Best Chainsaw Files: Pick the Right Size and Kit (2026)

The best chainsaw file kit for most owners is the Oregon Universal Chainsaw Field 7 Piece kit ($12.36): three round files, a flat file, a guide and a handle in a canvas roll. But a file only works if its diameter matches your chain, and Oregon, STIHL and Husqvarna do not all name the same file for 3/8 inch chain. Below: our pick, a size chart built from the three makers’ own published data, and the depth gauge settings most kits leave out.

We have not bench-tested these files. Picks rest on manufacturer specifications, the Amazon listings and live prices at the time of writing. If you would rather skip filing, see how bench-mount electric grinders compare.

Best Chainsaw File Kit: Oregon Universal Field Kit

A kit beats loose files for most people because three jobs have to be done on every sharpening: round-file each cutter, hold the file at a steady angle, and check the depth gauges. This kit has a tool for each. Its listing says the guide helps with depth gauge setting, and the handle pocket holds an instruction sheet with a filing chart.

The catch is coverage. Its 5/32″, 3/16″ and 7/32″ files fit 1/4″ chain, .325″ chain, most low-profile 3/8″ chain and 3/8″ and .404″ chain, but not every chain in those families. Oregon’s own chart specifies a 4.5 mm file for 90PX and 90SG low-profile chain, and STIHL specifies 5.2 mm for 3/8″ chain. If your chain is one of those, this kit’s files are the wrong size, and the table in the next section tells you which.

Chainsaw File Size Chart: Oregon vs STIHL vs Husqvarna

Most size charts online print one number per pitch. The three biggest names do not quite agree, so this table shows each one’s own figure. Not sure of your pitch? Our guide on measuring a chainsaw bar covers pitch and gauge, and what size chainsaw file you need walks through reading it off your chain.

Chain pitch	Oregon	STIHL	Husqvarna
1/4″	5/32″ (25AP)	4.0 mm (3.2 mm for 1/4″P)	4.0 mm (SP21G, H00, H37); 3.5 mm for SP11G
3/8″ low profile	5/32″ for 91P, 91PX, 91PXL, 91VXL; 4.5 mm for 90PX, 90SG	4.0 mm (3/8″P)	4.0 mm (S93G)
.325″ low profile	5/32″ (80TXL)	Not listed	4.0 mm (“.325 mini”)
.325″	3/16″ (95VPX, 95TXL, 20/21/22 series)	4.8 mm	4.8 mm (SP33G, S35G, H25, H30)
3/8″ full size	7/32″ (72, 73, 75 series)	5.2 mm	5.5 mm (S83G, H42, H47)
.404″	7/32″ (27X, 27AX, 27R, 58, 59, 68 series)	5.5 mm	5.5 mm (H64, H80)

Sources, all read for this update: Oregon’s Filing and Grinding Angles chart (PDF), the STIHL 2-in-1 EasyFile product page, and Husqvarna’s support article How to choose the correct file size for a chainsaw chain. “Not listed” means STIHL’s EasyFile page gives no figure for that pitch. The 5/32″, 3/16″ and 7/32″ sizes are roughly 4.0, 4.8 and 5.5 mm.

The 3/8 inch disagreement

Look at the full-size 3/8″ row. Oregon lists 7/32″ (about 5.5 mm) for its 72, 73 and 75 series chain, and Husqvarna lists 5.5 mm. STIHL sells its 3/8″ EasyFile at 5.2 mm. The diameters differ by less than half a millimetre, so the safest approach is to match the file to the chain maker: 5.5 mm for Oregon and Husqvarna chain, 5.2 mm for STIHL chain (more in our STIHL chainsaw file size chart).

That is why a six-file kit exists. The Hipa 12 Pack kit lists round files at 1/8″, 5/32″, 11/64″, 3/16″, 13/64″ and 7/32″, which includes the 4.5 mm size Oregon asks for on 90PX chain and the 5.2 mm size STIHL asks for on 3/8″ chain. If you own saws from several brands, that coverage matters more than the price gap. A related trap is mixing up pitches: .325 vs 3/8 chainsaw chain explains how to tell them apart before you buy.

Other Chainsaw File Options Worth Considering

Prices were checked on Amazon through the Creators API and were in stock when we looked. Cost per round file is derived (price divided by the number of round files) and, for kits, also pays for the handle, guide and gauges.

Product	Price	Round files	Sizes	Cost per round file	Best for
Oregon Universal Field 7pc Kit	$12.36	3	5/32″, 3/16″, 7/32″	$4.12	One or two common-size saws
Hipa 12 Pack Kit	$15.99	6	1/8″, 5/32″, 11/64″, 3/16″, 13/64″, 7/32″	$2.67	Mixed saws, including STIHL 3/8″ and Oregon 90PX
Nicholson 02229B 3-Pack	$5.99	3	3/16″ x 8″, knurl cut	$2.00	Refills if you run .325″ chain

The Hipa listing also includes a 2-in-1 depth gauge tool cut for .025″ and .030″, plus a quick-check gauge and a bar groove cleaner. The Nicholson files are bare: no handle, guide or gauge, and one size only, so they suit someone who already owns a guide and knows the pitch. Both listings are seller descriptions, not our own measurements.

