Best Chain and Chain Sharpener

[Yasha]

Guys,

I've been reading this forum for about ten months to one year. Every time I would google certain questions about competing chainsaws, this forum would always 'pop up.' Thanks to you, I've bought many new chainsaws for our new tree business my son and I started last year. (More on that later.)

Anyway, I'm new and this is obviously my first post...so here goes.

I would greatly appreciate your expertise on chain to run and a sharpener that will meet my needs since obviously the chain is literally where the rubber meets the road. One can have all the horsepower in the world in his saw, but if his chain is dull, time is needlessly wasted. (time can equal money.) Therefore, I know I need to get a good understanding on chain and a sharpener to meet my needs. I'm tired of paying $5.00 per chain to have one 'professionally' sharpened and I don't like the time in the evening sharpening chains.

FYI, I'm the type of person that if the quality justifies the cost, I have no problem paying extra.

But, I am also known, and have said, that I'm so frugal that I can stretch the copper off a penny! For example: I paid in August of 2008, $860.00 for a brand new MS 660 Magnum out the door with 32" bar. (Yes, from a certified Stihl dealer.)

Anyway,

We run basically 3/8 50 gauge chain. We have a couple of saws that run .325. We own Stihl (first purchase) 200t, 460, 660, Husqvarna 338xpt 'California Edition, 372xp, and a Dolmar 5100s (thanks to you guys.) Therefore, we run OEM chisel for that particular brand.

We live in the NW corner of Arkansas in the Ozarks. Conditions: Dirty and humid with red and white oak, hickory, hackberry, elm, and maple, 18" to about 40" is common.

I e-mailed 046 and he said that the Northern gets good reviews.

Trying to be efficient...

Thanks Sincerely in Advance,

Yasha

 

[masiman]

Here are some previous threads about grinders:

Grinders
Northern Grinder

SS Washers for Northern
How to Order SS Washers kits

A good number of people have ordered the Northern Tool grinder. If you need grinding as often as you say, they will pay for themselves quickly. Most agree that grinding should be reserved for when hand filing will take too long (usually after grounding or rocking a chain).

 

[computeruser]

I've been happy with my Oregon 511A grinder. With care it can produce great results; without, poor results. I freehand my rakers.

As for chain, I prefer Carlton/WoodsmanPro (oops, it is "WoodlandPro" nowadays). It is the best bang for the buck and in my experience it holds an edge a bit longer than Oregon.

 

[Slamm]

Oregan teeth might was well be made of aluminum and Stihl are he hardest and longest lasting, period.

Everyone else is inbetween (Carlton etc.).

Your part of Arkansas does not have dirt, it has rocks for earth so......

If you find yourself rocking out a chain before cutting the wood, would actually dull the chain......get something with softer teeth.......don't get the Stihl.

If you find that you are pretty good about not rocking out a chain and the chain simply gets dull do to the normal dulling process of making wood chips then get the Stihl, as it will last the longest when cutting wood.

My opinion,

Sam

 

[Bowtie]

Oregan teeth might was well be made of aluminum and Stihl are he hardest and longest lasting, period.

Everyone else is inbetween (Carlton etc.).

Your part of Arkansas does not have dirt, it has rocks for earth so......

If you find yourself rocking out a chain before cutting the wood, would actually dull the chain......get something with softer teeth.......don't get the Stihl.

If you find that you are pretty good about not rocking out a chain and the chain simply gets dull do to the normal dulling process of making wood chips then get the Stihl, as it will last the longest when cutting wood.

My opinion,

Sam

+1 Stihl makes the best consumer chain in my opinion.

 

[66mag]

Have you guys tried Oregon LGX chain yet? Very sharp and seems to hold its edge.

 

[Slamm]

Have you guys tried Oregon LGX chain yet? Very sharp and seems to hold its edge.

Compared to???

Sam

 

[Ironbark]

Compared to???

Sam

Stihl. I think the LGX is as good as Stihl, but I think I'm in the minority with that view.

 

[czar800]

I heard this guy is looking for work.


http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=64527

 

[Slamm]

Stihl. I think the LGX is as good as Stihl, but I think I'm in the minority with that view.

Ever wonder why you are in the minority with that view?

Oregon chain is great if you like to stop and take a break from the hassles of cutting wood. Just stop, take your hearing protection off, feel the breeze through your hair, have a drink of water you deserve it. Listen to see if the skidder is coming, smell the wildflowers and then begin sharpening your Oregon chain. If you have just completely rocked out the teeth, then maybe one good long file stroke will sharpen it, don't push to hard or you might cut the tooth off with your round file, LOL.

If it is simple just a little dull because you actually let it touch some bark while the saw was running then only use about 1/4 of an 8" file's stroke or you will prematurely wear out the chain and have to go to the truck for a new one. Now you can hear the skidder coming down the trail. You are completely rested and rehydriated, but your file back in its holster and start your saw while walking to the next tree just in time for the skidder operator to think you are doing something, LOL.

