A chainsaw is an incredibly powerful tool used to cut through wood as well as other materials. However, you may on occasion be experiencing what’s called a “dull chainsaw”. There are numerous reasons why your chainsaw may dull with the issues ranging from operator error to machinery breakdown.

If your chainsaw dulls quickly, check cutting angle, raker depth, and ensure the chain is installed in the correct direction. Dirty or embedded wood can strain your chainsaw, making it work harder and dull the chain during normal cutting operations.

What’s The Reason For Your Chainsaw Dulling?

When a chainsaw contacts the material, it should cut smoothly with minimal extra force applied by the operator during use.

If you’re pushing hard to cut, your chainsaw is likely dull and not sharp enough for proper cutting performance.

Another surefire way to notice dull chainsaw is the sawdust it’s giving off during cutting. When cutting against the grain of the wood (cross-cutting), the sawdust should be minute and weightless. If you’re experiencing chunkier strands then this is a good sign that your chainsaw is dulling.

It’s never a good sign if your chainsaw smokes — it’s a clear indication the chain is becoming dull or damaged.

And finally, if you realise your wood is cut unevenly, this could be another sign of a dull chainsaw. With the teeth uneven, and blunt, the final cut will look poor at best.

Here we look into the possibilities as to why your chainsaw dulls so fast.

Is Your Chainsaw Cutting At The Right Angle?

Cutting your wood at too steep an angle is a primary reason your chainsaw may become dull. It puts unnecessary strain on the chain and reduces cutting efficiency over time.

Striking the ground while cutting from the top down can also cause serious damage to your chainsaw. Always maintain proper control and positioning to protect both the chain and the tool.

Overbucking, also called overcutting by some, is the most commonly used and safest cutting method when operating a chainsaw. The operator cuts downward through horizontally laid material, meaning the chainsaw moves from top to bottom during the cutting process.

Underbucking is the reverse to overbucking, and again, is one of the most common techniques when it comes to cutting. The chainsaw cuts upward through horizontal material using a pulling motion as it moves toward you during the cutting operation.

By handling the chainsaw correctly, you are less likely to dull your chainsaw chain.

We recommend ensuring your cuts are angled correctly to prevent dulling and reduce the risk of injury during chainsaw use.

Are Your Rakers Too High?

Having the rakers on your chainsaw installed too high can lead to an inadequate performance when using your chainsaw. This is why it’s important to make sure that the rakers are installed correctly.

High rakers, also known as depth gauges or riders, create excess dust and slow down cutting, reducing chainsaw efficiency. They require more effort to cut, heat the chain, and may cause damage to both the chain and the saw.

When set to the correct height, rakers produce small chips, making cutting easier and preventing damage to your chainsaw.

Check Chainsaw Chain Is Not On Backwards

If the chainsaw chain is installed backwards, you’ll quickly notice it takes much more effort to cut through the material.

This could make you think that your chainsaw is dull. If cutting feels difficult, stop and check the chain—forcing it can lead to damage or even cause personal injury.

When installing a new chainsaw chain, always check which direction the cutting edge is facing before securing it in place. These should be pointing away from the engine and towards the material you’re going to be cutting.

Since the chainsaw rotates clockwise, the cutting edge should face the same direction to cut through material effectively.

Dirt Causes A Chainsaw To Dull

Cutting through wood that’s dirty can sometimes dull a chainsaw and there’s two factors attributed to dirt.

We touched on the first above, the angle of the cut. If you’re cutting through logs and your angle of approach is too steep, a simple cut through could nick dirt or even worse, rocks on the floor causing your chainsaw to jerk, thus dulling.

But, if directly cutting into a tree that’s recently felled, or one you are cutting into, these often hollow bodies can contain leaf litter and dirt which can cause your chainsaw to dull.

In the unlikely event that you feel your chainsaw jerking, or struggling to cut through with ease, dulling may have already begun to take effect.

Is it my technique, or my equipment?

Well, that’s completely up to you to go away and analyse however, it may be possible that there isn’t one single explanation for your chainsaw dulling but more an accumulation of problems.

We must remind you to always be careful and work safely when operating such a powerful machine and to wear the correct protective equipment at all times.

Keeping control and a strong, steady grip at all times with fingers and thumbs completely wrapping around the handles whilst also maintaining balance by keeping it as close to the body as possible.

As you can see, there are a lot of things that you need to think about when you are troubleshooting why your chain is dulling fast. We actually have a detailed guide called Different Types of Chainsaw Chains and it is a great read on all the different things you should consider when choosing a chain! And when you are ready to get yourself a new chain, we have you covered as we have plenty of chainsaw chains for sale.

If you are up for a new chainsaw, check out our Canberra Mowers shop in Mitchell. We stock the latest Husqvarna chainsaws in Canberra for both professional and home users.