Chain & bar poll

[John Ellison]

Yea, I cant imagine anyone having anything but praise for a square ground chain if they sharpened it on their own grinder. And had some experience at it.
I am using some Windsor [USA] bars now that seem to have a bit harder tip than the Oregon P.M. that I normally use.
Oregon or Carlton I believe are both good chain. Who cares what it cuts like out of the box. I have used Stihl chain but it has been years ago.
I am not sold on super hard chain [or knife blades] In the clean softwood that I normally cut, even the soft? Oregon chain is still razor sharp after several hours or longer and just gets changed because. Do some people use harder chain because it stil is cutting fair even tho it got in a little bit of dirt. Carbide is harder yet. I might think different if all I cut was dirty hardwood. Jury is still out on that.

John

 

[John Ellison]

I know what I am talking about. I've been on AS for almost 20,000 hrs.

 

[oldsaw]

I use both Oregon and Stihl ES bars. Of the two, I prefer the Stihl, better wear characteristcs. Chains, Oregon, Woodsman Pro, and Stihl. Of the three, I prefer the Stihl since I don't have to sharpen it as often and it takes a really nice edge when I do.

I want to try the GB bars, but can't ever get Jeff to get back to me. Have a project where I may need to go longer than my current 42" Oregon. The options seem to dry up quickly.

 

[artwood]

square ground chisel chain is a whole nother animal to sharpen. Can't justify a square grinder. Personally, I only seem to get about 3-5 hand sharpenings before I get that little beak. Then I switch to a round file. Any tips?

 

[16gauge]

Who made the older Homelite chains? Had good luck with these as they came...good and sharp and long cutters for longer chain life. The new Oregon chains for the small saws look like cutters are 1/2 gone brand new.

 

[begleytree]

Who cares what it cuts like out of the box.
John

So you're saying I should have to sharpen NIB chain for regular cutting?
If so, we found something we don't agree on.
-Ralph

 

[redprospector]

square ground chisel chain is a whole nother animal to sharpen. Can't justify a square grinder. Personally, I only seem to get about 3-5 hand sharpenings before I get that little beak. Then I switch to a round file. Any tips?

artwood, make sure the corner of your file stays in the working corner of the tooth. If you get "that little beak", your file is too low in the tooth. Just keep working at it, and you'll get it, but if you switch to a round file every time you'll never figure it out.

Andy

 

[ehp]

I just got some oregon chain from the States, I will see if it is softer than the oregon chain made in Guelph. I find the chain that is made here is fine and everybit as hard as the Carlton that I have ran. Our Stihl bars here are also made by oregon just not the 25 inch. Not sure on the longer ones cause we donot use them here

 

[pbtree]

Been running Oregon and Woodsman pro chain for the past several years. As to bars, Oregon powermatch...

 

[John Ellison]

So you're saying I should have to sharpen NIB chain for regular cutting?
If so, we found something we don't agree on.
-Ralph

Ralph, No, its just that the factory grind seems to vary alot. Especially if it is factory sq. ground. Some of the round chain cuts ok. I just like to grind chain at home before it is ever used, then I know there are no dings in it and will know that it is ready to go.

John

 

[SawTroll]

Where is the poll?

 

[jp hallman]

square ground chisel chain is a whole nother animal to sharpen. Can't justify a square grinder. Personally, I only seem to get about 3-5 hand sharpenings before I get that little beak. Then I switch to a round file. Any tips?

Check out Madsen's online, they have a Q&A page that will show you how to get rid of that beak(and other helpful stuff) www.madsens1.com.
I've grown fond of Cannon bars and Stihl square/chisel chain, full comp.

 

[jp hallman]

Ralph, No, its just that the factory grind seems to vary alot. Especially if it is factory sq. ground. Some of the round chain cuts ok. I just like to grind chain at home before it is ever used, then I know there are no dings in it and will know that it is ready to go.

John

Pretty much the same with me. I'll make up my loops and when I put em' on the saw for the first time I'll hit em' lightly with the file. (Square ground file). I can feel the difference.

