Carlton chain

[KostasVolos]

Here in this southern part of Europe the Carlton chains are sold in a blue & white carton box .I mainly use the N1C semi chisel 3/8" lp one .
Contrary to what I 've been reading here ( mostly that Carlton chains suck or that you get what you pay for ) I find Carlton chains to be just a bit inferior to Stihl chains ...And it's not just me that thinks that .
The cutters are rock hard ( almost as hard as Stihl ones ) and fairly sharp from factory .
The only issue is that initially the links are kinda stiff to move ,
but after some cutting they start to move more freely.The stretch also is rather minimal.
Given the low retail price they have,I seriously doubt that these Carlton chains are imported from the US.
But since it is unlikely to have been made in the US,
does anyone have an idea where are being fabricated ?
https://newtools.gr/carlton-usa-91-n1c-1640-links-3-8-inch-0,050-inch-5-32-inch-N11130104

Edit: Actually the US made Carlton chains can be found here,but they come on a white with red stripes box and they are much more expensive (almost double the price ) than the ones in the blue/white box .Haven't tried those .

https://bazakas.gr/el/Product/ΚΗΠΟΣ-ΑΓΡΟΣ/ΑΛΥΣΙΔΕΣ/ΑΛΥΣΙΔΑ ΡΟΛΛΟ CARLTON N1C-100R/
I mainly use Stihl and blue/white box Carlton chains.
Once I got a pair of Oregon chains (91 something ) but the whole chains-cutters incuded-wore off rather quick .Very soft steel .Easy to file ,but easy to dull also.And the stretch was absurd .Never again .
Oregon chains do suck big time .

 

[Mike Gott]

Here in this southern part of Europe the Carlton chains are sold in a blue & white carton box .I mainly use the N1C semi chisel 3/8" lp one .
Contrary to what I 've been reading here ( mostly that Carlton chains suck or that you get what you pay for ) I find Carlton chains to be just a bit inferior to Stihl chains ...And it's not just me that thinks that .
The cutters are rock hard ( almost as hard as Stihl ones ) and fairly sharp from factory .
The only issue is that initially the links are kinda stiff to move ,
but after some cutting they start to move more freely.The stretch also is rather minimal.
Given the low retail price they have,I seriously doubt that these Carlton chains are imported from the US.
But since it is unlikely to have been made in the US,
does anyone have an idea where are being fabricated ?
https://newtools.gr/carlton-usa-91-n1c-1640-links-3-8-inch-0,050-inch-5-32-inch-N11130104

Edit: Actually the US made Carlton chains can be found here,but they come on a white with red stripes box and they are much more expensive (almost double the price ) than the ones in the blue/white box .Haven't tried those .

https://bazakas.gr/el/Product/ΚΗΠΟΣ-ΑΓΡΟΣ/ΑΛΥΣΙΔΕΣ/ΑΛΥΣΙΔΑ ΡΟΛΛΟ CARLTON N1C-100R/
I mainly use Stihl and blue/white box Carlton chains.
Once I got a pair of Oregon chains (91 something ) but the whole chains-cutters incuded-wore off rather quick .Very soft steel .Easy to file ,but easy to dull also.And the stretch was absurd .Never again .
Oregon chains do suck big time .

Oregon and Carlton are made in the same factory, both owned by Blount Industries. I am a dealer for both. The Carlton I get/sell comes in a blue/white box as well. I’ve sold a lot of 91vxl to a tree service and have not heard anything like what you described your experience with it as

 

[Woodslasher]

Oregon and Carlton are made in the same factory, both owned by Blount Industries. I am a dealer for both. The Carlton I get/sell comes in a blue/white box as well. I’ve sold a lot of 91vxl to a tree service and have not heard anything like what you described your experience with it as

All the Carlton I run across will break the teeth off a saw file in a few passes, so it gets ground and used as a "**** chain" for dirty stuff. Maybe it's all pre-merger stuff, but man is it hard.

 

[KostasVolos]

Oregon and Carlton are made in the same factory, both owned by Blount Industries. I am a dealer for both. The Carlton I get/sell comes in a blue/white box as well. I’ve sold a lot of 91vxl to a tree service and have not heard anything like what you described your experience with it as

Have you used the chains you sell yourself ?

It does not mean anything the fact
that you haven't heard anything like my experience by the staff of the tree service you sell the Oregon chains .
Myself know plenty of people that like Oregon chains ,because they are pretty easy to sharpen.
And especially those that cut standing wood ( felling trees or cutting branches ) ,since their chains will rarely hit dirt or cut dirty /muddy wood.Plus ,
the Oregon chains are cheaper than Carlton
( 9€ for 3/8"lp 55 Oregon vs 12€
for 3/8"lp 55 Carlton ).
Try to sharpen with the same file ,both a Carlton and an Oregon chain of the same size (pitch ) .
You will immediately understand what I'm talking about.

Being made in the same factory and by the same owner company ,
does not necessarily mean that the chains share same characteristics .

I've used both of them.
Their difference regarding hardness is like day and night.

 

[Mike Gott]

Have you used the chains you sell yourself ?

It does not mean anything the fact
that you haven't heard anything like my experience by the staff of the tree service you sell the Oregon chains .
Myself know plenty of people that like Oregon chains ,because they are pretty easy to sharpen.
And especially those that cut standing wood ( felling trees or cutting branches ) ,since their chains will rarely hit dirt or cut dirty /muddy wood.Plus ,
the Oregon chains are cheaper than Carlton
( 9€ for 3/8"lp 55 Oregon vs 12€
for 3/8"lp 55 Carlton ).
Try to sharpen with the same file ,both a Carlton and an Oregon chain of the same size (pitch ) .
You will immediately understand what I'm talking about.

Being made in the same factory and by the same owner company ,
does not necessarily mean that the chains share same characteristics .

I've used both of them.
Their difference regarding hardness is like day and night.

I have not used 91vxl myself just EXL Oregon and Carlton A1LM, all I run is 3/8

 

[KostasVolos]

I have not used 91vxl myself just EXL Oregon and Carlton A1LM, all I run is 3/8

Have you noticed any difference ?

 

[Mike Gott]

Have you noticed any difference ?

I have not, once in a while I’ll find a cutter that is harder and won’t file but after grinding it once it’s fine

 

[HumBurner]

Mostly I use Carlton A1 semi chisel.

Never had an issue with their chains except when I had a weak link and the chain broke and flew off the bar while running. It hit a twig thinner than a pencil and then went sailing 20'+ away