Carlton vs Forester bar and chain

[Fellin Feller]

I was going to buy a replacement 20"bar and chain for my Stihl saw. I see the replacements on auction. I wanted to know if there is one better than the other. The Carlton is a little more expensive, but I really don't care. I'm looking for a chain that cuts fast, not worried about a safety chain.

 

[fearofpavement]

Yes, the quality varies among the different bars. Most have been happy with the Forester ones. I haven't used a Forester bar. I do have a roll of Forester chain but haven't used that either. How much cutting do you do?

 

[Homelite410]

The one and only forester bar and chain combo I had was the 24" pro bar. I liked the bar but found the semi chisel chain to be rather soft. I hit a dry wall screw with it and bent 2 cutters and ripped one off. (All this on the second sharpening) I took off the chain pitched it in The scrap and spun up a loop of lgx!

 

[mountainlake]

Dry wall screws will ruin any saw blade, chain saw, band saw or even a carbide circle saw. Steve

 

[SkippyKtm]

The bars are okay, but the Forester chain (marked "C1" on the drive links) is rather soft and doesn't hold an edge like the better chains. One of the loggers gave me a roll of full chisel because he disliked it so much. It also breaks too easy, the rivets pop through with very little effort; makes me think that the rivets are rather soft too.

 

[Swamp Yankee]

Either bar works

I cannot comment on the chain as I only run Still chain. SkippyKtm knows his stuff so you can pretty much take his input to the bank.

I have used several Carlton bars and always found them more than adequate. Pretty sure several of them were actually rebadged Australian made GB bars which are excellent bars.

Little experience with the Forster line. I do know several loggers that run them with the intent that if one rolls on the stump a $30-$40 bar in the scrap steel bucket beats putting a $75+ one in there. I also know a lot of guys that buy Forester bars as a cheap alternative for a long bar that that will be installed for occasional bigger wood requirement use and they don't want to tie up a bunch of money in something that gets little use.

Take Care

 

[AuerX]

Not a "pro" myself. But I do have a 16" Forester Pro B&C combo on a Poulan Pro pp5020AV.

I too find the chain soft and will replace it soon. Bar seems just fine.

 

[Fellin Feller]

Thanks. I've had good luck with the Carlton chain in the past, will go with that. The Stihl saw came with some kind of a safety chain, and when I replaced it with the Carlton it cut twice as fast.

 

[farmrboy]

Carlton chain is soft and stretches too much. I bought 4 of them. Never again. Going back to Oregon and Stihl

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