Stihl Chain vs. Oregon

[Zombiechopper]

Yeah.
I used to run ONLY Stihl RM untill I got talked into the WP SC here.

I never noticed vibes from a chain either. LOL!!!

Cheap is cheap, and I'll run whatever I have on hand that I got on sale, but tend to run ugly chain and cheap LGX on fence rows with wire. LOL!!!

Got some clean Oak and Cherry to drop this fall, and may just see how far LGX goes without sand and wire in the bark.
It's CHEAP!!!!!!

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

It goes dull for me pretty fast even in clean wood. But I cut some pretty hard wind twisted stuff. I know guys that cut nothing but clean softwoods say it lasts a long while but it just doesn't work well for me.

 

[Zombiechopper]

these Stihl/Oregon chain threads all end up the same anyways: buy some Carlton! (WoodlandPro).

 

[fields_mj]

Where can I find .325 LG chain? I can only find LP on bailey's web site. I'd really like to get a spool of it.

I tend to agree that for me the RS holds up better, but I touch the chain up every time I fill the tank, so the RS doesn't actually save me any time. I can get a spool of Oregon .325 for half the price of a spool of Stihl, so it makes it hard to justify buying the stihl in bulk.

 

[J.W Younger]

Where can I find .325 LG chain? I can only find LP on bailey's web site. I'd really like to get a spool of it.

I tend to agree that for me the RS holds up better, but I touch the chain up every time I fill the tank, so the RS doesn't actually save me any time. I can get a spool of Oregon .325 for half the price of a spool of Stihl, so it makes it hard to justify buying the stihl in bulk.

If oregon makes .325 round chisel without the bumper link I'm not aware of it,maybe the oregon engineer can tell us.

 

[Gypo Logger]

Stihl chain is good, in fact so good it's even harder than the bar it rides in. It lasts long and holds an edge, but Oregon seems to cut marginaly faster as does Carlton. It all comes down to how much experience you have and how descriminating you are and how accomplished filer and how well you look after all associated terminal moving parts.
John

 

[fields_mj]

I re-read the posts, and I must have been more tired than I thought last night. I could have sworn that someone was saying that they liked Oregon .325 LG chain, but they were talking about 3/8 LG and .325 LP. I think I have it straight in my noggin now.

 

[SawTroll]

Another Stihl vs. Oregon chain merry-go-round, hold up, I want on. Oregon LPX in .325 and LGX in 3/8ths for me. Truthfully the hackberry I cut aint the hardest hardwood out there so there may be better choices in the woods you mentioned. The biggest difference I notice is not in cutting performance but in price. REJ2

The kind of wood that is cut probably makes a larger impact on "stay-sharp" that we are used to think.....

 

[Adam_MA]

+1. Asking what chain is better is like asking who's got the better truck, Ford, Chevy or Dodge. Worse than that who's got the ugliest kid? Or heaven forbid on this joint, Stihl vs Husky.

That's easy..

Dodge
My mother
Stihl

 

[Cantdog]

I like the .375 Stihl chain. However in my area the closest dealer's retail, off the street price is nearly $25.00 for a 60DL loop!!
Now the Oregon LGX is $13.00 and WP is $11.00 at Bailey's for the same 60DL loop.

I am much happier with two loops of Oregon or WP than one loop of Stihl even if it wears out twice as fast, (which it doesn't in my experience) it breaks even IMHO.

My opinion hasn't quite jelled on the WP yet. It seems not quite as sharp out of the box as either of the others and the first couple sharpenings are quite a bit of effort but after that it seems to sharpen easy enough and holds a good edge. I got a couple 72 DL loops to wear out before I make up my mind with only $1.00 difference or less in price.

Price is an important factor concerning the Stihl chain to me. If I could buy it priced more in line with the others it would probably would be my choice.

 

[SawTroll]

If oregon makes .325 round chisel without the bumper link I'm not aware of it,maybe the oregon engineer can tell us.

Don't worry about the small ramps on the LP/LPX, if that is what you refer to!

 

[gallegosmike]

Oregon chains are toooooooo soft and Do Not hold as edge long! Stihl chains are really tough and REALLY Pricey!!! For what it costs locally to me. I can order woodland pro chains, plus shipping. And get 2 chains for the price of one stihl chain. Woodland pro chains are a tiny bit less hard then stihl chains and super hard compared to oregon chains.

The cost advantage of woodland pro chains makes hard to justifie buying stihl chains. I have got about the same amount of usable life out of woodland pro chains as stihl chains.

I do not cut in clean conditions! For you guys that do cut in clean conditions. Oregon chains might be okay for you and hold a edge longer then for me.

That is MY .02

Mike

 

[J.W Younger]

Don't worry about the small ramps on the LP/LPX, if that is what you refer to!

Idont,was just trying to answer a question.I actually perfer it.

 

[SawTroll]

Oregon chains are toooooooo soft and Do Not hold as edge long! Stihl chains are really tough ....