 

[artwood]

This might be getting a little off topic. But, after reading Madsen's page on chisel chain sharpening I'm perhaps more confused. I can follow a new chains angles for a few sharpenings by hand without any problem. But, as Madsens points out if the angles aren't accurate you either dull quickly or don't cut efficiently. I love the way it cuts, just don't want to waste more time sharpening than its worth. You're right JP I'll try harder to improve my technique.

 

[jp hallman]

This might be getting a little off topic. But, after reading Madsen's page on chisel chain sharpening I'm perhaps more confused. I can follow a new chains angles for a few sharpenings by hand without any problem. But, as Madsens points out if the angles aren't accurate you either dull quickly or don't cut efficiently. I love the way it cuts, just don't want to waste more time sharpening than its worth. You're right JP I'll try harder to improve my technique.

Trial and Error...Practice, Practice, Practice...Just Do It...you've heard em' all. That's the way to get good at anything.

 

[SawTroll]

My vote in a poll would have been Stihl/Stihl, but only with a slight margin.

...... For smaller saws I really like the 95VP narrow kerf. I am currently running 21LP on my 5100s and I think the saw has enough extra jam to make it faster than the 95vp (the 95vp was the fastest on my stock 353).

As you know Brent, I also like the 95VP/H30/S30 on my 353, but I have never had a chance to try 21LP.
If you still have the 353, why not try the bar & chain on the 5100 and see how it compares? The bar mount pattern should be the same.

Otherwise, in my book light weight (balancing the saw) is more important than wear resistance and longevity of the bars. Stiffness is not a concern in the short bars (less than 20") that I use. As a consequence of this, I only use laminated bars.

The bars I have normally used is Stihl Rollomatic E, Oregon Pro-Lite and Em ("original" European Husky and Jred), and I have nothing bad to say about any of them.
Stihl bars seem to last a bit longer than the others, but also cost a lot more.
Pro-Lite heaviest by a slight margin over Em, and Stihl is notably lighter - judged on those I have.

Regarding chain I find stay-sharp slightly better on Stihl than on Oregon. For normal maintenance I don't find Stihl chain any harder to file than Oregon, except that you have to be extra careful the first time you put a file to it.
Extensive filing on a rocked out chain is another story......

I have not experienced any severe stretching either with Stihl or Oregon.

The only thing I have against Stihl chain, is that they have no equivalent to the 95VP chain.

 

[ross_scott]

I have gone from stihl RS chain over to oregon chisel chain on my stihl and I totally like it due to its ease of sharpening when out on a jobsite and the lower price I cut roughly 35 cubic metres of wood (Black wattyl) last weekend (I also had to fell the trees) with the oregon chain and only resharpened once each day and that was after lunch and then another touch up at the end of the day after cleaning.currently I have an 18" stihl rollomatic E bar on the saw but looking into getting a 20" oregon bar to run on my stihl as the 18" gets a bit hard on the back with having to bend over to cut up a log on the ground

 

[Lawn Masters]

For bars, I like the Windsor, and Stihl ES bars. chains, I'll use whatever is in my hand at hte time, Stihl, carlton, or oregon chains. if its sharp, I'll use it. I'm finding myself now starting to like the oregon chain more cause its not so bad on the sharpening dept, and it isnt so bad at holding an edge in clean wood either.

 

[artwood]

I was thinking of getting a reel of 3/8 Windsor semi-chisel. Seems to cost a little less than Carlton. Nobody's said anything bad about it.

 

[Diesel JD]

Hey, I like Stihl Oregon and Woodsman Pro chain. On my MS390 I ahve only run teh Stihl 33RS and ES Stihl Bar. Still undecided about going with a Powermatch, another ES or a Windsor Speed Tip when it needs rplacing, but I have decided I'm going to try some Oregon 72CK on it. And learn how to square file. On my 025, I have run Stihl RS, Stihl RM2, Oregon 35LG, 22LP....and Rollomatic E and Pro Lite Oregon bars. I like the 35LG real good, but I will agree the Stihl has better metallurgy. The pro lite bars are crappy...the Rollomatic Es are a little better, but nowhere near the quality of a Stihl ES or an Oregon Powermatch IMO,
J.D.