Chains must be kept very sharp to perform well. This may be done with a round file or a jig (without removing the chain from the saw), or with a specialised electric sharpening jig with the chain removed from the saw. The jigs help ensure that each cutting face is kept at the correct angles, which are carefully balanced to maximise the saw's efficiency. Proper hand-sharpening may produce a better result, but electric sharpeners are faster, particularly when sharpening very dull chains (especially those which have been subjected to dirt, metal or rocks). Carbide chainsaw blades cannot be sharpened by conventional sharpeners and must be sharpened by a diamond sharpener.
Chain saw sharpeners are electronically powered machines that sharpen your chainsaw and allow for maximum production from the saw action of the chainsaw. The basic parts of this sharpening machine consist of two metal bars with clamps that hold the chain from the chainsaw. These metal bars can be adjusted at various angles to accommodate the corresponding angle of the chain used.