as getting your setup in place. And oh yea, bring an extra chain just in case (and an extra saw!). Instead of a truck I've seen chainsaw wenches that people use. I've also used the electric wench on my trailer to down trees that get hung up.

[@davidvick1078]

Nice video! I will be using my pickup as well to help cut logs

[@joeyrector934]

Great job on getting them logs out

[@Zebracat5]

Liked the Video . The 462,and the Truck did a great Job.

[@johnyhefner]

Fascinating! Likely I’ll never do any of this myself, but it is great to learn and appreciate.

[@ejsocci2630]

I really enjoy your videos… thanks.

[@DanielAtkinsFirewood]

Nicely done.. now if we don't dig ditches with the saw once in a while how will we learn to sharpen the chain better..😁👍

[@stuart6973]

In the uk we use a cant hook to turn over lengths what you’ve cut. I like the rigging set up to get to the track.

[@WilsonForestLands]

I do it that way too sometimes with a peavy. It’s always good to have different methods for different situations. Thanks for commenting from the UK.

[@allenfackler]

You have that rigging down pat. I have a big skookum block, but not the cable to go with, yet. I use a peavy for now and come at the remaining 3rd from inside the tree (bottom up). I think it may help keep the chain clean. But, then I have to hump those heavy rounds to the back of the truck.

[@botfoblhrp]

those rounds are absolutely beautiful😊

[@tommegan6500]

Yeah, that could have been a saw log for a mill.

[@sliversandsparks]

Nice trick . Thanks for showing us.

[@giro994]

Nice work. I thought you were just going to pull out a cant hook or peavey I think we saw in a more recent video. Or just a tree branch. But when the truck is there, you have all the tools you carry, plus the truck as a workhorse.

[@colharkin7886]

This is good, however I doubt most people would have the steel cables and blocks to do this. I cut all our firewood where I live in Australia and our ground is stony, so I'm really careful when cutting on the ground. I usually cut 70% through then find a way to roll the log to finish off. I carry a snatch strap in the ute and use that, if I can. I always take two saws to avoid the inconvenience of having to drive back to the shed if something unforeseen happens. I got a Stihl 362 and Husqvana 359. Chains are sharpened on Oregon power sharpener. I touch up sometimes between cutting using Oregon files and a guide, if the chain is still cutting okay after the last time I used the saw. Every time I fill fuel and oil tanks, I change the chain and clean out the sprocket chamber of all wood chips and dirt using compressed air.

[@gardenphoto]

But what do you do if you're a MILE out in the forest (tree FLAT on the ground; no truck/tractor, no rigging), only YOU and a chainsaw? Simple! You start bucking at the SMALLER end of the tree - cutting through, almost to the ground - and then breaking off the pieces, as you go, with your boot. By the time you get to the MIDDLE/LARGER end of the tree - having considerably reduced the weight of the tree - you can make your firewood cuts - again, almost down to the ground - and then roll the whole log over and make individual finishing cuts. Works like a charm! Mike D.

[@HardRockVermont]

I usually incorporate my Logrite Peavey into the work to turn the underside upwards. Unless the log is huge...lol But, it works for most any firewood logs.

[@TitlisBusyKitchen0]

Now here's a guy who really knows how to use his tackle 🤭

[@davidford694]

A peavy works to. Less fuss.

[@leftyleeman]

I can roll a pretty big log with a peavey if there is nothing in the way

[@2010tck93]

peaveys definitely make moving long logs easy in the woods if you don’t have cables and pulleys

[@bwhiped8508]

I love how he was able to get all the firewood to the road.

[@kdegraa]

I have a tractor with a loader. I’ll push the log a bit to move it. The tractor cost a lot of money so it should be used where it can help.

[@jamierichard6760]

Hi there love your videos so tell me that your 462 handle the 32 inch bar pretty good and also does the oiler keep up with the 32 inch bar thanks

[@bigwheelsturning]

I take a shovel and dig under the log on both sides and drive and old board under it. Then I know that I can't hit the dirt. I also drive a wedge into the cut at the top to keep the bar from binding if tries to pinch it.

[@thomask4836]

"and not a single sawtooth was harmed in the making of it! " LOL!

[@nodbod-b2t]

Ya done good, real good!

[@hot2warm]

If you had used that moving technique with a fallen pecan tree, would that then be a pecan log roll?

[@thekiltedsawyer]

Be careful with that cable throwing around the tree, I've seen guys get there summer teeth put in that way🤐🤣🤣🤣🤣👌 Did you put a Linkin in your description on your new saw wrap handle? I am I need of one for my new Ms 661! 🌲🌲👍 Keep up the great work 👍

[@jayski9410]

I would have been trying to turn the log with a log peavey. So much easier with cables and a truck.

[@EINNHOJ100]

Would you survive working on a landing where the skidder has pulled the logs thru mud using the right saw chain and entering the cut on the cleanest part of the log and coming up against the dirty part helps Pole makers would use a peavey to turn the log to peel and flush cut the knots. Some of the poles were up to 120 feet long

[@CrustyCo]

If the log was lying on the ground, how did you get the cable around it?

[@PaulMinger-e9d]

Another good video thanks. You do attract some odd comments!

