Cutter link for saw chain having guide surface for sharpening

A cutting link adapted for cutting in a forward direction with an upper cutting edge thereof comprising:

• a lower body portion having means for accommodating pivotal interconnection with preceding and following links in a saw chain, and in an upper body portion configured into a cutter portion and a depth gauge portion, said cutter portion including a top plate having a leading cutting edge, said top plate extending downwardly and rearwardly at a determined angle from the cutting edge toward said lower body portion, the depth gauge portion having a depth gauge peak that is lower in heighth than the cutting edge by a determined distance thereby establishing a depth gauge setting, and a guide edge extending from the depth gauge peak toward the cutting edge at substantially the same angle as the top plate angle, said guide edge being adapted to guide a file along a non-abrading guide surface for sharpening the cutting edge and for substantially abrading away the cutter portion along a path substantially paralleling said angle of the top plate, and said guide edge angle defines a rearwardly directed downward slope and the lengthwise distance between the cutting edge and the depth gauge peak is determined by a value obtained by dividing the difference between the heighth of the cutter portion above the guide edge at the point of intersection and the depth gauge setting by the slope of the guide edge.