Anybody like Carlton chain anymore?

[w8ye]

After I have sharpened them, I like the Windsor, Carlton, and Woodland Pro the same as Oregon.

 

[sunfish]

I've run some Woodland pro semi chisel in 3/8 and it's OK.
But I like Oregon better across the board.

Like Stihl also, but no better than Oregon.

 

[166]

Bought a 25' roll of Carlton and there was barely enough for 2 chains.

 

[missouriboy]

30 RC is all i use. All the Oregon chain i used sucked. Stihl is the best but i hate to run Stihl chain on my husky :msp_tongue:

 

[w8ye]

I like Stihl when I can get for a good price.

If it isn't Oregon CL or LGX or Stihl RS I don't buy it outrite. But I might use most anything if I get roped into another type or brand when it comes on a saw.

 

[heimannm]

I don't have any immediate needs, but I would not hesitate to buy any form of Carlton chain for the cutting I do. Do you have pre-sets available as well? I like to be well stocked as I always seem to use several more than should be required for each repair...

I have bulk (rolls) of Carlton, GB, Oregon, Woodland Pro, McCulloch, Sabre (old stuff) and perhaps another one or two brands as well. I have used Stihl chain and can't say that I really notice it is any better than the others for my purposes. In fact, I find it harder to sharpen, not because the chain is harder or tougher, it just seems to have an odd geometry compared to the other chains I use. Some of the old McCulloch chipper chain can also be a challenge to sharpen properly due to odd geometry.

Mark

 

[cpr]

Stihl is good chain, but $$$.

I'll go against the grain on the Carlton vs. Oregon and say I really like the Carlton chisel, both 3/8 .058 and the .404 .063 I have bought. Have to pull a file over it first, but I'll buy it when needs arise, no hesitation.

 

[WKEND LUMBERJAK]

I like Carlton Chain I have used Stihl and Oregon as long as they are sharp they all work well. A year or so ago I bought two vegetable flats of made up loops and bars. Set for along while on chain. Chain saw chain is like saw brands everyone has their flavor.

 

[zombywoof]

I just ordered a loop of Carlton N1C for my Jonsered 2036 from ebay. Part of the reason I never use that saw is the crappy chain they sell in the box stores. There is not much to choose from in 3/8 low pro. The Carlton looks like it has nice long cutters that I'll be able to sharpen a few times, although the Oregon 91VX chain looked pretty similar. I would've ordered Stihl if I could have found it with 56 drive links. I have Stihl RSC on my MS250 and it's great. Hopefully someone with some real experience will chime in. I bought a Jonsered 2171 new a few years back and they threw in a free loop of Carlton chain. When it came time to sharpen it I found one cutter tooth on backwards. Maybe that's why they were throwing in those chains for free.

The Carlton N1C chain cuts faster than the Oregon 91VG chain. The first thing that Oregon did when they acquired Carlton was to copy the N1C cutter, change the depth gauge and call it 91VXL. Last year, Oregon made a new set of dies to make the Carlton N1C cutter and then scrapped the Carlton dies. Pretty much all Carlton chain is actually Oregon chain that has been dumbed down and re-branded. The 3/8LP chain and the .325 Carlton chain is now a mix or Oregon and Carlton parts or it is Oregon chain. The Carlton plant is closing and will be vacated by the end of the year if not sooner. They are still making pure Carlton .404 chain in Brazil but that is about it. The Carlton harvester line is going away completely, which is sad because the original Carlton 3/4 chain was a better chain than 11BC and the Carlton B8 chain is superior to the Oregon 18HX.

 

[LarryRFL]

For what it's worth, Carlton is owned by Oregon. Rumor is floating around that it will go away sometime in the next few years.

 

[SierraWoodsman]

I like Stihl when I can get for a good price.

If it isn't Oregon CL or LGX or Stihl RS I don't buy it outrite.

+1 those are my favorites as well along with LPX. I find LPX is just as fast/long lasting as LGX and a lil bit "smoother" .
Once dulled for the first time i kiss the rakers, then sharpen them square, and it's off to the races.

