COMPARISON
Sherem Chainsaw Sharpener vs Stihl 2-in-1 Easy File: Which Should You Buy? (2026)
The Sherem (Sherum) chainsaw sharpener is a hand-cranked jig that clamps to your bar; the Stihl 2-in-1 Easy File is a file guide that sharpens the cutters and lowers the depth gauges in one pass. They cost about the same. Here is what each does, what each costs and where to buy, and which one fits how you use your saw.
Sherem chainsaw sharpener vs Stihl 2-in-1: the Sherem is the easier tool for a quick touch-up, because it clamps to the guide bar and holds the angle while you turn a crank, and the Stihl 2-in-1 Easy File is the better tool for long-term chain care, because it sharpens the cutting teeth and lowers the depth gauges in the same pass. Both cost around $50 for one.
So the right pick depends on how often you cut and how much you care about getting the most life out of a chain. Below we compare them on what they do, price, fit, where you buy them and returns, using Sherem's own checkout and policies and US retailer listings for the Stihl. For how the Sherem performs on a chain, see our Sherem chainsaw sharpener review.
One thing to settle first: these two tools are not really rivals in the way two brands of the same jig would be. The Sherem is a guided burr that does one part of the job very quickly. The Stihl 2-in-1 is a smarter hand file that does the whole job a little more slowly. Many people who cut firewood every winter end up owning a file guide and using a jig or a shop for quick touch-ups. If you only ever buy one, the questions below should make the choice easy.
Sherem vs Stihl 2-in-1 at a glance
What it is: the Sherem saw sharpener is a bar-mounted, hand-cranked jig with a carbide burr at a fixed 30° angle. The Stihl 2-in-1 Easy File is a handheld file holder that carries two round files and a flat file, so each stroke sharpens a cutter and files its depth gauge together.
Price: Sherem's checkout showed $49.99 for one sharpener, falling to $31.25 each in a four-pack. Ace Hardware and Valley Power Equipment list the Stihl 2-in-1 for .325" chain at $49.99, and other US listings we saw ranged from $38.72 for the 3/8" version at one saw shop to $57.99 at another.
Fit: the Sherem mounts through two holes in the guide bar, so check your bar has them. The Stihl is sold per chain pitch, with versions for 1/4"P, 3/8"P, .325", 3/8" and .404" chain, so you buy the one that matches your chain.
Where you buy: the Sherem is sold online from Sherem's own checkout and ships from overseas in about 10 to 15 business days. The Stihl is on the shelf at US hardware stores and Stihl dealers.
How the Sherem chainsaw sharpener works
You clamp the Sherem over the guide bar, set the pawl against a cutter, drop the carbide burr into its guide and turn the handle a few times. Then you advance the chain to the next tooth and repeat around the loop. Because the jig sets the 30° angle for you, there is very little technique to learn, which is why Sherem's marketing calls it as easy as sharpening a pencil.
What it does not do is dress the depth gauges, the small rakers in front of each cutter that set how deep the tooth bites. Over several sharpenings the cutters get lower while the rakers stay put, and the chain starts to skate rather than cut. Our Sherem saw sharpener review covers this, along with the burr wearing out over time and the two-hole bar requirement.
How the Stihl 2-in-1 Easy File works
The Stihl 2-in-1 Easy File is a guide you hold against the chain with a round file for the cutter and a flat file for the depth gauge mounted together. Retailer listings describe it as sharpening the cutters and lowering the depth gauges in one pass. Ace Hardware's listing says it includes two round files, a flat file, a file holder and a filing guide, and another retailer notes the files can be replaced by unclipping one end and sliding them out. Replacement flat files are also sold separately.
The trade-off is that you are still filing by hand. You count strokes on each tooth, file in one direction, and work around the chain, so it takes longer than cranking a jig and there is more to get right at first. In return you are maintaining the whole tooth, which is what keeps a chain cutting evenly over many sharpenings.
Price and where to buy
On Sherem's checkout page, the sharpener was $49.99 for one, $94.98 for two, $104.96 for three and $124.98 for four. Shipping, sales tax, a tariff fee and InsureShip package protection are settled at checkout, so look at the final total before you pay. The checkout also showed a countdown for an extra 10% coupon; you do not need to rush.
The Stihl 2-in-1 is $49.99 at Ace Hardware for the .325" version, and prices at dealers vary by pitch. Buying in person means you can take your chain or saw in and get the right size the same day, which is the simplest way to avoid ordering the wrong file. On price alone the two are a wash for a single tool; Sherem only pulls ahead if you want several for a family or a crew.
