Reduced Weight Bars?

Am I the only one on here who runs Oregon Reduced Weight Bars? I know there aren't too many long bar guys one here, but man, I'll tell you there a dream.

Tree Sling'r said:

Am I the only one on here who runs Oregon Reduced Weight Bars? I know there aren't too many long bar guys one here, but man, I'll tell you there a dream.

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I sometimes run a 32 inch reduced weight on my huskies. The lightness is great (a lb lighter), but I find the bar too whippy due to it's flexibility for my taste. Lean one against something a flex it and then compare to stihl or oregon standard bars. Or compare it to a canon to really see a difference (although the Canon weighs a ton more.)

The flexibility is not generally a problem when bucking larger diameters (like I did all today) as the bar sits in a snug kerf. But when I am blocking out chunks sometimes the bar gets to whipping a little early in the cut.

Modern Cannon bars are only as good as an Oregon or Stihl bar. You have to be careful with the reduced weight bars because they can flex in the cut if you lean on them and then your bucking cuts (on long bucks) won't meet. The best bar currently for the money are the orange GB bars.

Jacob J. said:

Modern Cannon bars are only as good as an Oregon or Stihl bar. You have to be careful with the reduced weight bars because they can flex in the cut if you lean on them and then your bucking cuts (on long bucks) won't meet. The best bar currently for the money are the orange GB bars.

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I have some fairly newish canons and woodsman pro bars and I find them to be much higher quality than the oregon or stihl. Super precision and wear at least double to the o and s. And very stiff in the cut even at 36 inches or more.

I won't buy them anymore though because 1) they cost twice as much and 2) just too darn heavy for me these days. My 395 with a 36inch Woodsmanpro bar is a back breaker after a few hours.

I wish I had a good source (price) on the orange GB bars as I have heard they are quite good.

The best bars ever made are Cannon bars prior to 1990. A close second are General bars made prior to 1986. I've worn out many Woodsman Pro and modern Cannons and the orange GB bars consistently give three times the service life.

Jacob J. said:

The best bars ever made are Cannon bars prior to 1990. A close second are General bars made prior to 1986. I've worn out many Woodsman Pro and modern Cannons and the orange GB bars consistently give three times the service life.

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Where do you buy them and how much do you pay for say a 28 inch bar for a husky? What is the longest they are available in without going custom?

Jacob, what changed with Cannon bars? I just told a guy in another thread that they're the best. Their price would indicate that they're the best.

I use Stihl bars, but have looked longingly at Cannon at my dealer.

And for Tree Sling'r, nope, I don't use lightweight bars. Does it matter in the cut, or is it just for carrying all day long?

Jeff- I think mainly it has to do with the quality of steel that's been available to the metal products industry in the last ten-twelve years. I also do know there was a change in management at Cannon in '90 or '91. I bought a batch of Cannon bars for the U.S. Forest Service hotshot crew I worked for at the time, in the fall of '91, and those were the last of the good Cannon bars I've ever seen. The modern Cannons are machined well but the steel isn't holding up. Jeff Sikkema sells the orange GB bars- I bought a new 28" from him two years ago and paid $32-33 plus shipping. I bought a new Cannon 28" a couple months later and paid over 100 bucks. The Cannon tip blew out after three weeks and the rails needed dressed after the fourth week. The GB went over three months without needing dressed. The price of a Cannon bar only indicates that it is overpriced.

Thanks Jacob. PM'd ya.

The steelmaking process has changed since the 1980's and 1990's. No more open hearth furnaces, soaking pits or blooming mills. The steel is made faster and rolled less all which affect the grain and structure of the steel.

B_Turner said:

Where do you buy them and how much do you pay for say a 28 inch bar for a husky? What is the longest they are available in without going custom?

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http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=34843

B_Turner said:

I sometimes run a 32 inch reduced weight on my huskies. The lightness is great (a lb lighter), but I find the bar too whippy due to it's flexibility for my taste. Lean one against something a flex it and then compare to stihl or oregon standard bars. Or compare it to a canon to really see a difference (although the Canon weighs a ton more.)

The flexibility is not generally a problem when bucking larger diameters (like I did all today) as the bar sits in a snug kerf. But when I am blocking out chunks sometimes the bar gets to whipping a little early in the cut.

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Once you know what you can and can't do with them they are fine. I have probably 6 Cannons, 15 Oregons, and 10 Reduced Weight bars in my shop - and since I figured that if your not a hard A$$ on the light ones they will last just as long as everything else. Tips, I use Cannon - and like any other bar the rails need to be run and squeezed quite often.

Jacob J. said:

... The best bar currently for the money are the orange GB bars.

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Aren't they also quite heavy?????