Chain saw chains - which brand?
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Topic: Chain saw chains - which brand?
Posted By: Herb(GA)
Subject: Chain saw chains - which brand?
Date Posted: 06 Sep 2010 at 5:24am
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Need a couple new chains for my Stihl as I need to cut up a large sweet gum, etc. Our power equipment shop was a recent victim of the slowcown, so I need others knowledge of experience as to which brand/make is best. I only cut up a few cords each year. Herb
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Replies:
Posted By: macec3(TX)
Date Posted: 06 Sep 2010 at 5:55am
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Oregon brand. I have found that Stihl brand chains have some links that are harder than others, making them harder to sharpen. The file would get to one of the harder links and just slide rather than cut. Oregon will sharpen easier. Oregon is the only brand we used on logging crew.
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Posted By: BennyLumpkin
Date Posted: 06 Sep 2010 at 6:49am
I use Oregons and they seem to work great, sharpen easy and hold an edge well.....
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Central PA Allis Express
1934 WC254
1945 WF
1945 WC135755
1951 WD68085
1953 WD45-150217
1957 WD45D-230744D
B110
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Posted By: Rick of HopeIN
Date Posted: 06 Sep 2010 at 9:16am
I bought a batch of Oregon chain. The Oregon safety chain seems to cut a little better than Stihl safety chain in my opinion. I agree the Stihl chain is hard but seem to get dull just about as fast when I use it on old trees with dirty bark, etc.
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1951 B, 1937 WC, 1957 D14, -- Thanks and God Bless
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Posted By: Dakota Dave
Date Posted: 06 Sep 2010 at 12:45pm
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I put Oregon chains on my old cheap Poluan and it cuts very well.
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Posted By: DMiller
Date Posted: 06 Sep 2010 at 4:29pm
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I use Oregon on my old saws but my Stihl will stay sharp for twice as long and even as I need to use a motorized sharpener on it due to hardness the time saved is worth it while swinging the saw.
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Posted By: firebrick43
Date Posted: 06 Sep 2010 at 5:16pm
I have found GB chain/bars to be really good, but hard to find around here. Cant say I have ever seen a chain do well in the dirt. I use stihl chisel grind chain on the clean wood(mainly as there are no oregon dealers in the area that sell chisel chain, and chisel chain is much faster) and cheaper oregon safety chain on the dirty crap.
More important than the brand, are you changing your sprockets/bar? Its much better to have 3 loops of chain, with a good bar and new drive sprocket. Each time you refill you should touch each tooth with one stroke of a good file(I do like stihl files best). Every other tank switch chains and flip bar. This keeps every thing wearing evenly and when it gets dark I sharpen all three with my Oregon filing guide. If you put an new chain on an old bar/drive sprocket the chain will wear unevenly as the pitch on the sprocket/bar tip have worn to match the old chains.
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Posted By: Rick of HopeIN
Date Posted: 06 Sep 2010 at 7:39pm
I have seen the little rotary sharpeners but have not tried one yet. That sounds like a good way to get the best of the Stihl chains. What brand are you using?
I cut trash wood for firewood from fencerows and help keep my neighbors brush clean out in return for some good wood. The woods is thick with old locust we have been thinning out. I end up cutting a lot of heavy bark.
I like the idea of using safety chain but it just seems hard for me to keep the Stihl safety chains cutting right.
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1951 B, 1937 WC, 1957 D14, -- Thanks and God Bless
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Posted By: firebrick43
Date Posted: 06 Sep 2010 at 9:09pm
When you say it isn't cutting right what is happening? Does it track straight, or does it cut left or right? If so you are sharpening the teeth unevenly. Typically every 5 hand sharpenings you need to sharpen with a filing guide or a chain grinder to even things up.
Is it cutting slow? If so there can be two problems. Are you filing the rakers with a guide every 5 or so sharpenings? Also many don't sharpen the chain often enough. Most chains are chrome plated that is actually the cutting edge. If you don't sharpen it often enough the edge is worn back beyond the underlying metal. When you do sharpen it may feel sharp, but its the underlying metal that is sharp, not the chrome plating that is still further back. Then when you use the chain the softer sharp edge is quickly dulled. This is why its better to sharpen at every gas fillup with just a stroke or two of the file instead of a major sharpening when it acutally gets so dull that its difficult to cut. When you reach that point you have waited to long to sharpen.
With locust or hedge that grows in fence rows you may have to sharpen even more often than every tankful. Look at your chips. Are they dust? or are they actually thick chips?
Safety chain for cutting brushy fence rows is probably a very good idea. I use a safety chain as well in these locations, along with chaps and helmet.
I really don't think in this situation that there would be any better value than the oregon safety chain. Stihl chains are to expensive to wreck on bits of fence wire.
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Posted By: Dave A
Date Posted: 06 Sep 2010 at 9:23pm
I use Carlel chains. They seem to take the fence row cutting a lot better than Oregen. Also bought a electric benchtop chain sharpner. Seems to work ok if you start with a new chain. Does not work good on a free hand filed chain. Think the old stye flie than clamps on the bar type of shapener works the best
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Play the game for more than you can afford to lose... only then will you learn the game.
Winston Churchill
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Posted By: Rick of HopeIN
Date Posted: 07 Sep 2010 at 8:56pm
I will try sharpening the Stihl more often, you are probably right I usually wait too long and try to get a couple tanks of fuel burned up no matter what. The Stihl chain just seems to quit feeding itself as soon as it gets just a bit dull, more than the Oregon, if you look at the safety nubs the Stihl version is much more aggressive. I do think the Stihl version would make it more difficult to kickback at the nose end, they sort of unfold as the chain goes around the bar nose.
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1951 B, 1937 WC, 1957 D14, -- Thanks and God Bless
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Posted By: chevytaHOE5674
Date Posted: 13 Sep 2010 at 7:33pm
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I run a chainsaw for a living and run nothing but stihl brand chains on all of my saws. It sharpens a little harder but holds an edge much much longer which translates into less downtime sharpening.
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