Oregon vs Stihl

[nastorino]

I was just wondering how Oregon bars and chains stack up against Stihls bars and chains? For the time being I'm sticking to the Stihl ones until I dig a little into the quality of them.

Thanks

 

[tlandrum]

i did not know you could compare the two,stihl by a mile for quality,oregon for price but not by much

 

[Cedarkerf]

Stihl ES bars and chain are at top of the heap there are a few peers. Oregon is a good value splitting the difference between price and quality.

 

[nilzlofgren]

i did not know you could compare the two,stihl by a mile for quality,oregon for price but not by much

+1 You can't beat a Stihl Rollomatic. And as far as price, Remember: Quality cries once, crap cries for ever.

 

[nastorino]

I guess it's hard to beat the Stihl name for the saw or even the accessories. I'm sticking with all Stihl chains and bars it looks like.

 

[B_Turner]

Stihl ES bars and chain are at top of the heap there are a few peers. Oregon is a good value splitting the difference between price and quality.

+1

Wish I could buy ES bars for my other (non-Stihl) saws as well.

 

[SteveH]

Not a pro here, just serious home firewood cutter with maybe 15 to 30 tanks of gas a yr. depending.

That being said, I used to use Oregon stuff [bars and chain] 'cuz that's what came on my first saw in the mid seventies and that's what the dealers around here were pushing. By about 1990, I had switched to Stihl bars and chain. I find a big enough difference to remain with Stihl and am willing to pay more for better stuff.

Just me. Chains stay sharper longer, bars last me for years. On the other hand, how much you want to spend depends on how much you are gonna use the bar. If now and then, doesn't really matter I suppose. Less expensive bar will do fine. [And by the way, I'm not saying Oregon is junk, just that Stihl is better and, I think, worth the higher price for it.] But in my case, the Stihl ES bars are what I use [whatever length] and I think they are really good. Ditto on the chain, I only run RS nowadays.

 

[Cope]

As many have already said, Stihl chains are the best. I find they last longer and cut better. I do run some Oregon from time to time. Its not that much worse, but once I learned that the Stihl was better I pretty much only use the Oregon in old deadwood and such.

 

[gilraine]

I used stihl chain even on my huskies.. I do not like oregon products.. the chain is really soft and I have had bad luck bending oregon bars.. the 066 wears an ES 99% of the time.. the 026 has a windsor on it and it has been a fine bar..

 

[dingeryote]

With Chains, you aren't gonnna find a match. Stihl chains just hold the edge better. Been having some luck with Bailys semi-chisel but havn't run it long enough to be fair. I'd rather be cutting than filing, so I avoid Oregon chain.

Bars? LOL!!!

Oregon ain't bad,GB seems to hold up better, Stihl bars outwear 'em all.
But they all bend the same.

Price wise, ya get what ya pay for mostly, on bars and chains.

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

 

[nastorino]

Thanks again for the advice Dingeryote and everyone else. I wish I had a couple dozen trees here in CT to fall to get my technique down.:greenchainsaw:

 

[SawTroll]

I find the Stihl chain just slightly better than Oregon - the difference is larger when it comes to bars, but so is the price difference......


If you are used to Stihl bars and chain - don't change anything!

 

[huskystihl]

I've pinched stihl in some pretty huge unbelievable wood and figured well that bars gonna be shot and that was never the case. I had anecho t-handle that went through several echo bars which are basically oregon and hated them. I have noticed that the stihl bars may be a bit heavy but the quality more than compensates. As far as price goes I can get a 25" for around $55 and the last 24" husky/oregon was far more so I don't know where the price thing comes from?

 

[MCW]

Oregon ain't bad,GB seems to hold up better, Stihl bars outwear 'em all. But they all bend the same.

I hope you don't start crying when I tell you that GB made a lot of the Rollomatics for Stihl. They are exactly the same as GB's Pro Top. (in Australia at least - I think Sawtroll mentioned the Rollomatics were German made in Europe?).
Nothing wrong with the Oregon Power Match Plus bars. I reckon they're as good as anything on the market, except some of the Tsumura bars I've got in stock - they're a work of art although I'm yet to use one! Nose sprocket like silk.
GB Pro Tops, Carlton/Tsumura Pro Bars, German made Pro Carltons, Oregon Power Match Plus, Rollomatics - all as good as each other in my book.

 

[Evan]

i wonderd who made stihl bars.

notice the STIHL R marked ont he bar. thats a trade mark symbol stihl doesnt do that on there own product. chain case are stamped with just STIHL

 

[MCW]

i wonderd who made stihl bars.

notice the STIHL R marked ont he bar. thats a trade mark symbol stihl doesnt do that on there own product. chain case are stamped with just STIHL

Not sure whether the Rollomatics in the US are made by GB or not. Just check the nose sprocket and if it looks like either the Husky bar or Rollomatic in the picture below then good chance its a GB Pro Top.
All of these bars were made by GB in Australia...

And here is a 20" GB Pro Top. Exactly the same bar - just different paint job. Can't put all 3 bars in same pic as Husky and Rollomatic bar now sold...

 

[2000ssm6]

Stihl bars and chains are hard to beat. I got some oregon stuff and love my new RW 32" but prefer Stihl.

 

[Cedarkerf]

Not sure whether the Rollomatics in the US are made by GB or not. Just check the nose sprocket and if it looks like either the Husky bar or Rollomatic in the picture below then good chance its a GB Pro Top.
All of these bars were made by GB in Australia...

And here is a 20" GB Pro Top. Exactly the same bar - just different paint job. Can't put all 3 bars in same pic as Husky and Rollomatic bar now sold...

Us stihl bars are made by stihl

 

[MS460WOODCHUCK]

I hope you don't start crying when I tell you that GB made a lot of the Rollomatics for Stihl. They are exactly the same as GB's Pro Top. (in Australia at least - I think Sawtroll mentioned the Rollomatics were German made in Europe?).
Nothing wrong with the Oregon Power Match Plus bars. I reckon they're as good as anything on the market, except some of the Tsumura bars I've got in stock - they're a work of art although I'm yet to use one! Nose sprocket like silk.
GB Pro Tops, Carlton/Tsumura Pro Bars, German made Pro Carltons, Oregon Power Match Plus, Rollomatics - all as good as each other in my book.

Finally! Someone with knowledge to prove that Stihl bars are not the best but only equal. And this deserves some rep!

 

[gilraine]

I've pinched stihl in some pretty huge unbelievable wood and figured well that bars gonna be shot and that was never the case. I had anecho t-handle that went through several echo bars which are basically oregon and hated them. I have noticed that the stihl bars may be a bit heavy but the quality more than compensates. As far as price goes I can get a 25" for around $55 and the last 24" husky/oregon was far more so I don't know where the price thing comes from?

x2 the husky stuff( bars, chains, saws) is more expensive here..MS460 is 800 bucks at my dealer..the 372xp(71cc, not a w) is 859..28 inch es bar 60 bucks, the husky equivalent is 90..