What chain to use

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907josh

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Hi I have a stihl 262c with 18" bar. 66dl 3/8 0.50
I've always used what stihl recommends the low kickback chain but looking for something maybe that holds up a bit longer.
I use for firewood and it's all driftwood so very wet sandy wood.
What would be the best chain I could get for this , using the existing bar?
 
Hi,
If the wood is sandy, I would go with a semi-chisel for sure. As for the anti-kickback, that totally depends on your skill level.
I feel pretty confident use firewood for heat and been running saws since a kid. What would be the biggest advantage of going with a more aggressive style chain?
Speed is not that big a deal to me, just want somthing that I don't have to spend so much time sharpening
 
If you are dealing with dirty/ sandy conditions, the chain stretches and wears out before the teeth. A semi-chisel has no point on the tooth and will last much longer and sharpen easier in my opinion.
That is the problem with carbide, the teeth will last forever but the chain will stretch and become worthless after a couple of link removals.
 
Chipper cutter. Cuts slower than chisel or semi-chisel, but there is no real point on the cutter so it stays sharp longer. I use reduced kick back. I don’t do much plunge cutting, which is really the only drawback to it. It will plunge cut, it’s just slower.
 
The main drawback to the low-kickback chain, in my opinion anyway, is the extra time it takes to file the depth gauges because of the extra piece there. In terms of cutting performance it doesn't bother me much.

If you want something that holds up in dirty wood, Stihl RM or RM3(low kickback version) is what you want. Oregon makes a version too. I think it's called DPX.
 
I would go with the Stihl 33RM chain. Non safety, semi chisel. Stihl chains are made with harder metal so they hold up better that their competitors in gritty/dusty/dirty conditions and the semi chisel is far superior for those conditions over full chisel.
 
I deal with dirty dry wood most days. I have several that use 3/8'' semi chisel 050-063. Bring a bush or good broom to dust off the wood the best you can. I always cut from the cleanest side so as not to pull the sand into the wood. Most everybody agrees to use semi chisel. I have seen many test which shows that the difference in cutting speed is small. As far as low kickback is up to the OP. Being safe is more important than any thing else. A saw that kicks back for some one not ready for such a event can be harmful to say the least. Thanks
 
If you’ve been cutting for years then you likely are aware of the hazards of kickback, but just in case you aren’t, if at all possible you want to keep the tip of the bar away from contacting anything, The tip of the bar and especially the upper part of the tip is where kickback generally comes from. There is a YouTube video out there of a guy that hits chain link with the tip while cutting and the kickback he gets is eye opening.

Keep the tip where you can see it and only plunge cut when absolutely necessary and kickback should be something you rarely ever experience.
 
Ok thanks people seems like semi chisel is what most everyone agrees on so I will go that route , as I have always gone full chisel.
I have always used stihl chains as have tried others and they never seem to last as long so will stick with that.
Thanks for the advice
 
Hey 907josh, where are you located in 907? I’m assuming somewhere in coastal AK with you cutting driftwood. I am in Matsu Valley. I have had similar experience and good luck running Stihl chains.
 
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