Abstract: The device is for mounting a saw chain firmly and securely for sharpening its cutter elements and for automatically advancing the cutter elements one by one consecutively through a sharpening station for sharpening by the grinding wheels. The holding device includes two pairs of holding finger elements which coact with a back plate to clamp on to the rivets of the cutter elements to be sharpened. The automatic advancing device includes an index finger mounted on a sliding platform which is slidable juxtaposed to the saw chain support. The index finger is operative to abut a selected cutter element and to advance a pair of left hand and right hand cutter elements to the sharpening station in each forward and backward movement cycle of the sliding platform. A pair of positioning plungers are provided to ensure the cutter elements are properly positioned in the shaprening station before they are clamped in place for sharpening by the grinding wheels.