Rapid Micro or Rapid Super on Stihl 029 Super?

When I bought my 029S some 12 years ago or so I got an 18 inch .325 x .063 bar and both a RM2 (the older style with the humped links between cutters) and an RS chain. I really have not noticed that big a difference in the chains, both cut well in my opinion. Perhaps the RS does cut faster when just sharpened but of course it dulls a bit more easily.

Fast forward to today and I am thinking of getting 2 new chains (I like to keep 2 on hand) and am pondering the Stihl chain offerings:

26RMC 74 yellow
26RMC3 74 green
26RSC 74 yellow
26RSC3 74 green

I am intrigued by the yellow semi chisel RMC. What kind of performance difference might there be between it and the green RMC3? Between the yellow RMC and yellow RSC?

Opinions on all the chains are solicited.

I prefer the RSC. Cuts really well and seems to hold its sharpness too. I cut in both hardwood and pine equally.

I owned an 024 AV for many years and used the 26RM2 67 chain and thought it worked well. I had never used any other chain, especially the yellow chain which Stihl says is "for experts with exceptional cutting needs" and I certainly did not fit in that catagory!
I recently gave that saw to my son and he immediately put on a 26RM67 chain that the dealer had on close out price. The cutting performance gain is HUGE, I could not believe the difference. The triple hump RM2 chain is never going back on that saw again. I was a bit concerned about him using "Yellow" chain, but he has used it quite a bit without incident. I also tried it, was impressed, and not left feeling that it was "out to get us." Common sense and normal safety rules - like paying attention to the bar tip will keep you safe.

I now have a MS261 with a 26RMC3 67 green chain and it cuts wood FAST. I'm experimenting a little now and have tried an Oregon 22BPX67 safety chain (they are $8.00 cheaper than the Stihl 26RMC3 chain). The Oregon chain seems to cut just as well as the Stihl, but the Oregon stretches noticably more when first used. I recently found and purchased a 26RMC67 yellow chain (hard to find around here) but have not had a chance to test it. When the hot weather lets up later this week, I hope to do so.

I have not tried the full chisel chain as everything I've read says those chains do not work as well in dirty wood and we have a lot of that here on the farm acreage. I probably did not answer many of your questions - but shared some observations of an amature cutter.

Regards, Bob R

Thanks for the replies.

As an experienced (not in a professional sense) occasional user (but when I do use it, it's often doing something like cutting up an entire oak or hickory tree for firewood), I am comfortable with yellow chain. As I noted in my original post, I am interested in the performance and durability aspects of the 26RMC yellow variant of the semi-chisel. I am guessing perhaps it might be a very good combination of performance and durability. Durability is probably a little more of interest to me than is performance so long as the the performance loss (semi chisel vs chisel) is not very noticible.

Anyone else with experience using this RMC chain (not the RMC3) please chime in.

Rmc

I've been using RMC chain and find it works really well. Easy to sharpen, stays sharp, cuts well. I'm cleaning up a bush of fallen trees. Most of the trees are 12" or less, they are not "on" the ground but supported just above. Sand is prominent and chisel chain (like RSC) certainly begins cutting well...and slightly faster than semi-chisel but it soon diminishes. RMC always cuts for 2-3 tanks and can be touched up with minimal filing. RSC does take extra filing to restore the sharp point. So I prefer semi-chisel in this application as it's easy to maintain and offers more longevity.
Likewise I use 2 chains per saw and chose "Laser" brand semi-chisel for the second chain. I believe it's rebadged Carlton. Both are used interchangeably. Ymmv.
In another area the wood is cleaner and I have a saw set up with chisel chain, RSC installed. Chisel will cut faster but semi-chisel isn't that far behind.
Match your chain to the work and keep it sharp.
Hope this helps your dilemma.

Rmc

I also prefer semi-chisel for firewood. Holds up much better for me.

Always get the yellow chain. There is a big difference and it will really wake up the saw. The Stihl shop I go to doesn't even sell the green chain unless thats all thats available in that chain pitch. I primarily use Stihl RMC and RSC and have been very happy with it in .325 and 3/8 gauge. Oregon LGX is also very good.

sunfish said:

I also prefer semi-chisel for firewood. Holds up much better for me.

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I actually like the Oregon equivalent a little better, but RMC is good chain.

I like to have both around. As others have said RM cuts fast and works good in clean wood but if I'm cutting up oak tops for fire wood that have been drug around in the dirt and have sand in the bark the RM does hold up longer.

The RMC semi chisel is better for firewood cutting. It will hold an edge longer then RSC which is a full chisel chain. Now the 3 behind the letter is for the 3 humped guard link which will make any chain cut slow but it passes anti-kickback standards. That is why it has the green designation.

I would always opt for the yellow chain unless I was on a job where insurance purposes require otherwise.