[@rb-ex]

lots of ways to not-hit the dirt, but the best way to keep your chain sharp is to get rid of HSS and invest in carbide. 5x the cost, 10-15x longer between sharpenings, at least 5x longer lifespan than HSS. and, way less downtime changing out chains. you do get slightly larger chips with HSS, but other than that the economics suck. and if you do hit a little dirt carbide wont quit on you. it's a no-brainer if you manage your own land

[@woodworker3122]

Couldn’t you use a peeve to turn the log after it is cut 2/3rds through and then finish the cut? Or is it too heavy to turn?

[@kenbrown2808]

imagine my dismay, cutting a maple, and finding it had a hollow on the bottom and was resting on a rock that now had a 12 inch long kerf in it.

[@adrianstefan23]

new subscriber👍👍

[@WilsonForestLands]

Awesome, welcome to the channel and thanks for subscribing.

[@vdsgw52]

That looks like it would have made a great saw log??

[@WilsonForestLands]

It would have made an excellent saw log. But my mill is not at this property, it’s hours away. It was a little painful to have to cut it into firewood but I didn’t have a practical alternative.

[@delprice3007]

Whatdya think of starting the finish cut on the inside of the log?

[@rcplaneguy]

Was that poison ivy at 2:54?

[@kieron6791]

Does hitting the dirt immediately ruin the chain? My little battery chainsaw is no longer cutting and I feel sure it is ever since I hit the dirt.

[@SammyEddie]

About 1 sec in the dirt and youre done. Never touch the dirt with a chain. Not even a little.

[@danlutjemeier4183]

I use a peavey, two peaveys if needed.

[@mdk2066]

Interesting, but how about a cant dog?

[@petere9120]

What boots do you wear for tree trimming? Just got a job into this trade and I'm clueless 😢

[@horacesawyer2487]

petere: are you still doing tree trimming?

[@petere9120]

Yes, as a groundman​@@horacesawyer2487

[@leeanderson5955]

Your cutting is right on, but most people don’t have a block and tackle and chokers with them and may nort be able to drive to the log, How about using a peeve?

[@michaelmaxwell5571]

Now let's say the log is a mile from the nearest road. How could I roll it with equipment I could carry with me?

[@normrandle7640]

I agree 100 persent

[@ValioMadre7]

What's your location?

[@eliasmuster9207]

unfortunately i have no daddy's car at hand. any other suggestions?

[@davel9909]

cant hook?

[@RobertK-j6s]

Do you want to freeze to death or want

[@kf29349]

Hearing protection.

[@jamesperz2066]

How about a peavey

[@jackpatriquin6636]

you are cutter than your like button but u got my like

[@steffengronegger8831]

Or simply use a log peavey. No rigging, no truck needed. done in 30 seconds.

[@kkingquad]

I didn’t have a block and cable, but I tried the rest of this trick last weekend. Worked like a charm! Both ends of my log were touching the ground with middle suspended and the pressure was in the top of the log. I cut top down until it was about to pinch my bar. I’d stopped and pull my saw out and repeated it for about 6 cuts. I cut the stump-end and let the log roll and landed with what needed to be cut on top. Then I just had to finish with upwards cuts.

[@morgan79347]

Yikes some real nice timber there way to many 2 x’s there

[@brucea550]

Nice wide live edge table slabs! Mills me to cut nice straight logs into firewood.

[@brucea550]

Kills, not mills! Ha

[@Gus1966-c9o]

Use a cant hook

[@tomniemiller]

I use a timber jack - much faster.

[@brucea550]

Not on logs that heavy you don’t. Especially not on soft forest ground.

[@spitfireresearchinc.7972]

Such a shame to see such a nice douglas fir log wasted as firewood! Otherwise, great video.

[@mnemosynevermont5524]

...and then while you're talking, you stick the saw into the ground....

[@chrisbailey4183]

Use a peavy...... Why would you even waste time doing that?

[@josephmountford2292]

Working in poison Ivy

[@manfrummt]

Or roll the log. Geez I'd never get my firewood done if I did this every time I needed to cut the bottom of a round log.

[@jeffreythiel5315]

🫨🥱🥱🥱🥱🥱🥱🥱

[@MrRhettzki]

Heard of a peavy? So instead of putting your saw in the dirt, drag the log through the dirt so you cant miss it wherever you cut.... Lol

[@carolewarner101]

OMG.....it pains me to watch you cut up that big fat doug fir into firewood rounds. All I can see is you cutting up my timber frame beams; destroying a beautiful, straight DF of that dimension to burn in a stove. Alas, so sad for me! PS - on a positive note I'm learning about safe and effective timber rigging from you, so that's good.

[@SteeleMagnolia]

He did state, clearly, that the tree fell during a winter storm, so it had to be removed.

[@70Marc]

@@SteeleMagnolia, it could still be salvaged and made into useful planks instead of firewood. I agree with @carolewarner101

[@stevesabol2948]

@@SteeleMagnoliaI think he wanted it for milling nice straight boards

[@highwatercircutrider]

Why didn’t you simply use a ‘cant’ hook to roll that short log?

[@mj-ls7qr8xp3n]

Living in pnw, wood heat is a common thing in rural areas. When that electric bill comes or a power outage from an ice storm, it's golden. These multiple hundred year old oaks that fall is the real tragedy. :( however, lol, that's the good stuff.

[@Abyssdiver]

Or just get a log peavy and make life even easier....

[@tdavies4127]

That is a lot of unnecessary work. A can't hook would roll the log in a matter of minutes

[@raymondcamp8212]

Good grief.l could have sharpened the saw 5 times

[@Hagg506]

Get a Peavy

[@bcnyt]

pevney...no...