Baileys 20NK chain - first impression

[16:1mix]

Favorable.

On my all stock Husky 350 w/16" bar. I cleaned up some dead/dry Walnut for the first trial run because I knew it was clean.

The saw came with H30 (.325/.050) which I thought was smooth and reasonably fast when sharp. This is my first loop of 20NK and I believe it takes a little more power in the cut and 'bites' with a little more authority while giving a sensation of slight vibration - not enough to be tiresome, just a different 'feel'. The 16" bar is a good choice for this saw when using this chain. I believe power limitations of this 52cc saw would arise with a longer bar in tough wood.

Overall, I like it compared to the H30 but I realize it can't compare to your full blown .375" race chain!

There!
:greenchainsaw:

 

[SawTroll]

.325NK is the right stuff on a Husky 350 - 95VP/H30 is low-vibe chain, and the 20NK is not - so the different feeling is not a surprice.

I have never used the 20NK, so I can't comment further on it.......

 

[Poley4]

I use it on my Shindaiwa 488,works really good, and buying it from Bailey's, the price is right too!

 

[Urbicide]

I run the 20NK on my 346XP NE. It works good for me. Now that Blount (Oregon chain) has bought out Carlton (most Woodsman Pro chain) I wonder how that will affect us consumers? Think they will lower the price?

 

[computeruser]

20NK definitely takes more of a bite than 95vp. But it pulls bigger chips off the roll than the Oregon stuff, and holds an edge for a surprisingly long time. I run both on my 238se/13" setup for trimming and for smaller firewood, and continue to be impressed with both chains for edge holding and for cutting speed when run on a 14.5k-15k RPM saw.

 

[retired redneck]

I use 20 nk 18'' bars and chains on my 55ranchers ,and 540 makitas, cuts much faster than stock .325 chain,stays sharper than stock .325 but my saws are moded...........

 

[Andyshine77]

Yup 20NK is much better chain than 95vp, it cuts better and stays sharp longer.

 

[NYH1]

I put a 20NK chain on the 029 I had. I liked the chain. I wasn't crazy about the Arbor Pro NK bar though. It was very flimsy IMO. If I held one end of the bar and shook it back and forth it looked like a diving board someone just jumped off of. The chain worked pretty well though.

 

[retired redneck]

I put a 20NK chain on the 029 I had. I liked the chain. I wasn't crazy about the Arbor Pro NK bar though. It was very flimsy IMO. If I held one end of the bar and shook it back and forth it looked like a diving board someone just jumped off of. The chain worked pretty well though.

Baileys says using nk chain on non nk bars defeats the nk purpose.....

 

[Edge & Engine]

Baileys says using nk chain on non nk bars defeats the nk purpose.....

Not exactly defeats the purpose...problem is, the nk chain doesn't cut a wide enough kerf for a standard bar, which can make problems.

 

[retired redneck]

Not exactly defeats the purpose...problem is, the nk chain doesn't cut a wide enough kerf for a standard bar, which can make problems.

I put 12''nk bars and chains on my little 280e limb saws, and gained alot of rpm they cut twice as fast as original 14'' echo bars,i am a firm believer in nk bars and chains on 50cc and under saws.....

 

[NYH1]

I'm sorry, I should have been a little clearer in my post. When I bought my 029 I wanted a 20" b&c. The chain was an RM2 .325 pitch, I looked at one of my old posts. In Hindsight, the 20" b&c wasn't what I should have gone with. It was to much for the saw to pull in the hardwood I was cutting. 16" or 18" tops is what I should have gotten.

I bought an 18" Arbor Pro NK bar and the matching 18" NK20 chain to go along with it. It cut A LOT better with the NK set up then it did with the set up I bought it with. The NK20 chain worked really good. I wasn't impressed at all with the bar though. Just to flimsy.

 

[stihl 440]

lol

.325NK is the right stuff on a Husky 350 - 95VP/H30 is low-vibe chain, and the 20NK is not - so the different feeling is not a surprice.

I have never used the 20NK, so I can't comment further on it.......

LOL....you really need to get out and cut somethin' with your saws....lolololol:greenchainsaw:

 

[weenieroaster]

Who else makes the nk bar besides arbor pro, and are they any better I wonder?

 

[SawTroll]

LOL....you really need to get out and cut somethin' with your saws....lolololol:greenchainsaw:

The 20NK (or carlton in general) chain just isn't available here....:censored:

 

[SawTroll]

Who else makes the nk bar besides arbor pro, and are they any better I wonder?

Oregon do, and Husky do - and there may be others.

I never used the Oregon made ones, only the Norwegian made Husky ones, and they are perfectly OK for normal use - but someone surely will use them as a pry bar, and condemn them as flimsy when they bend.........

 

[stihl 440]

lol

The 20NK (or carlton in general) chain just isn't available here....:censored:

LOL....I was just jokin' anyway...........lololololol:greenchainsaw:

 

[Urbicide]

Who else makes the nk bar besides arbor pro, and are they any better I wonder?

My 346XP NE came with an Oregon narrow kerf bar. I am not a big Oregon fan but so far it has been holding up.

 

[stihl025]

Who else makes the nk bar besides arbor pro, and are they any better I wonder?

I guess the question would be, for what saw? I have the Oregon Micro Lite Pro (NK) on my Stihl 025 and love it. It seems to be a lot sturdier of a bar than the NK bars I have seen from Husky. I know that the Husky bars are rebadged Oregon, but I think they are only the regular Micro Lite's. Maybe someone else may know for sure.

 

[2dogs]

I put a 20NK chain on the 029 I had. I liked the chain. I wasn't crazy about the Arbor Pro NK bar though. It was very flimsy IMO. If I held one end of the bar and shook it back and forth it looked like a diving board someone just jumped off of. The chain worked pretty well though.

I found the chain to OK but the AP bars were terrible. The nose sprocket lasts no time at all. I cut in sandy conditions and the nose would be shot anywhere from 4 hours to 2 weeks. I don't think any bar lasted a month. I switched to Stihl and later to Stihl Duromatic and also back to Stihl chain.