Is HP (well, HP:weight) the prime, above-all-else consideration for top-handled saws?

[buttercup]

Oh and I'd LOVE if anyone knew whether there's any reason to trust the validity of HP ratings, I've zero idea how this # is rated/tested so I don't know how consistent the testing is, nevermind how people in marketing twist things (like electric tools labelled as "20V", when they're normal 18V's, to look more powerful) so am unsure if I can even use HP as the metric I've been using it as (am literally just gridding-out: Price // Power(HP) // Weight // (fuel-capacity if I'm so lucky to be able to choose!))

Have yet to even find whether there's reason to trust a newer company's kN / MBS ratings, like who the 3rd party (if any) is that actually verifies said #'s, have noticed some #'s (from multiple companies) that seem very very suspect!!

As for the major established brands you should have every reason to believe the technical data they specific, if they where lying the world would know and it would harm them economically, that would not be in their interest.
There are probably laws and regulations that cover such things as well, at least in Europe - the EU is to regulate everything down to the size and shape of your poo.

But as mentioned above by others there are many things that makes one specific tool favorable by one specific person, if you could choose a saw that you really liked in every aspect that was 2HP or you could choose another one at 2,5HP that felt like a hedge trimmer in a barber's hand, what would you prefer to live with for the rest of your life?

 

[Totembear]

As far as being brand biased, thats a fact of life. You cant get away from that. My wife likes Cheezits I love Cheese Nips. Which one tastes better? Kind of point on. I loved my little Husky 335, 388 they cut good and cut fast IMO. Didnt like my Dolmar top handle, felt weird in my hands. Echo 335, 2511 are good choices too. But when it comes to going through all different kinds of wood and sizes of wood, my 020t is the best IMO. Balances good to, especially with a 16. Reliabilty, torque, and keeping rpms in the cut. My Husky 262 I'll probably get buried with. I like my Jred 670, especially for noodling. My 394 built by Mr. Carr is one awesome beast.Their are brands out there that probably put out a fine product, have yet to try em. But what I do know is that if you get lost in the hp crap you often come away disappointed. I might look at cc's, but sometimes a saw with less cc's will outperform a saw with greater. If so many people recommend a saw, I pay attention. If arborists use the saw for a living, and they recommend a certain saw, I pay attention. There could be no better gauge than that in IMHO. You can analize all day long over numbers. Dont mean diddly. Numbers are fabricated in controlled conditions in a controlled environment. I dont live in that kind of world. Pick up the saw that YOU like and go cut with it. If you ask for recommendations that is what you'll get. If you ask for numbers comparisons, that is what you'll get. The 2 are worlds apart in my eyes. Utilize dont analyze....

 

[Totembear]

Man I must have gad a brain fart. Husky 338 and Echo 355 is what I meant to say. Time for another cup of Joe...

 

[CR888]

As for the major established brands you should have every reason to believe the technical data they specific, if they where lying the world would know and it would harm them economically, that would not be in their interest.
There are probably laws and regulations that cover such things as well, at least in Europe - the EU is to regulate everything down to the size and shape of your poo.

But as mentioned above by others there are many things that makes one specific tool favorable by one specific person, if you could choose a saw that you really liked in every aspect that was 2HP or you could choose another one at 2,5HP that felt like a hedge trimmer in a barber's hand, what would you prefer to live with for the rest of your life?

All the major brands lie about HP specs, weight specs etc....we know this for a FACT...just more blah blah.

 

[buttercup]

All the major brands lie about HP specs, weight specs etc....we know this for a FACT...just more blah blah.

By "we" I assume you mean both your left and right brain half and the bubble they both live in

 

[PA Dan]

What makes Lone Wolf's special? So far as I can tell, a 200t is overpriced....too iconic & out of production, you're paying a tax for that....seems smarter to get a 201t and 'Snellerize' it. But that's the thing I literally can't "get to the bottom" of which saw has the most power, a 201t // a husqy 540xp // an echo 355t, am guessing the echo is at the bottom of those 3 but can't tell by how much (the echo is certainly the best displacement//weight//price ratio I'm finding) On-paper the 540xp should smoke a 200t, 200t's have almost exact 2hp right? The 540xp is 20% more at 2.4HP...which I can't make sense of considering that their next-down model,the t435, is only 2cc less displacement but almost 1HP weaker...would love to know how reliable these HP #'s really are!