Now if you cut with a Stihl chain, you will get all sweaty and tired cutting down all those trees consecutively without a break, you wish you could take a break because the chain is dull, but it keeps on cutting through several gas tank refills. Your arms are tired and back hurts, finally you just find a rock and full throttle the chain into it just so you can have an excuse to stop and rest. When the skidder driver pulls up and wonders what you are doing with that file, sitting on that big stump. You point to the cutters and say," Look its dull."....."Sure enough.", says the skidder driver, "I thought you put a sharp one on yesterday morning, Ah, well they don't make chain like they used to."

This story is a complete fabrication and it clearly is biased toward Stihl, yet it clearly illustrates the various qualities and uses found between Oregon and Stihl chain.

If you want to cut wood in a production type of setting then get Stihl chain, in the long run its cheaper.

If you are the type that likes to take in the whole experience of chainsaw operation and fiddle with all of your chainsaw related toys, I mean tools while taking a break and BS'ing with friends about who's saw cut the last cookie faster by .000567th of a second. Then get the Oregon its also cheaper (short term) and can be purchased anywhere street vendors congregrate. Additionally, you can sharpen it with any good properly sized hardwood stick that you come across while hiking..... I mean ""logging"" in the big timber.

Disclaimer below:
No trees were actually cut or damaged during the writing of the aforementioned story by the actor using the Oregon chain. This Oregon chain actor walked into an area of prime redwood that was previous felled by one man and his one Stihl chain, who's round file had been lost early in the morning when a branch pulled it out of the holster and he couldn't find it.
The Stihl chain sawyer is actually still cutting somewhere probably on a hedge grove somewhere, were not sure as the camera men could not keep up. The camera team kept yelling and asking him when he was going to stop and sharpen his chain, but he couldn't hear there cries of distress over the noise put off by his "Modded" 660, finally they couldn't hear him anymore and he was lost and the skidder drive quit and went home ........ and now the crickets are starting to chirp.

You get the point,

Sam

 

[Ironbark]

Ever wonder why you are in the minority with that view?

You get the point,

Sam

I do, and I enjoyed reading your anecdote.

I've always used Stihl chains, but got some Oregon chains when I was in the US last year and have been very happy with them.

The view seems to be that Stihl chain is the best thing since sliced bread and would outcut Oregon even if on backwards. I just think that's a little too black and white.

But hey each to his own eh

 

[Slamm]

I'm just playing.

I have one or two Oregon chains but they are very, very soft compared to the Stihls, so I only use them if I am bucking up dirty wood or something where the teeth get dull from the dirt faster than the actual wood.

I have gotten all of my Stihl chains relatively cheap so I have never observed the cost benefits of the cheaper chains on a professional level. My opinion is if I am sharpening a chain, then I am not cutting wood, therefore sharpening the chain is more costly in the long run, then the initial price difference.

I also have some Carlton and it doesn't seem to embarrass itself too bad.

I am about to form the same above opinion about round chain files. I have some old rusty Stihl files that seem like they hold up better on the Stihl chain than these new Pfered?s that I just got. I bought 12 or so and I'm starting to think maybe I should have just gone with the Stihl in this department as well. I could be wrong but that is my initial feeling after cutting a good amount of firewood lately and using a Stihl file and a Phered? (however you spell it).

Have a good day,

Sam

 

[Ironbark]

I can get Oregon LGX from Baileys for 0.22C per DL. Stihl RSC would be over 0.61C from a dealer in the UK. Shame I can't buy Stihl online in the US.

I can almost get 3 Oregon for the price of a Stihl. Perhaps that's actually why I've bought the Oregons recently.

You have a good day too.

 

[Edge & Engine]

I'm just playing.

I have one or two Oregon chains but they are very, very soft compared to the Stihls, so I only use them if I am bucking up dirty wood or something where the teeth get dull from the dirt faster than the actual wood.

I have gotten all of my Stihl chains relatively cheap so I have never observed the cost benefits of the cheaper chains on a professional level. My opinion is if I am sharpening a chain, then I am not cutting wood, therefore sharpening the chain is more costly in the long run, then the initial price difference.

I also have some Carlton and it doesn't seem to embarrass itself too bad.

I am about to form the same above opinion about round chain files. I have some old rusty Stihl files that seem like they hold up better on the Stihl chain than these new Pfered?s that I just got. I bought 12 or so and I'm starting to think maybe I should have just gone with the Stihl in this department as well. I could be wrong but that is my initial feeling after cutting a good amount of firewood lately and using a Stihl file and a Phered? (however you spell it).

Have a good day,

Sam

Have you used Oregon LGX or just LG/LP?

 

[Slamm]

The view seems to be that Stihl chain is the best thing since sliced bread and would outcut Oregon even if on backwards.

I think you're right about a backwards Stihl being able to outcut an Oregon, but I did a search and could not come up with any place where someone had tried this with a stopwatch to prove it, to its just hearsay at this point, and I personally want more proof than just hearsay, LOL.

I can almost get 3 Oregon for the price of a Stihl. Perhaps that's actually why I've bought the Oregons recently.

Stihl is good, but you would have to hump pretty hard to make up that kinda cost difference. Figure out what the cost of shipping a $305 spool of Stihl would be, paypal me and I'll get a spool and ship it to you.

Think of it as a friendly gesture for the Revolutionary War and all,

Sam