550Xp Chain

[Striven82]

I've been looking around and it seems like the Stihl 23rs pro chain might be the way to go for a 550. Where does everyone find it? I'm not having a lot of luck finding it online. It'll be 72 links, but I wouldn't mind finding a bigger spool and making my own...

 

[Franny K]

If you go to a Stihl dealer that makes chain loops from a reel .325 pitch in 0.050 gague has been the 3690 code or what you ask for in the first sentence. I think it is probably 3 years ago the product code for .325x.050 changed from the stuff with the necked down drive links. Initially Stihl made loops in Husky sizes like 72dl, now They have their own bars and seem to have stuck with their loop sizes. To make .325 loops now out of Stihl chain the preset tie straps are different for 0.050 and 0.063 because the drive link width or maybe thickness is different, chances of them using the wrong ones are significant.

Use the 3690 in a search on ebay. It is there. As for the reels see a Stihl dealer keep in mind the Oregon and Husqvarna nearest product is maybe $420 a roll from the lowest price seller.

3690 005 0078 is the code off a box I have for a 78 dl loop. You should be able to order from a Stihl place the loop you want just modify the last digit.

 

[Timber MacFallen]

I've been looking around and it seems like the Stihl 23rs pro chain might be the way to go for a 550. Where does everyone find it? I'm not having a lot of luck finding it online. It'll be 72 links, but I wouldn't mind finding a bigger spool and making my own...

I have a 550. If you want to go with a narrow kerf high performance chain why not the Husqvarna X-CUT SP33G? I'll put that up against the Stihl any day. https://www.husqvarna.com/us/chains/x-cut-sp33g325-pitch-050-gauge/

 

[Striven82]

If you go to a Stihl dealer that makes chain loops from a reel .325 pitch in 0.050 gague has been the 3690 code or what you ask for in the first sentence. I think it is probably 3 years ago the product code for .325x.050 changed from the stuff with the necked down drive links. Initially Stihl made loops in Husky sizes like 72dl, now They have their own bars and seem to have stuck with their loop sizes. To make .325 loops now out of Stihl chain the preset tie straps are different for 0.050 and 0.063 because the drive link width or maybe thickness is different, chances of them using the wrong ones are significant.

Use the 3690 in a search on ebay. It is there. As for the reels see a Stihl dealer keep in mind the Oregon and Husqvarna nearest product is maybe $420 a roll from the lowest price seller.

3690 005 0078 is the code off a box I have for a 78 dl loop. You should be able to order from a Stihl place the loop you want just modify the last digit.

So, would the 3690 chain be the narrow kerf stuff I'm looking for? I thought I remember seeing that there was a difference between the 23rs and the 23rsp (p for pro)...or something like that. There is so much chain info out there, it's hard not to get lost in the minutia.

 

[Franny K]

Yes narrower than the code 3631 I see in my paper color catalog from 2008. Actually in that catalog only .404 is called RS, all gauges in .325 and 3/8 are called RSC. The cutters are smaller right to left. Stick out less in a right to left manner from the centerline. The cutters are pretty long but it looks to me the amount the kerf would get less as the tooth gets sharpened back is slight compared to just about anyting else. Maybe that would be called taper. One thing I find amusing is on the packaging inside they call the "super" or chisel cutters at 60 degree angle and the Micro ones 75 but if you sharpen them with the file and guide shown the angle for both will be the same.

 

[Franny K]

I have a 550. If you want to go with a narrow kerf high performance chain why not the Husqvarna X-CUT SP33G? I'll put that up against the Stihl any day. https://www.husqvarna.com/us/chains/x-cut-sp33g325-pitch-050-gauge/

Have you actually tried them back to back? I bought a loop of the sp33g to do that and took it off pretty quickly. Just recently I reinstalled it thinking I was putting the H30 stuff on as I did not have glasses on. It works fine and I did not take it off, of course I would have to modify a 78 or buy another 72 in that case. Perhaps what I mentioned in another thread about the chisel Stihl product coming with a 60 degree angle of edge out of the box comes into play here. That Stihl stuff can be really aggressive out of the box, I stalled out my Dolmar 6100 7 tooth drive in somewhere around 10" diameter oak without intending to do that.

 

[Timber MacFallen]

Yes, we have Stihl, Husky and Echo saws and I've tried chains from a half dozen companies (though I prefer Oregon Speedcut, Husky SP33G and Stihl RS Pro for quality). The Stihl chain out of the box is very aggressive and will cut ever so slightly faster than the Husky chain, but you pay for that with a chain that dulls faster than the Husky and ultimately winds up being slower over the course of a job (in my experience). The Husky holds an edge longer and when both are worn seems to out cut the Stihl.

There's a half dozen videos out there comparing these two chains in timed cuts- there's not a big difference. Of course, if you're entering a timed competition and every tenth of a second matters-then sure, out of the box I'd probably get the Stihl. However, for an afternoon of tree work I'll take the Husky all day.

 

[Lionsfan]

Have you considered Oregon LGX? I run it on my mkii and can find it online for under $20 bucks a loop. It doesn't hold an edge quite as well as the Stihl chain, but for half the price I can live with that.