I don't notice much difference at all, in the green and clean birch I usually cut, and my touch-up habits......

Look back at post #27.

 

[Mad Professor]

I like the .375 Stihl chain. However in my area the closest dealer's retail, off the street price is nearly $25.00 for a 60DL loop!!
Now the Oregon LGX is $13.00 and WP is $11.00 at Bailey's for the same 60DL loop.

I am much happier with two loops of Oregon or WP than one loop of Stihl even if it wears out twice as fast, (which it doesn't in my experience) it breaks even IMHO.

My opinion hasn't quite jelled on the WP yet. It seems not quite as sharp out of the box as either of the others and the first couple sharpenings are quite a bit of effort but after that it seems to sharpen easy enough and holds a good edge. I got a couple 72 DL loops to wear out before I make up my mind with only $1.00 difference or less in price.

Price is an important factor concerning the Stihl chain to me. If I could buy it priced more in line with the others it would probably would be my choice.

I get lots of 5, 20" bar 33 RSC , delivered @ $15 each

If you can get Carton, WP, or Oregon @ $7.50 per 20" 0.050 " 3/8 " delivered w/taxes, Let me know.

 

[BloodOnTheIce]

My dealer cost is nearly the same for Stihl and Oregon chain within 5$ of each other for a 100' roll. And I retail Oregon and Stihl chain at virtually the same reatail price, so I never understand when guys complain about Stihl being pricier, it must be the dealers marking it up.

For clean wood in 3/8 I go with Stihl RSC, dirty wood I go with RMC it's a semi chisel but doesn't have any anti kickback b/s.

I sharpen a lot of chains every week between 30-60 chains.
Stihl holds up better than Oregon BUT when a chain is badly dulled Stihl takes much longer to get sharp since it is harder and takes longer to grind.

For in the field sharpening I'll take Oregon chain, because it's so much easier to touch up with a file.

 

[CentaurG2]

Stihl chain is good stuff but it is not worth what the dealers ask for it and I have never found it to be sharper or longer lasting or anything “more” than Oregon except expensive. The only time I buy stihl chain is at state fairs when I can get it on the cheap. Baileys provides me with the rest of my chains. I usually get Oregon loops sent right to the door. I sharpen every time I fuel up or sooner. Cut mostly homeowner trees which inevitably are full of nails. Nothing better than putting on a fresh loop and tagging a nail with the first cut.

 

[SawTroll]

My dealer cost is nearly the same for Stihl and Oregon chain within 5$ of each other for a 100' roll. And I retail Oregon and Stihl chain at virtually the same reatail price, so I never understand when guys complain about Stihl being pricier, it must be the dealers marking it up. .......

The price is pretty much the same here (pre-made loops).

 

[Cantdog]

I get lots of 5, 20" bar 33 RSC , delivered @ $15 each

If you can get Carton, WP, or Oregon @ $7.50 per 20" 0.050 " 3/8 " delivered w/taxes, Let me know.

$15.00 delivered?? That's pretty darn good for a loop of 72 DL. My local dealer is a great guy but the cheapest I've got him to was about $19.00 for 60 DL. Where the heck are you getting these at $15.00 delivered for sets of five???? Let ME know!!!!

Blood it's good to know that atleast the roll price for dealers is very close. I don't blame my local Stihl dealer, you gotta make it where you can but I can't afford Bar Harbor prices I'm not a Rockerfeller, Astor or DuPont so until something cheaper or more convient comes along it's Baileys and UPS for me.

 

[fields_mj]

Around here, Oregon is noticably less expensive, but not half the cost. Maybe it's 15% less on average. It's hard to compare though because you're talking about Stihl dealership prices VS a TSC/Rural King/ some other box store price for the Oregon. If I have the dealer spin me a loop of Oregon, the price is almost the same as buying a Stihl loop off the shelf. So if I'm buying loops, there's not always a big difference in prices, just depends on where I'm doing my shopping.

However, I called 4 local Stihl dealerships and got the same price of $564 for a 100ft roll of .325 RS chain. I can get a 100' spool of Oregon from Baileys for about half that. I run an 18" bar, so that will get me almost 50 chains which puts the Stihl cost at $11.28 each, or the Oregon at $6 even. I haven't started spinning my own yet, but I won't be buying any more .325 loops. My dad, brother in law, and a friend of mine all use the .325, so we'll go in together on it. I'll probabably make the initial investement, and then spin the chains for $10 a piece until the spool and any extra ties are paid for. At $6 a loop, I doubt that I ever buy another Stihl chain. It's good stuff, but not that good.

 

[mdavlee]

Every stihl dealer I've been to to buy chain wants atleast a dollar an inch or dollar an inch plus $4 for the loop. I bought a 24" loop of RSK to try and it was $28. I've been buying LGX for $16 for a 28" or $18 for a 32". I can get 2 32" loops of oregon in my mailbox for around $44. I would like to try some stihl chain in square ground but the dealers want $40 a loop for a 32" since they have to special order it.