Thread: stihl rs chain

thought id share my opinions about this here subject as well and maybe find out if you guys have had similar experiences.

have been using oregon 72lg chain on my 24" 372xp - cut fine, but there was some talk on this forum about : "the stihl chain having a high chromium content etc. that results in it staying sharp longer...".

well in my experience this has not been the case. i bought 2 72LG's for about $20. used them and tried the stihl (well of course as stihl only sells through their dealers i got royally ripped off but still wanted to try) i paid $47 for 2 chains of RS.

well, both chains worked well and i coulnd't tell either one cutting any better than the other out of the box or after about 10hrs. both chains are still somewhat sharp and i see NO DIFFERENCE in the sharpness or cutting ability of these two brands.

this makes me really disappointed about paying this much for the 2 stihl chains as i received no improvement that i can see for more than double the price...

i dont know what you guys think - maybe your experiences are different and i got some crappy stihl chain and some awesome oregon...

the stihl chain did not rip you off for the price.The dealer just charged you to much. & most likle made a good sale, but lost more sales from you.

NO, Sonny! It's the chain's fault!! Blame the chain!!

yes - i got ripped off by stihl and the dealer:

thanks to stihls policy, i cant buy this chain from anywhere else (unless i drive 30 miles and the extra expense makes it unworthwhile, and who knows, it may be the same price there too)

thanks to the local dealer, since they are the only dealer in my area - they can charge pretty much what they want. and i certainly will never set my foot in the place again (expensive) and to top it all off for them - had very poor knowledge of their own products.

and im not blaming the chain - it just doesnt seem to hold any advantage over a chain that is regularly available from almost anywhere and for less than half the price!

Howdy,

You bring up an interesting subject that I happen to be sudying right now. Yes, there is an alloy difference in the raw material. Oregon chain contains half the percentage of Chrome and Nickle in the alloy as the Stihl in the professional standard 3/8 pitch chain flat parts. I have not assured that this is true in the case of the cutters as yet.

They claim a patent on this new "improved" alloy and the benefit of faster blanking, longer die life, and lower cost.

Experience has shown that reduction in the percentage of these elements leads to premature failure of the parts in cold weather or with insufficient lubrication. Data submitted in the Oregon patent claims actually stronger strength in the as-heattreated test specimens. (This of course says nothing about chain parts after use).

On the down side for Stihl, I have had complaints from Bushlers (Those loggers paid for how much they cut) that the Stihl chisel chain simply is slower than the Oregon LG. My own evaluation found this to be true because of the lack of a topplate compensating angle in the cutter design, and the resulting requirement for the European 5mm file instead of the N. American standard 7/32. Interestingly enough, the Stihl chain is faster out of the box, but the factory sharpening can not be duplicated after the chain has been assembled! (They cheat by doing an excessive down angle cutter grind resulting in a thin topplate cutting angle, that can not be done after the opposite tiestrap is in the way). When I brought the above to the attention of Stihl in Switzerland, they chose not to respond to my e-mail, so the above is just my theory.

Regards,
Walt Galer

Hi There, I like to talk about chain. The trick to Stihl RS is use nothing bigger than 13/16" file if you want to outcut LG, however Oregon CL will out cut both chains if modified back to round ground. Cutting speed is not only determined by the model of chain you choose, but also the way you look after all other related cutting attachments and how proficient you are at handfiling in the first place. Stihl chain is longer lasting than Oregon under the same circumstances, but this is inconsequental, just like a disposable razor. If you know how to shave you know how to get the most out of a chain. I have over 100 lbs. of discarded chain that would be the envy of any casual user or semi pro, but I am a fanatic about chain when I cut wood and chain cost is too cheap to compromise any cutting advantage.
A 1000 ft. of chain is only 2000U.S., so why should I worry about it. I like it though when I can fell and buck 20,000 ft. with one chain, but I make damn sure the sprocket and bar arent responsible for any undue damage to my beloved chain that I love to handfile. Oregon gets hammered much sooner than Stihl chain of the equivelent model, but just like the disposable razor theory, who gives a damn if you are making money with it and you understand why it is doing what it is doing.
John from Canada

