What chain to buy?

[wendell]

What is the difference between LGX, LPX and CL?

 

[mdavlee]

Cl is lgx square ground. LPX I think has ramped rakers.

 

[REJ2]

The chain prices im seeing here is the reason i bought as much as i did from E@E earlier this summer. $10 a loop for 72DL in both .325 and .375 was too good to pass up. LPX and LGX respectively.

 

[Tim Carroll]

Wendell, I like both Stihl and Oregon chain but have noticed that the Stihl RS is harder to file than the Oregon. I usually grind the Stihl chain and just knock the burr off with a hand file with good results. I had a Stihl dealer tell me that you can't use Oregon files on a Stihl chain but it sounds like you use the harder files so you should get good results. I guess just make sure you don't put the chain on backwards and it should cut better. LOL.

 

[Sprintcar]

Wendell,

Just buy the 20LP (.325), 72LP (3/8), or the 27LP, (.404). The Stihl is harder chain but without a professional grinder I have never been able to get the factory edge back on it. I can get close but the Oregon chain files smoother and is easier to work with. Chris has a good point on the Woodland Pro, need to go buy a couple loops and see how it does.

Glad you ain't asking us bout which two stroke Wal-Mart oil to buy.

 

[struggle]

Wendell I would recommend what ever chain that will allow me to smoke you on the log race at the GTG.

 

[smilin possum]

I run Stihl RSC half skip on all of our work saws it holds an edge better and we get better service out of it in the woods. The name of the game is make a dollar with it and so far this chain has proved to be a money maker in the woods. It's harder to file unless you file it back square but I just round file it and have had no problems with it.
Joe

 

[wendell]

Wendell I would recommend what ever chain that will allow me to smoke you on the log race at the GTG.

Oh, I bought the Stihl for that. :msp_biggrin:

And as a reminder, this is not a which chain is best thread. This is a which chain is best for me thread.

I need to learn more what difference you would notice between LPX and LGX. I think I've narrowed it down to those two.

 

[JimmyT]

I run both Stihl 33RSC and Oregon 72LGX and use Pferd and Save Edge Files. The steel in the 33RSC seems to be tempered a little harder,it holds an edge a little longer,harder to file with a 13/64 file,made in Switzerland and is more expensive. The 72LGX is actually sharper, steel a little softer, easier to file with a 7/32 file,less expensive and made in the U.S.

 

[komatsuvarna]

Oh, I bought the Stihl for that. :msp_biggrin:

And as a reminder, this is not a which chain is best thread. This is a which chain is best for me thread.

I need to learn more what difference you would notice between LPX and LGX. I think I've narrowed it down to those two.

LPX has the Little ramp in from of the raker, LGX does not. Some people call the LPX a safety chain, but its not. It may have some reduced kickback, but its not safety chain. Ive ran both and cant really feel any difference. They both have the same cutter. I was told that the ramped raker on the LPX was not good for bore cutting, but Ive never tried bore cutting :msp_biggrin:.

 

[Warped5]

Just my $.02 here ...

... and I have run Oregon, Stihl, Carlton and Woodland Pro.

Throw out the WP and as I don't have enough cutting time on it.

My experience with Carlton is not impressive, so throw them out too.

I have a very cheap source for Oregon with very fast shipping.

I love the Stihl chain for how long it holds and edge and I agree that it's not the easiest to hand sharpen. But I know that I only need to re-sharpen about half as much with stihl as I do with Oregon. The difference is so much that I will eventually move entirely over to Stihl over time, I like the performance difference so much. eBay has some excellent off-season deals for those willing to wait.

I habitually must check chains after every cutting session and the Stihl chain needs just a light touch, where Oregon needs 'attention'.

Again, just my $.02 ....

 

[wendell]

Isn't Woodland Pro rebadged Carlton?

 

[Warped5]

Isn't Woodland Pro rebadged Carlton?

I believe so .... if it's like their bars, it's Carlton's 'premium' line.

BTW, the LPX vs LGX difference is (I think) one of them is semi-chisel and the other is full chisel. Oregon is just so danged inconsistent with the product data sheets on their Web site .... :bang:

 

[mikefunaro]

RSC when you can get it for cheap is where it's at. RMC too. I can get it for less than oregon right now so it's a no brainer. It's harder to sharpen, but get your hands on some save edge files and you're in the clear (have no fear!). It has really really good grind geometry out of the box, so you have to do a damn good job hand filing to match the out of the box performance. I also generally like to put a little bit more of an uptilt on it and drop the rakers down when I get it.

I like LGX. The price has gone up lately though. If you hit dirt you're done though. No chance. Bring several loops with you to the woods. It is SUPER easy to clean up though and always files really nicely. It's like you're pissed that its dull already, but then 1 swipe 2 swipe bam!!! you're back at it and throwing chips like no other.

I've experimented and bought windsor/oregon chain in various liveries (like the total chain) and actually liked it quite a bit.

I like LGX over LPX. Seems slightly more aggressive and I like the way it grabs smaller stuff when I am limbing. If you're running saws with spring AV I dont think LPX produces an appreciable difference in smoothness. Also, you are at full liberty to round out and shape your rakers with LGX. With LPX, you can only do so much before the guard link gets in the way. THey are both on the vibe ban chassis so they are both low vibe chains.

LPX and LGX are the same chisel cutter. DP is the semi chisel oregon line.

 

[mikefunaro]

Something that I have been thinking about of late though, is that I get significantly less life out of the oregon loops. When you do rock them out bad, you lose a lot of cutter. and even though it's really easy to touch up, each time you have to touch up you are losing chain. I think I get about 1/2 to 2/3 as much life (in terms of wood produced or operating hours) out of an oregon chain than I do versus a stihl chain. A loop of RSC has a lot of wood in it. A loop of LGX less so.

While I'm at it, I've had some weird stuff happen with both. With LGX for a while there was that moronic idea to not bore out the drive tangs, and have like these awkward round ones that looked like guitar picks every third drive linker. I dont think they ever sat in rim drive sprockets right. They were ok on spur type sprockets. That went away in a hurry.

Then, with a brand new loop of RSC, I had like 4 cutters just straight break off at their posts as soon as it touched wood. None of the others were remotely damaged, and there was no sign of metal or anything in the tree (i finished the cut and studied it--and tree was in the middle of a forest). I gave it to a stihl dealer, then called the distributor. they told me that there can be overhardening etc, and eventually gave me a new one.

 

[wendell]

I gave it to a stihl dealer, then called the distributor. they told me that there can be overhardening etc, and eventually gave me a new one.

That would seem to be an automatic instant replacement to me.

 

[mikefunaro]

That would seem to be an automatic instant replacement to me.

The dealer tried to get me to pay $10 to have the cutters replaced, and didn't really offer an explanation--they just said I hit something. I guess that's a fair price all things considered, but I wasn't happy about it. So I told them to hold on to the chain and then called stihl North East who called them and told them they'd cover it/it'd be on the house etc.

 

[Arrowhead]

:hmm3grin2orange:

 

[DSS]

Isn't Woodland Pro rebadged Carlton?

Yes. It's the same chain, different box.

Can we get back to the WallyWorld mix oil, please???:biggrin:

 

[SawTroll]

I believe so .... if it's like their bars, it's Carlton's 'premium' line.

BTW, the LPX vs LGX difference is (I think) one of them is semi-chisel and the other is full chisel. Oregon is just so danged inconsistent with the product data sheets on their Web site .... :bang:

No, both are "yellow" chisel chain, but slightly different designs. I prefere the LP, but that doesn't mean that the older LG is a bad design.