Article by Janet Slater
photo by Don Mills
If anyone has ever told you you’re not the sharpest tool in the shed, then it’s time for you to meet Gil Russ.
About two years ago, Gil and his wife were riding the trail, as they do a couple of times a week, when they stopped to rest near some FLMSP volunteers clearing limbs and brush. The chainsaw attracted Gil, because he loves steel tools, and he asked the volunteers what they were doing. Then Gil asked the life-changing question: “How do you guys get your tools sharpened?”
When the crew told him sharpening was a problem for FLMSP, Gil volunteered his services. Later that day the volunteers visited his home near the trail in Loveland to drop off their chainsaws and tour his wood shop. Ever since, Gil has been sharpening 6 to 10 saw chains every week, as well as repairing other tools when needed.
Gil says he can fix anything, and he has the experience to prove it. He worked as a mechanical engineer at G.E. for 35 years, has worked with wood all his life, and built his own house and shop. When he was younger, he built hot-rod cars. He enjoys wood-turning, a hobby he shares with a group that meets every Thursday. Gil’s specialty is wooden bowls that he creates from interesting pieces of wood supplied to the club by local arborists. Gil sharpens tools for his fellow wood-turners, too.
Gil’s donation of his skills to FLMSP does more than keep our tools sharp—it also makes them last longer. He explains that he customizes the settings on his machine for each chain, removing a minimum amount of steel. While chains serviced by most commercial sharpeners may only bear 3 sharpenings before they must be discarded, Gil says his method allows a chain to be sharpened 8 to 10 times.
Gil says the FLMSP tools need frequent maintenance because they get heavy use, and because some of the chain saw crew “get a little excited” with their work and the saws dull quickly. Thank you, Gil, for donating your time and skills to FLMSP while saving us money and keeping us sharp!