I've tried Carlton/Woodland pro and didn't care for it.

 

[Taxmantoo]

A while back I got a deal on 12" Hobby Champ sprocket nose bars and Woodland Pro 30LP chain.
It was OK until I had to take a file to it.
After filing, I'm astounded at how fast my little $99 Ryobi cuts.

 

[promac850]

Carlton isn't horrible. Some of them seem to have gone past QC with problems, more so than Oregon and much more so than Stihl.

I run whatever I've got. I don't like chisel to begin with... semi chisel cuts better for longer. Full chisel dulls right out cutting the 4+ year former stnding dead ash logs I've got out back.

 

[SawTroll]

+1 those are my favorites as well along with LPX. I find LPX is just as fast/long lasting as LGX and a lil bit "smoother" .
Once dulled for the first time i kiss the rakers, then sharpen them square, and it's off to the races.

I've tried Carlton/Woodland pro and didn't care for it.

If I should nominate a favourite, it is the ol' LP and the LPX - but I have nothing against RSC/RS or LGX, if that's what is availiable.

 

[Mac 6-10]

Not a fan of Carlton chain . I have only used semi chisel and found the vibration bad on a chainsaw when using it. It is not sharpened very well from new. The left cutters are usually longer than the right ones and some links are impossible to hand file because the chrome is too thick when the chain is new. After the chain has been sharpened a couple of times with a grinder you can hand file it ok. When we used Carlton semi chisel on harvesters it cut slow and chipped bars. I think the reason it cut slow was because the cutters were too low and long so it wouldnt clear the chips out properly.

Agreed! I've noticed too the different length cutters. It doesn't clear the chips well either. Almost impossible to hand file. I use Oregon DPX and LGX on my 3/8 saws and BPX on my .325.

 

[olyman]

tell yah what,,all you HATERS of carlton. all the chains you don't want,,send them to us, who happen to like carlton,,for free,,shipping included....no junk chains, just good ones...will make you feel much better,, that you have helped out carlton users.............:hmm3grin2orange:

 

[weedkilla]

I prefer Carlton semi chisel to Oregon DP, actually I like it a lot more.
Stihl RM doesn't seem to cut a lot better, lasts a bit longer - I'm not sure its worth the extra price.

I've tried very few options in .325 as I'm happy with oregon or husqvarna chain for what those saws do in my business, so I have no comments on that. And a 100ft roll in stock means I will be roughly year before I try something else.

I virtually never use full chisel, so wont comment there.

 

[SawTroll]

Not a fan of Carlton chain . I have only used semi chisel and found the vibration bad on a chainsaw when using it. It is not sharpened very well from new. The left cutters are usually longer than the right ones and some links are impossible to hand file because the chrome is too thick when the chain is new. After the chain has been sharpened a couple of times with a grinder you can hand file it ok. When we used Carlton semi chisel on harvesters it cut slow and chipped bars. I think the reason it cut slow was because the cutters were too low and long so it wouldnt clear the chips out properly.

The Carlton chain is notisably cruder made than Oregon and Stihl Chain, and it lacks the low-vibe chassis.

All chain need to be filed (and rakers checked) when new, but Carlton surely are more in need than Oregon and Stihl.

Hopefully both Carlton and Windsor chain will be rebranded Oregon in the future, as Blount owns all 3 brands by now.....

 

[WoodChuck'r]

Carlton chain is complete and utter garbage.

Anytime I get a saw wearing a loop of Carlton it comes right off and goes in the scrap pile.

Worthless. Just absolutely worthless.

 

[Modifiedmark]

tell yah what,,all you HATERS of carlton. all the chains you don't want,,send them to us, who happen to like carlton,,for free,,shipping included....no junk chains, just good ones...will make you feel much better,, that you have helped out carlton users.............:hmm3grin2orange:

I cant figure you out very well. First you say send you the Carlton chains, then you turn around and say don't send you junk chains?

So which is it that you want? :msp_rolleyes: