Safety vs. pro chain compare and questions

[DaddyFlip]

This is a pic of two Husqvarna 3/8-inch, 0.050 gauge, 24-inch chains brand new from the box. Top is H80 "green label" safety chain; bottom is H47 "yellow label" pro chain. The H80 doesn't appear to have safety links like some descriptions say it should have, and not like some other chains I have. The tooth is very slightly shorter and the depth gauge has been folded over to give it a flat surface on top. These two "features" are the only difference I see, except the shape of the gullet is different.

1. Since there is no separate safety link, is it the folded over depth gauge that makes H80 safety chain?
2. What does this folded depth gauge do that the regular one doesn't do?
3. Do you flat file the folded depth gauge the same way as a regular one?
4. What is it about H47 that would make it so much more kickback prone than H80?
5. Will the H80 cutting performance really be that different compared to H47?

I had ordered some H46 for comparison, but they sent all H47 (amazon isn't always perfect).

 

[Justsaws]

This is a pic of two Husqvarna 3/8-inch, 0.050 gauge, 24-inch chains brand new from the box. Top is H80 "green label" safety chain; bottom is H47 "yellow label" pro chain. The H80 doesn't appear to have safety links like some descriptions say it should have, and not like some other chains I have. The tooth is very slightly shorter and the depth gauge has been folded over to give it a flat surface on top. These two "features" are the only difference I see, except the shape of the gullet is different.

1. Since there is no separate safety link, is it the folded over depth gauge that makes H80 safety chain? Yes.
2. What does this folded depth gauge do that the regular one doesn't do? Prevents depth gauge from biting aggressively into wood. Cutter is “stabilized” or something such stuff.
3. Do you flat file the folded depth gauge the same way as a regular one? Yes.
4. What is it about H47 that would make it so much more kickback prone than H80? Cutter is able to take a more aggressive pass through wood.
5. Will the H80 cutting performance really be that different compared to H47? Yes, especially as the cutter become dull and is then resharpened.

I had ordered some H46 for comparison, but they sent all H47 (amazon isn't always perfect).
View attachment 802549

Big old nasty bent depth gauge also supposedly helps reduce vibrations. It is not a bad chain, it is just not as easy to use as the other. Better than most of the other types of safety chains.

 

[Del_]

This is a pic of two Husqvarna 3/8-inch, 0.050 gauge, 24-inch chains brand new from the box. Top is H80 "green label" safety chain; bottom is H47 "yellow label" pro chain. The H80 doesn't appear to have safety links like some descriptions say it should have, and not like some other chains I have. The tooth is very slightly shorter and the depth gauge has been folded over to give it a flat surface on top. These two "features" are the only difference I see, except the shape of the gullet is different.

1. Since there is no separate safety link, is it the folded over depth gauge that makes H80 safety chain?
2. What does this folded depth gauge do that the regular one doesn't do?
3. Do you flat file the folded depth gauge the same way as a regular one?
4. What is it about H47 that would make it so much more kickback prone than H80?
5. Will the H80 cutting performance really be that different compared to H47?

I had ordered some H46 for comparison, but they sent all H47 (amazon isn't always perfect).
View attachment 802549

The bent over depth gauge reduces the percentage of the front of the tooth that can hit an object thereby reducing the total amount of kickback. This comes into play mostly on the tip of the bar where a lot of tooth is exposed, the potentially highest kickback area of the bar.

Three reactionary forces:

Kickback---the tip of the bar.

Push out.......the chain on the top of the bar.

Pull in.....the chanin on the bottom of the bar.

 

[Huskybill]

What if you round filed the front of that bent over raker, round file the back side for more gullet,
so it would scoop out chips faster?

 

[irhunter]

1. Since there is no separate safety link, is it the folded over depth gauge that makes H80 safety chain?
2. What does this folded depth gauge do that the regular one doesn't do?
3. Do you flat file the folded depth gauge the same way as a regular one?
4. What is it about H47 that would make it so much more kickback prone than H80?
5. Will the H80 cutting performance really be that different compared to H47?

View attachment 802549

3. I have occasionally run this style of safety chain. And, I filed the rakers in the "normal" way. I never found the filing quick and easy...but, also, never had any problems with those chains.

5. It looks like you have an opportunity to tell us. Everyone I know, who has a strong opinion about safety chains, has never run them side-by-side. That includes me.

 

[Brent Nowell]

This chain usually comes with the ranchers, it’s good chain but what irhunter said is the limiting factor.

 

[irhunter]

I actually ran into them coming on MS261cm. I can't explain that...other than a terrible dealer, maybe?

 

[Remle]

I haven’t used that variety of safety chain before, but in general, I haven’t found safety chain to be as bad as people make it out to be. It’s not something I would opt for, but I don’t think it slows you down as much as people think it does. I think the biggest factor with it is that the people using it are likely to be the same ones who don’t know how to sharpen a chain or maintain their saws.

 

[Mad Professor]

Seems to be very labor intensive to file the rakers.

Never owned one.

 

[Duane(Pa)]

Until very recently, Husky chain was made by Oregon. Vanguard is Oregons’s name for the folded over depth gauge. You will get some hits if you google that...

 

[EchoRomeoCharlie]

I don't have personal experience with those specific chains, but I do have experience with Stihl .325 RS with and without the safety links.

Both hand sharpened, the only real difference I saw in sharpening is it takes a bit longer to sharpen the safety chain since there's more material you need to remove with the safety strap. Teeth themselves were the same as far as I could tell.

Timed cuts changing only the chain...unfortunately I never tallied or wrote anything down I was just out having fun...all was in hard wood(probably ash...but I don't remember exactly), and depth gauges were about .025

Findings:

RS non-safety was slightly faster than safety in all cuts, but only slightly...obviously, the bigger the wood, the more the difference(percentage wise was probably still the same).

I had no real issues bore cutting with either chain.

No real difference in noodling from what I could tell.

Both chains were blowing out big chips, couldn't tell any difference between the two.

I didn't do any 'kickback' testing...so I can't really say anything about that.


So, I won't seek out safety chain, however, I also won't throw it away if I get some.

 

[Saw Fixr]

I think it’s “Outdoors with the Morgan’s” on YouTube that did an out of the box comparison between the green and yellow chains. Really no difference. Maybe a slight edge to the yellow...
Green is definitely more forgiving in the dirt though, I think.