Returns and support
Sherem offers a 30-day guarantee on unused purchases: send the item back in its original packaging for a refund or replacement, less shipping and handling. Its refund policy counts the 30 days from delivery, puts return shipping on you and does not refund shipping costs; defective or damaged items are replaced free within 30 days if you email support. The store's policy pages list companies in Hong Kong, and its Trustpilot score was 1.2 when we checked. Our is Sherem legit guide goes through those terms in full.
For the Stihl, returns follow the hardware store or dealer you bought it from, which for most buyers means walking it back to the counter. That local, in-person return path is a real advantage over shipping a used tool back overseas.
Using a Sherem or a Stihl file in a simple chain-care routine
Most homeowners do not need to choose one tool forever. A practical routine is to touch up the cutters whenever the saw starts producing dust instead of chips, and to deal with the depth gauges every few sharpenings. The Sherem handles the first job quickly. The Stihl 2-in-1 handles both, which is why many regular cutters reach for it instead of a jig.
If you use the Sherem, keep your passes light and even. Our review found that leaning on the burr removes more metal than necessary and shortens a chain's life, and the burr itself wears down and needs replacing over time. Count the same number of turns on every tooth so the cutters stay the same length, and check the rakers by eye after several sharpenings; if the chain starts to skate across the wood, the rakers are likely too high and it is time for a depth-gauge pass with a flat file or a shop sharpening.
If you use the Stihl 2-in-1, buy the version for your exact chain pitch, file in one direction and keep the guide flat on the chain. The extra effort pays you back in a chain that stays balanced and cuts straight for longer. Spare round and flat files are sold separately, so you can keep a set in the truck.
And if your chain has hit a rock or dirt and lost its shape, neither tool is the right fix. That is the job for a bench grinder; our review lists models from Oregon, Timberline and Granberg starting around $150 to $300, and Bob Vila's testing named the Oregon 410-120 its favorite bench grinder chain sharpener. For a once-a-year reset, a local saw shop is usually the cheapest option of all.
Sherem, Sherum, Libiyi and Stihl: who makes what
Sherum and Shirem are misspellings of Sherem; people searching Sherum chainsaw sharpener reviews mean the same Sherem product. Libiyi and Hatmeko are separate sellers of a very similar bar-mount sharpener, often for $15 to $30 on marketplaces, and we found nothing showing they are the same company as Sherem.
Stihl is a different company again. It has no connection to Sherem, and the 2-in-1 Easy File is a Stihl part sold through its dealer network. Marketplace listings sometimes put Stihl next to the bar-mount sharpener names, but a bar-mount jig is not a Stihl product, so check the brand before you order.
Which should you buy?
Buy the Sherem chainsaw sharpener if you run a saw a few times a season, find freehand filing fiddly, and want a fast touch-up at a consistent angle. Pair it with an occasional depth-gauge check or a shop sharpening, and go in knowing the overseas shipping and strict returns.
Buy the Stihl 2-in-1 Easy File if you cut regularly, want to keep one chain cutting well for longer, and do not mind learning to file by hand. It is the better tool for chain life and is easy to buy and return locally. Disclosure: TopCrate earns a commission only if you buy the Sherem through our link; we earn nothing on the Stihl. Read our full Sherem chainsaw sharpener review, and if you are shopping for a small cordless saw to go with it, see our Super Saw review.
Read our full Sherem review
How the Sherem sharpener performs, which bars it fits, and how it compares with a file guide and a grinder.
Read our full Sherem review →Frequently asked questions
Is the Sherem chainsaw sharpener better than the Stihl 2-in-1?
It is easier and faster for a quick touch-up, because the jig holds the angle for you. The Stihl 2-in-1 is better for long-term chain care, because it also lowers the depth gauges. Pick by how often you cut.
Does the Sherem sharpener file the depth gauges?
No. The Sherem sharpens the cutting edge with a carbide burr at a fixed 30° angle but does not dress the depth gauges. The Stihl 2-in-1 Easy File does both in one pass.
How much is the Sherem sharpener vs the Stihl 2-in-1 file?
When we checked, the Sherem was $49.99 for one, or $31.25 each in a four-pack, plus shipping and fees at checkout. Ace Hardware lists the Stihl 2-in-1 for .325" chain at $49.99.
Which Stihl 2-in-1 size do I need?
Match it to your chain pitch. It is sold in 1/4"P, 3/8"P, .325", 3/8" and .404" versions; check your saw's manual or take the chain to a Stihl dealer if you are not sure which you have.
Is Sherum the same as Sherem, and is it made by Stihl?
Sherum is a misspelling of Sherem, the brand on the sharpener's checkout. Sherem has no connection to Stihl, and Libiyi and Hatmeko are separate sellers of a similar bar-mount sharpener.
Can I return the Sherem sharpener if it does not fit my bar?
Only if it is unused and in its original packaging, within 30 days of delivery, with return shipping at your cost. Check your bar has the two mounting holes before you order.
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