Skip Chain !!!

[chugbug]

Ran into one of the local loggers today and since I've been on a chain kick lately I had to ask him what chain he uses. He completely surprised me I was thinking stihl or oregon 3/8 chain , he answered 3/8 Husky skip chain !! Said its all he uses he can sharpen in the field fast and can't see any difference in cutting speed . With less cutters I thought it would definitely be slower cutting but was used for long bars on saws that were under powered or chip clearance . So whats the scoop his info is accurate I'm sure ,he makes his living with a saw why isn't skip chain the normal chain to use.

 

[darren_palms]

Ran into one of the local loggers today and since I've been on a chain kick lately I had to ask him what chain he uses. He completely surprised me I was thinking stihl or oregon 3/8 chain , he answered 3/8 Husky skip chain !! Said its all he uses he can sharpen in the field fast and can't see any difference in cutting speed . With less cutters I thought it would definitely be slower cutting but was used for long bars on saws that were under powered or chip clearance . So whats the scoop his info is accurate I'm sure ,he makes his living with a saw why isn't skip chain the normal chain to use.

West coast guys (me included) like full skip chains because of the softwoods and longer bars we use. The full skip is extremely fast in softwoods and has great chip clearance like you mentioned. East coast guys like full comp for hardwoods. Full skip chains are more dangerous because the can kick back easier but once you run them for a while they are awesome. Plus less cutters to sharpen ...I like full skip on my 064 and my 2100.

 

[echoshawn]

Ran into one of the local loggers today and since I've been on a chain kick lately I had to ask him what chain he uses. He completely surprised me I was thinking stihl or oregon 3/8 chain , he answered 3/8 Husky skip chain !! Said its all he uses he can sharpen in the field fast and can't see any difference in cutting speed . With less cutters I thought it would definitely be slower cutting but was used for long bars on saws that were under powered or chip clearance . So whats the scoop his info is accurate I'm sure ,he makes his living with a saw why isn't skip chain the normal chain to use.

Husky chain is made by oregon.
Chain types are as subjective as saw brands. Some swear by skip, some full comp, some square ground chisel, etc etc. It is totally personal preference. Just my opinion. I ran skip forever until I discovered Oregon super 70... Now that's my chain of choice. Run what you like, and that's what matters.

 

[palbin]

I thought skip-chains were for situations when you lack saw-
power to draw the bar with an ordinary (no-skip) chain, or?

Please teach me if this is not the case ... .

 

[echoshawn]

I thought skip-chains were for situations when you lack saw-
power to draw the bar with an ordinary (no-skip) chain, or?

Please teach me if this is not the case ... .

That's one reason why people run skip on shorter bar lengths with smaller displacement... The general rule that most of the guys I'm around use is that greater than 24" bar length, regularly burying it, you run skip . Bars less than 24", or not burying it completely in cuts( limbing, bucking smaller wood, etc ) use full comp.

 

[chugbug]

He is cutting probably 85% hardwood , I'd like to try it just to see how it cuts and feels , would there be alot of vibration .

 

[echoshawn]

He is cutting probably 85% hardwood , I'd like to try it just to see how it cuts and feels , would there be alot of vibration .

In my experience, there is more vibration from skip than full comp. But, I'd buy a new loop of each, and trythem both out, back to back, on a few cuts. You'll get a feel pretty quick which you prefer.

 

[aokpops]

Here is a test take a table saw with a10 inch blade an about 30 teeth . Rip a 2 by 4. Now try it with a 7 inch 16 tooth .

 

[Big_Wood]

a logger using 3/8's? thats a first for me must be out east. everyone around here use .404 full skip. less sharpening and longer cutter life. also a wider kerf for less chances of a bar pinch. when i fall i prefer .404 but the tree's are usually no smaller then 4ft at the butt cedars. 3/8's on smaller tree's work good for me.

 

[roberte]

And just to confuse the issue, I had a loop of 91 driver, half skip made up. Some of those fir butts are hard, and it only added about 6 extra cutters to file. And as long as I'm testing I am going square file too.

 

[HuskStihl]

Skip is designed for better chip clearance with longer bars. It can be used to help an underpowered saw cut with a longer bar, but that is not its purpose. It doesn't feel that much different in larger wood, but will jump around limbing. With full comp on a long bar in softwoods, the chips can clog the cutters and (especially while boring) force the bar out of the wood. Sometimes rudely.

 

[CedarRock]

Skip tooth on pine/fir/cedar just cut faster. Also a great noodling chain.

 

[metalspec]

I've been running full skip lately on anything longer than and including 24". ...only because I hate sharpening chain anymore. Less cutters = less time sharpening = me happy

 

[terryknight]

I didn't understand skip chain until I started running a 36" bar buried in wood. It is very nice for clearing chips. Even with a 28" bar I would have issues clearing chips. Never tried it noddling