Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Chainsaw questions

More good advice.

On a side note I do not know if you guys still get Tiger brand chain down there but it was Made by Carlton just for your country.

You forgot Seafoam.

Here the trick is to use 98...using 91 left me with almost no hair due to frustration and ill humour.

I just use Oregon as it is what my local Husqvarna dealer stocks, I do not like to overthink the issue as it generally sends you chasing your tail with very little gain.

Stihl came in last using what criteria? I've founds Stihl chains to be a noticeably harder than Oregon and Carltons and hence the Stihl chains stay sharp longer. The caveat is that you need a grinder to sharpen the Stihls as a file just doesn't seem to want to make much progress.

Get a Husky.

+1 on the Husky. Back in my timber cutting days in western washington and alaska i ground my chains on a silvey chisel bit grinder and used nothing but oregon full comp chain. The stihl chain was easy to burn(blue) unless you used a waxed stone. The full comp was alot smoother and easier to bore into a log when you were bucking it. I prefered 63 guage 3/8 chain over 58 guage because the 58 seemed to fly off the bar everytime you looked at it unless you ran your chain really tight and that was hard on bars and tips. For cutting firewood i would just run skip tooth chain if your hand filing, if your grinding try full comp you'll be amazed at the difference.

I have a 12V electric saw sharpener that runs off of any pickup battery. You buy stones to match your chain. It's much faster than filing and is every bit as accurate.
Fancier ones clamp to the bar like a file jig and are very accurate.

Nobody has mentioned chaps but I think they are a darn good idea.

Thanks all for your responses.

another great chainsaw-woodcutting site is arboristsite.com all chainsaw ans furnace wood cutting stuff

Have you thought about getting a Husky?

I like to decompose the issue into decision factors.

Engine size -

Avoid the very small ones they aren't sufficient for half decent size work.
Their are 3 relevant engine sizes IMO.
26-27 CC, these are the smaller handy saws that work up to trunk sizes.
36 cc class - these are the big limbers and small tree trunk saws and also the start of the bigger width chains.
44 class - this guy is the big tree trunk and stump cutter.
I recommend a 26 to 27 class (261, 271 stihl, or Husq) for most people. If you have one of those and you work on big tree's then I'd go 362 stihl.

Chain size - (basically 3, small, med & large)
Look at it - the width your cutting makes life easier if the pieces are bigger.
There are 3 chain sizes, the pole trimmer, and small chainsaw size, the 26 size, and the 362 size and bigger. It takes more hp to run the wider chains but the oiler is less problematic, and they cut better.

Bar size - Balance, and power is what you want, reach is good but you don't always use it and it can cause you to hit the dirt more often. I have multiple bar sizes for most of my saws.

Chain "bite" - they have non-kick back blades (less aggressive) and more aggressive chains. If you are doing a good deal of work you can buy bulk chain, and a link tool to make the chains to fit your rig. You can ask shop owners to modify your chains for shorter bar sizes... they have the tools, and it's a bunch cheaper than buying new chains.

Brand - In the last decade regulations have changed how the motors are made. Each brand acted differently, and some have higher power per Cc than others. Husq, in the 36cc size seems to have one of the best solutions, but you can't beat the reputation of the stihl 362, all the power line guys clearing big limbs have them for a reason. In the smaller 26 class Stihl seems to hold that with the 261/171, however Echo makes darn good stuff and they are taking a huge bite of that market with thier saws so look at them. The only other one I'd look at is dalmer - German made, and great stuff. Home depot rents them, so if you want to try one, that's a good way of borrowing one.

Chain sharpening is important... tools are good.

Hope that helps

Come on now guys. If I can sharpen a saw by hand while up in a tree anyone can learn to sharpen one on the ground by hand. Just get someone to show you.

And chisel tooth chains are the only way to fly.

Stihl 291 with 20 inch bar might be your best option in a saw for medium to light duty cutting

+1 if you don't want two- that is what I would have done after owning and using the 170, 271, and 362.

Although I'll probably buy a Stihl or a Husky when I move to the farm full time, the Poulan is fine for now thanks. It runs. It makes trees go from a vertical to a horizontal configuration and it makes big logs into little logs. The problem right now is chain maintenance. A full replacement is not envisioned at this time.

BTW: I'd not thought of Hi-Test gas. That's a good trick.

Harbor freight has a chain sharpening machine (wheel) for $30 or so dollars and it gets good reviews. Add a file and faker depth guide and you would be all set to sharpen like a saw shop would.

I have always sharpened by hand and no nothing about electric sharpeners. Do they lower the depth gauges or just sharpen the cutter face?