Depth Gauge Settings and Filing Angles From Oregon’s Chart

Sharpening shortens each cutter, which lowers its top plate, while the depth gauge in front of it stays put. Left alone, the gauge ends up too high and the chain rides without biting. Oregon’s chart gives a setting for each chain family, and one number matters for kit buyers: .404″ chain and the 68LX and 68JX series use .030″, not the .025″ used for most of the rest of the chart.

Oregon chain	Pitch	File	Top-plate angle	Down angle	Depth gauge
25AP	1/4″	5/32″	30	10	.025″
91P, 91PX, 91PXL	3/8″ low profile	5/32″	30	0	.025″
90PX, 90SG	3/8″ low profile	4.5 mm	30	0	.025″
95VPX, 95TXL, 20/21/22BPX	.325″	3/16″	30	10	.025″
72, 73, 75 DPX	3/8″	7/32″	30	10	.025″
72, 73, 75 EXL, LGX, LPX	3/8″	7/32″	25	10	.025″
27X, 27AX	.404″	7/32″	30	10	.030″
68LX, 68JX	3/8″ harvester	7/32″	25	10	.030″

Angles are in degrees, from the same Oregon Filing and Grinding Angles chart. Check the stamp on your own chain: the angle that works on one chain family is wrong for the next, and a depth gauge tool cut only for .025″ will leave .030″ chain too high. The Hipa gauge covers both settings. Oregon’s chart also notes that its depth gauge file, part 12211, is bought separately for use with its depth gauge tools.

How to Sharpen a Chainsaw Chain With a File

Safety first. Turn the saw off, engage the chain brake, remove the battery on a cordless saw, let the saw cool, and wear cut-resistant gloves. Clamp the bar so the chain does not move while you file. These are general precautions rather than a substitute for your saw’s manual, so follow it where it differs.

1. Match the file: pick the round file from the chart above for your chain brand and pitch.
2. Mark the start cutter: a marker stroke on the first cutter you file tells you when you have gone all the way round.
3. Set the guide: rest the guide on the top plate, held level, so the angle lines on it follow the chain.
4. File one direction: push the file across each cutter in the same direction, using the same number of strokes on every tooth.
5. Switch sides: turn the saw around and repeat on the cutters that point the other way, matching the stroke count.
6. Check the depth gauges: use the gauge tool and flat file to bring any raised gauge down to the setting for your chain.

Keep every cutter the same length. A chain with one short cutter on a side pulls toward the other. Once the cutters are too short to file or the chain has stretched, know when to replace the chain instead of filing again. For a model-specific walk-through, see how to sharpen a STIHL chain, the square-file method for chisel chain, using a sharpening jig, or sharpening with a Dremel. Ryobi owners can check what size file fits a Ryobi chainsaw.

Frequently Asked Questions About Chainsaw Files

What size file do I need for my chainsaw?

It depends on the chain, not the saw or the bar length. Oregon, STIHL and Husqvarna all specify 4.0 mm (5/32 inch) for 1/4 inch chain, 4.8 mm (3/16 inch) for .325 inch chain, and 5.5 mm for .404 inch chain. Full-size 3/8 inch chain is the exception: Oregon and Husqvarna say 5.5 mm, STIHL says 5.2 mm.

What size file do I need for a 7-inch or other short chainsaw bar?

Bar length does not set file size. Short-bar saws usually run 1/4 inch or low-profile 3/8 inch chain, and the charts give 4.0 mm (5/32 inch) for both. The one catch is Oregon 90PX and 90SG low-profile chain, which Oregon files with 4.5 mm. Check the chain’s own markings before buying.

Do I need a file guide, or can I file freehand?

A guide is not required, but it makes the angles repeatable. Oregon’s own chart says to hold its file guide level, at 0 degrees flat on the top plate. A guide that also sets the depth gauges, like the one in the Oregon field kit, covers the two jobs most beginners get wrong.

What is the difference between a round file and a flat file on a chainsaw?

The round file sharpens each cutter’s curved edge. The flat file lowers the depth gauges (rakers), the small ramps in front of each cutter. Oregon’s chart lists its depth gauge file as a separate part, 12211, for use with its depth gauge tools, which is why most kits ship with both file types.

Is a 3/8 inch chainsaw file 5.5 mm or 5.2 mm?

Both appear in manufacturer data. Oregon lists 7/32 inch (about 5.5 mm) for its 72, 73 and 75 series 3/8 inch chain, and Husqvarna lists 5.5 mm for its 3/8 inch chain. STIHL sells its 3/8 inch EasyFile at 5.2 mm. Match the file to your chain’s brand, and ask the chain maker if unsure.

Final Thoughts

Pick the file by chain first, then the kit. For one or two common-size saws, the Oregon Universal Field kit at $12.36 covers the job. If you own STIHL 3/8″ chain, Oregon 90-series low-profile chain, or several saws, a six-size kit like the Hipa is the cheaper fix than guessing. Check your chain’s markings against the size chart before you order.