Are Granberg Chainsaw Sharpeners any good?
They have two models, both designed and manufactured in the USA:
- A manual bar-mounted sharpener
- An electric bar-mounted grinder
The manual model has been exceptionally popular over the years and has sold many thousands of units. It’s known as one of the best of its kind. The electric model, released later, also gets good reviews.
Here’s what you need to know about these two chainsaw chain sharpeners before deciding which (if any) is best for you.
Grandberg Sharpener and Grinder
Why is Grandberg considered one of the best sharpeners out there?
The main reason is that they get the job done quickly and accurately. They are effective tools for ensuring your saw is sharpened correctly.
Here are the reasons customers love the brand:
- Fairly priced
- Designed and manufactured in California, USA
- Suitable for those who are learning to sharpen chains
- Granberg International is a trusted US family-owned company
- Helpful online resources showing how to use Grandberg sharpeners correctly
Also, these sharpeners are more robust than many alternatives out there.
1. Granberg Bar-Mount Chain Saw Sharpener
The Granberg Manual Bar-Mounted Sharpener has proved to be extremely popular over the years.
It attaches to the chainsaw bar and then provides the best positioning for your file (not included with the system). The product is essentially a file holder made from cast aluminum and zinc-coated steel.
It can be used for basically any chainsaw chain. Because you insert the file yourself, you need to ensure you have the right one for your chain’s pitch and gauge.
Features:
- Lets you accurately match the chain manufacturer’s angles
- Set it up on your chainsaw bar quickly
- Correctly lowers depth gauge
There is a bit of a learning curve to using this type of sharpener, but once you’ve mastered it, things can be completed much faster. It’s a way to learn how to file a chainsaw manually without any aids.
If you search the big chainsaw groups on FB for chainsaw sharpening, you’ll find that one of these two Granberg sharpeners comes up almost every time.
Pros:
- It is a big help for accurate sharpening
- Easy to use once you’ve got it down
- Good for building confidence at sharpening
Cons:
- The learning curve when starting out
- Not as quick as freehand (but it’s easier for beginners)
2. Granberg Grind-N-Joint Hand Held Chain Grinder
Replacement or additional Granberg Grinding Stones for the electric model can be found on Amazon.
The Granberg 12v G1012XT Precision Grinder also receives its fair share of praise.
This electric bar-mounted sharpener is used with a car battery or another portable battery pack.
As with the manual model, there is a learning curve when starting to use it. The time is spent setting it up correctly for the first tooth, and after that, you can quickly work through the others.
Once you’ve figured it out, this is a very quick way to get a chain that’s as accurate as a factory sharpen—especially if you’re doing many chains at once.
Another benefit of these bar-mounted sharpeners is that you don’t need to remove and re-attach the chain to your bar. Many other electric chainsaw sharpeners require you to remove the chain before sharpening.
Here’s a review from Nick in the STIHL Chainsaw Fans group on FB:
I don’t have the time to use this thing much, but I gotta give them credit. Granberg knocked it out of the park with this little portable grinder.
It clips onto your truck/car battery for power so it’s perfect for touch ups out in the field. You can set every angle how you want and it even has a stop knob that you can set to grind every tooth exactly the same length. Works great for grinding out the gullet too, as you can see in the pictures.
Not the fastest thing in the world but it’s accurate as hell.
Some of the replies:
- Jeff said, “Totally worth it.”
- Randy said, “I have one and like it. I also hand file when I have spare time.”
- And Nick added, “You can do depth gauges with it. You can even set the dial to the thousandth of an inch.”
3. Oregon Professional Bench Grinder (Best Alternative)
Another alternative is the Oregon Bench Mounted Chain Grinder, or the Oregon Sure Sharp, which is a cheaper bar-mounted alternative.
Oregon is well known for its chainsaw sharpening tools and accessories. There is even the Oregon Self Sharpening chainsaw, a unique electric chainsaw.
Most of their products are made in China rather than in the USA like Granberg. This often makes them cheaper, but the quality isn’t always quite the same. Also, they lack some features and abilities.
However, the Oregon chainsaw sharpening range is a good alternative to Granberg International and worth considering if Granberg doesn’t have quite what you’re looking for.
Besides the bench and bar-mounted sharpener, they have:
- Handheld electric chain grinder
- Chain sharpening kits
- A range of bench-mounted grinders
They are mostly well-reviewed and can be expected to give decent results.
Granberg Chain Sharpener
So are the Granberg Chainsaw Sharpeners any good?
We think so. They have huge support in the chainsaw community.
As with all new things, you need to learn how to use them correctly to get the most out of them. It does take a little bit of time to get the hang of it.
It’s important to have a sharp chain. It improves chainsaw safety and performance. A sharp saw cuts through wood faster and won’t strain the engine.
Read the reviews on the listings, and then, if it sounds like what you need, don’t hesitate to get one yourself.