thanks walt & john for your informative replies. i just wanted to clarify that i havent touched either chain with a file - i just wanted to see the difference. you both said that the stihl chain last longer in the same circumstances - although i did not find this in my case its entirely possible since the harder alloy (chromium content). agreeing with john, chain is relatively cheap - this is the point: the price difference being more than 2x more for stihl certainly doesn't warrant buying stihl - (saying this i dont know what the bulk pricing for stihl chain is compared to oregon, since i cant/wont get it here). Also - what are the differences between the square ground chains of oregon & stihl - are they more obvious or the same?

very interested about the CL filed round would outcut both though - what is the difference between a CL filed round and LG??? also - how many times do you guys hit the chain with a grinder before you notice a difference in cutting performance - ie. at what age do you "throw it in the emergency pile"??

Who uses chain off the roll without at least a touch up? I have found that the dullest a chain should ever be is when it comes off the roll. The working corners are often dinged up I have noticed.
I use both the lg and rs and have found no difference and probably could'nt with out a stopwatch.

Hi there fellow chainsaw operators, although I have an Oregon bench grinder, I rarely use it for my own crosscutting chain except in cases where abrasive damage has been done to the cutters.
Bench grinding requires as much finesse as does proper handfiling. In the field or in the shop we wont find two saw operators that file alike, however all successful filers have one thing in common: they have a light touch and know what they are trying to accomplish before they start.
I can only speak for round ground chain due to the mental block I have developed about square filed chisel.
Chain off the reel or out of the box should always be filed gently to remove any burr in the gullet. I may lay claim to the first odd ball East of the Rockies to round file CL chain, but it only takes 3-4 strokes with a file to accomplish this, however the rakers must be reduced. I am not sure, but I think the Carlton raker gauge may reduce the depth on CL more than it does on LG or RS. This may be due to the shorter cutter on CL.
Disclaimer: Chainsaw and sawchain modification is dangerous and is of nil to no advantage to those who havent had a long and exacting apprenticeship with chainsaw use and a full understanding of every part of their saw and chain. So unless you are a hotsaw racer, a chainsaw lumber maker or a long time bushler who wants more performance, then leave your saw and chain as stock.
Cheers to All.
John

Originally posted by Gypo Logger
Hi there fellow chainsaw operators, although I have an Oregon bench grinder, I rarely use it for my own crosscutting chain except in cases where abrasive damage has been done to the cutters.
Bench grinding requires as much finesse as does proper handfiling. In the field or in the shop we wont find two saw operators that file alike, however all successful filers have one thing in common: they have a light touch and know what they are trying to accomplish before they start.
I can only speak for round ground chain due to the mental block I have developed about square filed chisel.
Chain off the reel or out of the box should always be filed gently to remove any burr in the gullet. I may lay claim to the first odd ball East of the Rockies to round file CL chain, but it only takes 3-4 strokes with a file to accomplish this, however the rakers must be reduced. I am not sure, but I think the Carlton raker gauge may reduce the depth on CL more than it does on LG or RS. This may be due to the shorter cutter on CL.
Disclaimer: Chainsaw and sawchain modification is dangerous and is of nil to no advantage to those who havent had a long and exacting apprenticeship with chainsaw use and a full understanding of every part of their saw and chain. So unless you are a hotsaw racer, a chainsaw lumber maker or a long time bushler who wants more performance, then leave your saw and chain as stock.
Cheers to All.
John

What a bunch of Bullsh!t.
John Lambert

John so if I try to convert CL to round ground chain what size file should I use to accomplish this??also what should I set the top plate at??It just so happens that I have a few loops of CL in the shop just sitting around..

Later Rob.