ms461 bar/chain combos

[Banguts]

thank you all for the recommendations, I'm still pretty new to all this and my 362 has been very finicky with the oiler which has made things even more difficult. I've just finally sorted out those problems and am on the lookout for a second bar for the 461 so i can run 20" on both and then the longer 28" as needed.

Two questions that i was mulling over while cutting this weekend, I'm looking for a good sharpener. Is electric really worth it or can i get the precision I need running a hand file? I'm currently using the Stihl 2-in-1 for touch up sharpening but I dont think it is as precise as a file guide and eventually the chains just do not cut all that well. I was thinking of looking for an older fg2 but they are hard to come by and know there are newer options out there

Secondly, we have alot of steep forestry roads around here, for woodcutting I have to usually climb uphill and cut logs into 4-6' lengths, roll or flip them down the hill, and then buck and load on the road. However there is alot of standing deadfall just downhill, sometimes whole stands of them within 10-15' of the road. Is there a way to get these up onto the road without losing the half of it down the hill?

My work runs round grind, and once you get a feel for a hand file, it goes quick. I can run through the ground saws and climbing saws in 15 - 20 minutes. If you cut a lot and need to sharpen throughout the day, a grinder in the shop or home or where ever can be nice, just sharpen a few loops so when you're out in the field you can just throw on a freshy. I know "they" say to throw an edge on your chain every couple tanks of gas, but I don't know anyone with that kind of free time.

When I can't get a skidder into an area, I'll usually set a heavy duty block a ways up in a tree and run 3/4" rope through it to my truck and drag logs out. Higher the better, but not higher than necessary. You wanna keep the butt of the log from digging in, that's when you break the rope or hoist the back of your truck off the ground.. or both..

And try to match the chain pitch/gauge throughout all your bars where possible, so you don't have to worry about which chain goes to which bar on which saw. Nothing like being far from the truck and trying to swap chains only to realize the fresh chain is a larger gauge, so you gotta put the dull chain back on.