Chainsaw Cuts Crooked Curved Cuts. Bar Dressing and repair. Before and After. 

I'm only a couple of years into chainsaws and am trying to learn whatever I can whenever I can and this video edified me in something I did not know. Great video!

One of the best videos I've seen for dressing a bad bar. Thank you!

I often get the scrap bars and chains that our local chainsaw dealer throws out as they just put new bars and chains on customers saws that go in for servicing. I won't have to buy bars for a long time as ive got heaps of them that still have heaps of life left in them. But I do buy new bars and chains for all my pro saws as we have some pretty hard wood down under, The redgum is especially hard and we need to keep the chains sharp just to cut it and they can go blunt pretty quickly if you don't pay attention. Great video well explained 👏 👍 Hello to all from Australia 🇦🇺

you actually did awesome job showing the gap with the light. after fixed bars , saw on big log sounded ways better as it wasnt struggling anymore. great tutorial😊

I've had those problems many times in the past. Used same fixes as you did. I discovered (the hard way) that this problem vanishes when the chain is kept tight, and you use a quality chain oil. Great video,...cheers from N.E. Ohio.

Great video. Short, sweet, to the point. No goody music or endless yacking. Helpful info, thanks.

After you correct the bar surface you need to check there is sufficient depth still available for the chain to seat properly. Great video.

It won't be long before it cuts crooked again. One side of the guide will be thinner than the other and it will wear out more. When i was young i tried this too, and after a lot of time wasted i knew it is better to get a new bar.

Great vid, you could build a platform with locking casters for your sander so you don’t have to crouch. Thanks for sharing all the great info. 👍👍

Very good discussion/information. Thank you. Never noticed this as an issue with my smaller saws (under 18") but got A stihl MS660 with 32" bar a few years ago and am buggered if it will cut straight in big timber. Relpaced chain a few times without much effect. Will need to investigate the bar for sure now. Many thanks

Lol a San Francisco chainsaw definitely wouldnt run straight..

Mine is cutting at ab45 degree angle😂😂 But I got it free. Just tried it when a huge branch blew down in the back yard.

Thanks for this. I mostly figured it out for myself (with just a file), but your clear illustration and instruction really make it plain. And I never heard of a bar dressing tool, much less to keep up on bar maintenance like you do a chain. Well done.

Thanks for the great info.. Ive heard of dressing the bar but never looked into it.. Ive got a few bars that can cut the moonholes in an outhouse.. Good stuff brother..👍👍

Thanks, one chain after another. All logs look like cut on purpose at 45 degrees. Then try to split it if you can not even stand it upright on the chopping block. What bothers me is # views to #likes/subscribes. WE really have become such a creepy society.

Nice straight forward video explanation. Thank you for taking time to film, edit and post this video.

The dogs are not long enough any more on these chainsaws. They just barely bite into the bark

One trick to see if the bar rails are true, is to stand the bar up on its edge on the kitchen table. It will only balance when true, and fall down to the low side when it still needs grinding. They usually last a good ten years, but once they start to cut crooked, the wear increases faster.

Never take for granted your square is square. Surprising how many are out.

Every time I see this happen, it's always going right to left as you cut through the log.

You are a clear and concise speaker. Good information and very well presented.

Wow, I actually have this problem. Had no idea where to start. Thanks for the video.

I've got a problem I can't figure out. Firewood processor with 15 inch bar. I flip the bar and dress it square, yet 1 chain just causes grief. Teeth are within 10 thou length ( checked with dial caliper) sharpened using a grinder wheel sharpening machine so both angles are "supposedly " the same, yet it will pull sometimes 1/2 inch to the side in a 10 inch log! What can it be?? I've reviewed comments, I'll check rakers and possible wear on the slider part of the teeth. Anything else? I'd chuck it but its some special carbide coated tooth expensive chain..

Thank you. I was looking for this video for long time, but it didn't exist.

I could definitely hear the difference on the 24". Great video! I have the Stihl 261C and it came with the 18" 0.063/.325" bar and chain and last fall I upgraded to the 20" 0.63/3/8" bar and chain. big difference it cutting. Happy I upgraded the bar and chain. Thanks for the knowledge!

There is something to be said for letting the tool do the work but you have to pay attention with chainsaw regardless. I cut slabs freehand and the bar can do a lot of the aligning work for you. Don't forget the perpendicular line on the side of the saw, that is pretty useful as well.

Its best to change the chain too after such a big bar dressing job. The link sides that touch the rails are most likely worn out unevenly too, so it might create problems/more uneven wear now that the bar si flush on both sides.