Avoid the number 3

I have run both RMC and RSC, along with RM and RS which you can no longer get apparently. My advice is to use the one that works best for your conditions, but never run the ones with the 3 humped guard link unless your time is worth nothing. They'll slow you down in the cut, and slow you down even more when you attempt to lower the rakers.

lambs said:

I have run both RMC and RSC, along with RM and RS which you can no longer get apparently. My advice is to use the one that works best for your conditions, but never run the ones with the 3 humped guard link unless your time is worth nothing. They'll slow you down in the cut, and slow you down even more when you attempt to lower the rakers.

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They no longer make the 3 humped guard link chain - that was RM2, which I have one of. The RMC3 and RSC3 have a link with a single curved ramp that sits along side the front of the cutter link. The RMC and RSC do not have that humped link.

I think it depends on how much of a burden sharpening is to you. I normally have a few loops for each bar that I have, and so if I'm cutting far from home I have some extras. When I'm really far, and/or really in the woods, and want to get a lot done for the day, I make sure I have some semi chisel loops around.

If I'm cutting in the yard, or at a neighbors--somewhere close to a vise where I can really do some good sharpening, i like the chisel.

I don't like sharpening in the field when I can avoid it. I find I can get chains very sharp when I have a regular bench vise that I can stand at. I have a stump vise and get decent results with it but it's certainly not comfortable and not something I like to do.

I think overall for in the field cutting, semichisel will result in higher productivity. As a saw enthusiast, RMC is a little bit frustrating because I know that RSC would have me cutting faster.

Finding any of the yellow RMC (26RMC 74 in my case) is proving hard. None of the Atlanta area dealers I have checked so far carry it. They all seem to carry either green RMC3 or yellow RSC. Most are not even familiar with the yellow RMC.

I am having even harder luck finding any of the Stihl sprocket needle bearing grease. No one carries that either. Instead I just used a very very light coating of the Stihl gear grease they sell in tubes.

Try Madsen's or check Ebay, from time to time it pops up. You may have to buy a length of it and get it make to you DL.

My local dealer called the regional Stihl distribution center and was told the 26RMC (not RMC3) chain was discontinued. I found that odd since it is the current catalog. I believe the dealer because he seems to want to find the chain for me and is will to buy 25 ft of it because he knows he would sell loops himself. I am not sure he go the straight scoop from the distribution center.

Has anyone else seen this chain available? I may query a couple of more dealers and see if they have luck.

I've got a MS 261 with a 16" bar that came with a 26RMC3 67 chain. As I mentioned above, I recently found a 26RMC 67 chain at an ACE hardware store. A couple months ago storm blew down a couple 5" Aspen trees in our acreage. This last week, I limbed and bucked one with the green chain and one with the yellow chain. I noticed no difference between the two chains - in this very limited test.

Baileys now has Stihl chains for sale. 26RMC 67 chains are $24.99 and ship in one week. 26RMC 74 are $26.99 and are on back-order as of a few minutes ago.

I mentioned above that I also like Oregon's 22BPX67 chain. theoregonshop has video on youtube entitled "Oregon BPX Semi Chisel chainsaw chain." The video shows a comparison of 21BP (not low kickback) and the new 21BPX (low kickback) chains cutting wood. The 21BPX chain wins this race and the caption says that the BPX chain is up to 16% faster than the BP chain - which has been discontinued.

It is interesting to hear that Stihl may be replacing RMC with RMC3.

Regards, Bob R.

I seriously doubt that they are actually replacing RMC with RMC3 chain. I may verify this wwith a call to the big stihl tomorrow if I have time.

I generally find that the stihl "3" series is significantly more restrictive/inhibiting in the cut than the LPX and or BPX style raker guards. LPX actually cuts pretty well. The last loop of RSC3 I had was way restricted versus RSC. The size and thickness of the depth guards is significantly larger and or more substantial.

AFAIK both LGX and LPX from oregon have a slight antikickback feature, the LGX has rounder rakers while LPX has normal rakers but the little bumper link. I like the way oregon cuts when it's sharp, but it's hard to keep it that way.

One of the reasons I am interested in the RMC chain is I want a balance between a good cutting chain and durability. I don't do this for a living and mostly cut for property upkeep or for seasonal firewood purposes which is usually enabled if a tree on the property has died or is damaged and otherwise needs removal (75 year old red oak and 135 year old hickory have obliged in the past month courtesy of storm winds).

I find for me that the old RM2 (humped link) chain that I have cuts pretty good, and I also have an old RS. But it seems the RS dulls more quickly, and If I can get a new RMC style chain that cuts "nearly as fast" as a sharp RSC buts stays sharp longer, then that seems like a good trade to me for my uses.

I just got an email from Stihl support and he told me they have 12 service areas in the U.S., and the SE distributor for AL, GA, and FL does not carry/offer 26RMC chain. :msp_mad:

Now, I just need to find out which areas do.