Stihl has always seemed so expensive, I get that you buy it for life but if I'm spending that dough I think I'd lean towards a 540xp, I just wish I could understand what sets that apart from the t435 or the 200t (also wish I could understand why the 193t is only pushing 1.3HP with 30cc displacement...my 25.4cc pushes 1.2HP..)

PM sent...

 

[CR888]

By "we" I assume you mean both your left and right brain half and the bubble they both live in

No its common knowledge among those who know about chainsaws, the fact you don't does speak for itself. Why don't you put a saw on a set of scales and learn for yourself, fill up that big brain of yours.

 

[rarefish383]

I'm sorry, if you think I'm anti social, just call me old and senile. I grew up climbing with Homelite Super EZ's. When Poulan came out with the XXV/25 we switched to them, both saws came with 16" bars. The 16 was actually the shortest bar offered on the EZ. I can't for the life of me understand why some one would carry a 10" bar up a tree? I'd go for the longer bar over a couple ounces of weight any day. On a take down, it seems like you would be out of bar a few minutes into the job.

As far as why are some saws the same size more powerful? Just look at the Chevy 327, some were 180HP up to 365HP. The difference, higher compression ratios, bigger carbs, better porting, tuned exhaust, and as mentioned above, gearing. Same with saws. Some are just taxi engines, some are hot rods. As far as being brand specific? As a collector, I collect all saws 70CC and bigger. When I was in business, we were die hard Homelite guys into the 80's, then Stihl from then on. Nothing wrong with the other major players, I just don't want 5 different brands on my truck, and have to deal with 5 different shops. You said you had a Poulan 25 on the rebuild/restoration bench? If I had a friend or family member that needs a little tree down, I'd grab a 25 or EZ, my 60's vintage Bashline aluminum hooks, Buckingham double D belt, using a taught line hitch to climb. I'd be an example of an antique, using antique tools and methods. I would not be using 50 year old tools for any kind of pro work.

My recommendation would be pick a brand, get used to it, and stick with it. I guess that was what your question was leading to? So, I still didn't answer it.

Also, take this question to the pro forum, and get pro input. There are a couple pro's here, and a lot of non pros with good intentions, that have never been 80' in a tree, hanging upside down, trying to start a saw.

 

[buttercup]

No its common knowledge among those who know about chainsaws, the fact you don't does speak for itself. Why don't you put a saw on a set of scales and learn for yourself, fill up that big brain of yours.

Ah, that hurts mate be careful because eventually you might find that the moon landing never happened

 

[buttercup]

Also, take this question to the pro forum, and get pro input. There are a couple pro's here, and a lot of non pros with good intentions, that have never been 80' in a tree, hanging upside down, trying to start a saw.

By all due respect sir,
I appreciate your wisdom, but I also appreciate that you're not attempting to exclude everyone but yourself and a handful of your mates to have anything useful or interesting to say about chainsaws and what's on the present market, because then this would truthfully be a lonely and colorless forum to be a part of.

 

[dmb2613]

I have not climbed a tree in 50 years or so, I work at a Stihl Dealer now. I can tell you this the 200T is the best top handle saw ever made in my book, along with the tree guys around here. I am sure there are plenty using husky's and echo's but not around here.
The 193T is a god cheap saw but I don't think it will hold up under everyday use , but I have a 192t and love it.

 

[rarefish383]

Well buttercup, I'm going to apologize to you for the reply I wrote and then deleted. Not reading every post thoroughly, I think I attributed others statements to you, and rereading them, I may have made a mistake, so forgive my haste. Anyway, weather or not I gave any major selling points of one saw over another, I'll stick to my advice of picking one brand and sticking with it. All of the major players make good saws. It's a royal pain dealing with different shops all over the place. I have absolutely no advice on picking a saw because it's a couple ounces lighter than another. From the time I was 18 to 60 my day to day climbing saws were 10 pounds or more. I prefer a 16" bar on a rear handle for the extra reach. I'm on the East Coast, where our mature hardwoods seldom hit 120', and four feet above the root flare is big. That being said, I have worked in trees all day long with a Homelite Super 1050, 100CC's with a 36" bar on it, hanging on my belt. I'd weigh any saw I have, but it wouldn't mean anything to me, most of my little ickle saws are just filling spaces in my collection, of saws I remember as a kid. I prefer a saw big enough to make cuts fast when I want it to. I don't want to be in a tree all day because it's too little for the job. My mother left Norway in 1956, just before I was born. Please don't tell me you only fill your fuel tank up half way to save an ounce and a half. I still look at the men of Norway, my ancestors, as men amongst men, please don't ruin my delusion.