Thank you! I don't have experience fixing chain saws and am probably one of the people that hasn't flipped my bar around, or did it once but didn't fully understand why. Your explanation was clear and very helpful!

My Dad was a timber cutter from the 40's through the early 80's. He could make a chain and bar last a long time, Thank you for the how to. All my best.

The geese approve! I never knew why mine cut crooked. I assumed I didn't sharpen evenly.

I've found it to be one side of teeth is sharper than the other side making it cut faster making it cut side ways

The San Fransisco chainsaw haha, love it

Had this problem bad this morning. First use after winter. I remember struggling to cut before i out it away. Switched chains and it now works perfectly so it isn't the bar - just my sharpening technique.

Great video! I loved how you demonstrated the importance of keeping the bar and chain in good shape. The way you explained the gauge measurements was super helpful-it's fascinating how a little maintenance can make such a big difference in cutting performance. Has anyone else tried the roller tool you mentioned for bar repair? I'm curious if it really works as well as you described!

Glad I found this. My 029 as similar issues. Tomorrow morning I’ll be doing a bar inspection and verify I have the correct chain. Thanks!

Good vid. Old boss 66 used to cut sideways all over the place really. Made sure chain was good raker gauge. Was the bar. Chain was just leanin everywhere. Was bar wasenent bent. But the grove was so worn chain sloppin around. Thanx good vid. New bar we were kickin arse.

Great video and guided info. Thanks. Been sawing wood and my own timber for many years. Never stop learning

The only bar I ever had that problem with was my 25 inch Stihl bar, I bought a new bar rather then go to all of that trouble. Some people flip the bar over to get more life from it.

Best video I’ve seen on this! Helps me tremendously. Mine was cuttin crookeder than a dogs hind leg. Low tide at Harbor Freight! Lol

Brilliant explanation. Used to do tree lopping and removal. My employees could never understand why the saws were jamming when they hadn't been flipping the bars and checking the chain guides. Spent so much time doing all that filing by hand. Didn't have the belt sander or hones available easily back then. Only thing I didn't see you do is lightly file the bar edge to remove any burrs from the honing. (perhaps your hone has an extra side hone to do that.)

Bars wear out.Too shallow, too wide, of a chain channel, can cut crooked. Sharp chains, proper hight depth guages, with with worn out( wedge shaped) drive links, can cut cut crooked.

Thankyou for posting. After 45 years with a saw I learned something very valuable.

I always just went around to the other side of the log and finished the cut. Or sometimes we need a circular cut... I have this issue right after hitting a rock. 30 years ago it was just bad maintenance and very frustrating trying to fix it. Years have taught me. Thanks for the guidance and teaching.

We use to flip the bar over and keep on cuttin.

Great explanation and demonstration. I’m going to check my bar and do some maintenance. Thanks for sharing. Greetings from Maine.

Brought the sexy back lol

I would use gloves...

I cheat. On my bars, where the groove was too wide, I use vise grips, to close the gap, one inch at a time, on both sides.I get quite a bit more life out of it. I have one of those " bar rail closers" , it really isnt too good.

As a second generation logger you did a really good job explaining and showing things. The bar is overlooked to often.

At 2.10 you claim your chain isn't too loose. I beg to differ, on the basis, that. if your chain is sagging at all, on the underside of the bar, your chain is loose by default. There is always absolutely, enough slack, when pulling the chain up on the top of the bar to check, without the chain having any sag whatsoever on the bottom.

lol if you run your saw to fast for too long or run it out of oil this will happen? A new bar is $40 a new chain is $35! If you put a new chain on an old bar you will wear out the chain the first time! Buy a new bar if you can cut your finger on your bar? Replace both chain and bar through the old ones away

Finally, someone who knows something about bars and chains. +1000 thumbs up!!

Great video! I've had similar issues after nicking a few teeth on a rock. What I found that works (don't know why, but it does) is sharpening the chain, and then doing an extra pass on the teeth that are on the side that the saw's cut curves toward. Curve left, double sharpen left side cutters.

The 10 pass non flipped bar Looks like my neighbors stihl bar lol was the guy named Matt? I told him to flip it every time he changed chain. No joke he said the words would be upside down

I was told if you put the chain on backwards and cut feom the opposite side, it corrects itself. #LifeHack!

