Chainsaw Chain, Bars, Files and Bar Oil (Plus Bow Saws)

Most chainsaw trips to the hardware store are for the parts that wear out: a new chain, a bar and chain together, a file to touch up the cutters, and bar oil. WBC carries all four. The one rule that saves a wasted trip: bring the old chain, or at least the numbers stamped on the bar, because a chain that’s “16 inches” can still be the wrong chain.

Matching a replacement chain

A chain has to match the saw on three numbers, and bar length isn’t one of them:

• Pitch: the spacing of the links, which has to match the saw’s drive sprocket and the bar. It’s the distance across three rivets, divided by two.
• Gauge: the thickness of the drive links that ride in the bar’s groove. Too thick won’t go in; too thin runs loose and can jump off the bar.
• Drive-link count: how many links ride in the groove, which sets the loop’s length. Mark a starting link and count around once.

WBC’s replacement chains, as they’re labeled:

Chain	Pitch	Gauge	Drive links
14-inch, S52	3/8-inch low profile	.050 inch	52
14-inch, S52T	3/8-inch low profile	.050 inch	52
16-inch, S56	3/8-inch low profile	.050 inch	56
16-inch, R56	3/8-inch low profile	.043 inch	56
18-inch	3/8-inch low profile	.050 inch	62

The two 16-inch chains show why you check every number: same length, same pitch, same link count, different gauge. And 3/8-inch low profile shares the 3/8 name with standard 3/8 but is a different chain profile, so the two aren’t interchangeable; all of WBC’s chains here are low profile. Read the whole designation off the old chain or the bar and match all of it.

If the bar is worn too, the 14-inch and 16-inch bar-and-chain combos (S52 and S56) give you a matched pair in one box. Tension a new chain snug to the bar; overtightening wears the bar, sprocket and engine, and tightening never fixes a chain that’s the wrong length.

Bar and chain oil: pick it by the season

Bar oil keeps the chain and bar from cooking themselves. Its grade matters more than people think, because oil thickens as it gets cold, and oil that’s too thick stops pumping through the saw’s oiler. Then the chain runs dry.

WBC bar and chain oil	Size	Use it
All-season bar and chain oil	Quart or gallon	Most of the year
Winter bar and chain oil	Quart	Cold-weather cutting
VP Small Engine Fuels	Quart	General use

Winter oil starts out thinner so it still flows on a cold morning. In the Flathead Valley, where winter lows average 16°F, that’s the oil for the woodpile in January. Switch back in spring; winter oil gets runny in summer heat. Buy the gallon if you cut regularly, the quart for occasional cleanup.

Sharpening: the right file and guide

A sharp chain throws big, even chips. When it starts making fine sawdust, it’s time to file. The file has to match the chain’s cutters; a round file that’s the wrong size sharpens poorly and can damage the cutters. WBC carries a 5/32-inch file guide set with handle and 3/16-inch chainsaw files in a two-pack. Check your chain’s required file size and buy that one.

To file: shut the saw off, secure the bar, wear gloves, and hold the guide at the chain’s angle. Push on the forward stroke and lift on the return. Start with the most worn cutter and file the rest to the same length. Then check the depth gauges with a gauge tool; filing them too low makes the saw kick back.

Bow saws for brush and limbs

For brush and branches without a motor, a bow saw does the job. Keep the blade tight and straight in the frame so it tracks. Pick the teeth for the wood: peg teeth for dry wood, raker teeth for green, wet wood. Watch which way the wood will move as the cut opens; a branch settling onto the blade pinches it.

Storm cleanup

Great Falls winter winds run 15 mph and up with gusts of 30 to 40, and that brings branches down. Before you cut, get solid footing on snow or ice, and look at where the weight of a downed limb is resting so the cut doesn’t close on the chain.

The Pick

Bring the old chain or the bar’s numbers and match pitch, gauge and drive-link count: WBC’s 14-inch S52 and 16-inch S56 chains, the .043-gauge 16-inch R56, or the 18-inch 62-link chain, or a bar-and-chain combo if the bar is worn. Run all-season bar oil most of the year and the winter quart when it’s cold. Keep the correct file and guide with the saw and touch the chain up when it starts throwing dust.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know which chainsaw chain to buy?

Match pitch, gauge and drive-link count, not just bar length. Bring the old chain or the numbers stamped on the bar. Two chains of the same length can have different gauges, and 3/8 low profile isn’t interchangeable with standard 3/8.

What bar and chain oil should I use in winter?

Winter-grade bar oil. Regular oil thickens in the cold and can stop pumping through the oiler, so the chain runs dry. Switch back to all-season oil when it warms up, because winter oil gets thin in summer heat.

How do I sharpen a chainsaw chain with a file?

Use the file size and guide specified for your chain, with the saw off and the bar secured. Push on the forward stroke, lift on the return, keep the guide at the chain’s angle, and file every cutter to the same length. Check the depth gauges afterward; filing them too low increases kickback.

When does a chainsaw chain need sharpening?

When it stops throwing big, even chips and starts making fine sawdust, or when you find yourself pushing the saw into the cut. Touch it up regularly rather than waiting until every cut is a struggle.