 

[rarefish383]

Just for the younger guys, Wear your PPE! "Do As I Say, Not As I Do". I'm in the shadow a bit, no brain bucket, no ear muffs, no steel toe boots, and no chaps, and no gloves. Still have all my fingers, toes, and nose, Can't hear worth beans.

 

[rarefish383]

Oh, one more thing buttercup, how on earth can you say my collection is colorless? Cheers, my long lost brother.

 

[CR888]

Ah, that hurts mate be careful because eventually you might find that the moon landing never happened

I'm not your mate.

 

[KarlD]

Lots of blah blah blah in this thread. If you need a more powerful saw, just go buy one & go cut wood. Less YouTube, less pointing @moon, more cutting with saw in hand, you'll be better for it.

That’s a beautifully simple response mate

 

[Justsaws]

Since I can remember most people wanted a dependable powerful +12” saw, they would spend big $ to get it. Not so much anymore, I see waaaaaaay more cheapy top handle saws in use commercially now. Way more choices in that range available.

200T, end of an era.

 

[buttercup]

...I still look at the men of Norway, my ancestors, as men amongst men, please don't ruin my delusion...

Sir, you seem to end every post you write by trying to insert a needle into the sole of someones foot, I just don't understand exactly why your doing that. I might be a fool but I sure don't like being treated as one.
If you treat others based on a view looking down on them from above then how can you expect to get any respect in return? If you need to look at me like someone inferior to yourself as a human being in order to elevate yourself, then be my guest.

Oh, one more thing buttercup, how on earth can you say my collection is colorless? Cheers, my long lost brother.

That's a mighty fine collection sir, and nice pictures too, thanks.

 

[rarefish383]

Again, I apologize, maybe my sense of humor is a little off kilter, and you are still new here, and should be treated as an honored guest. I would feel a loss if I were to cause you to leave. Different forums here seem to have different tolerance levels for sarcasm and poking fun at each other. We should keep that to the forums, like the firewood forum, where it's mostly the same guys, and no serious questions arise. I mean, how many significant improvements can be made with an axe or wedge? I think this next pic will give you a little insight into "MY" low tolerance of ikle saws. When I started helping my Dad in the 60's there really weren't any light saws. This was his medium climbing saw, and the next ones were his light weight saws. Few people now a days would dream men ever carried 36" hand saws in trees, and topped and limbed trees with them.

 

[lone wolf]

What makes Lone Wolf's special? So far as I can tell, a 200t is overpriced....too iconic & out of production, you're paying a tax for that....seems smarter to get a 201t and 'Snellerize' it. But that's the thing I literally can't "get to the bottom" of which saw has the most power, a 201t // a husqy 540xp // an echo 355t, am guessing the echo is at the bottom of those 3 but can't tell by how much (the echo is certainly the best displacement//weight//price ratio I'm finding) On-paper the 540xp should smoke a 200t, 200t's have almost exact 2hp right? The 540xp is 20% more at 2.4HP...which I can't make sense of considering that their next-down model,the t435, is only 2cc less displacement but almost 1HP weaker...would love to know how reliable these HP #'s really are!

Stihl has always seemed so expensive, I get that you buy it for life but if I'm spending that dough I think I'd lean towards a 540xp, I just wish I could understand what sets that apart from the t435 or the 200t (also wish I could understand why the 193t is only pushing 1.3HP with 30cc displacement...my 25.4cc pushes 1.2HP..)

Best climbing saw in the world why do you think used ones go for big bucks? look at the prices and show me another climbing saw that holds value like a 200t. Cheap out if you want.