It's cool your fixing but aren't the bars 30 dollors

I was told if you put the chain on backwards and cut from the opposite side, it corrects itself! #LifeHack

Thank you for taking the time to make the video .very educational and helpful

Thanks for video, I've been focusing on length of teeth to no avail, I'm gonna attack the bar like you did, I'm sure thats the problem, thanks

Hebat mesin nya sangat kuat mengerjakan rantai nya.

from the factory my 3/8. 50guage echo bar wasn't flat. I had to dress it some. so yeah be aware even brand new bars can have issues

excellent demonstration, thankyou.

Someone commented that the bar on my saw was upside down. So I had to explain about rotating the bar.

Another reason for a curved cut is sharpening the chain too much on one side. To fox the issue, sharpen more on the side that is in the direction of the curve. This issue can happen with hand sharpening the chain with a file.

Terrific practical perspective on bar repair. How did I miss your channel until now? Subscribed! DOUG out

ahhhhhhhh!!! take that saw out of its misery !!!!! san fran saw !!! great comment !!!

your the only one I've seen to address "the bar" I had to learn this on my own decades ago because I had saws that cut real good archs..... I did it with hand files and it cured the problem

Very helpful. I have the same problem. Now I know how to fix the issue. Try to dress the bar first and then, maybe get a new bar. Thanks!

Something about not straight and a sanfransisco cut 😳...😂😂😂😂. ...i have problems side cutting every 20 minutes , the chain comes off the bar. Also i say this, i been using a saw for 38 years . Im tired bro. Im about to check into a milwaukee 20v battery saw

Nice work showing how to manage a chain saw bar!

"Brought the sexy back". Yup!

Also many people don't know there are oil ports in bar groove which get clogged . Must be cleaned with small wire . They get oil from larger holes by bar bolt adjustment area .

Misadjusted rakers can also cause that problem.

Try cutting some good solid hardwood instead of that soft pine.

thats exactly whats happening to mine put a new light bar on and its crap

Good stuff THX !! I have a Rookie question- What causes the paint to come off the bar like that? I have been running a Stihl ms250 no issues, but I bought an MS311 to cut down a big Mulberry tree and the paint has come off my bar. within about 6 tanks of fuel..

Kayu nyq yang keras apa rantai nya sedikit kurang tajam ya??

good info, i have an almost new Oregon bar and chain that is doing this, i made sure left and right cutting teeth were same length but still cuts off,,, i have watched many 'fancy' channels for an answer and never really got one. i will now go check what you just taught me. Thanks!!

Thank you for helping me with this problem- I was totally mystified.

Thank you I did not know this. Is there a way to straighten a bar with a twist in it ? I am pretty good at wrecking them lol

Now you're bar is dressed...will the chain ride higher...? I noticed you never checked

Thank you for sharing your expertise. Knowledge not shown in the owners manuals.

I definitely got something from this guy Thank you for sharing 👍

Excellent tutorial! Thanks!

I have brand new Stihl 32 bar and new in box 3/8 skip tooth chain on 461 cuts crazy crooked. All chain and bar combos cut great. Gotta investigate this

Thanks for a Great Video. Next time I struggle with crooked cuts, I'll be checking the bar (as well as the chain).

I like how you drop the bar and chain into the ground on your test cuts.

Very helpful tips. I will properly dress my 16", 20" 24" 30" and 32" bars....

Great advice🎉🎉🎉. And a curved bar puts a lot of pressure on sprockets. Bearings. Crank.

Really helpful thanks, I have a old 28" bar that has never cut well and was relegated to the back of the workshop. Confusing as my sharpening was consistent after watching this and some significant file work I have now corrected it.

Does all that grinding and sanding lessen the depth of the guide groove? I guess lacking this equipment I would probably buy a new bar and inspect more often so it doesn't get ahead of me and require this much repair.

I've definitely been fighting this problem for awhile. I've never heard of dressing a bar til now, but it makes perfect sense.

I really enjoyed the video. It chimes with what I figured out myself using a belt sander clamped to my workbench. And a set square. Time to get a bar dresser though… Thanks from Portugal

Gauge is spelled like that, NOT guage.

These things are caused by operator error & poor maintenance, take it from an old hand.Throw that bar&chain in the scrap&get the hell to work son!😅😅

G'eat video. This film should be attached to user's manual when you buy any new chain saw. Thank You so much.

Wrong gauge of chain in a bigger bar, loads of people do not know that the bars can have a different width of groove, or it might just be wear of both. Do NOT forget to fill the oil and make sure the pump is working.

It's real flat, and real nice 👁️👁️

Your sprocket and clutch need to be replaced too. The gouges in the sprocket shouldn’t be more than 0.020” in depth.

You checked the width of the chain it was 40. You checked the bar groove it was 50. Is that the right relationship in sizing for bar and chain?