I give up trying find Stihl saw chains online so my next choice is Oregon chain. My 550 Husqvarna I bought 2 years ago now came with semi-chisel Husq chain and it broke only half used up and the other ones, not sure what they was, they cut ok, but this new Oregon chain,(full chisel) is really cutting awesome, I forgot what full chisel cut like and the little holes in the drive link seams to be getting more oil on my bar, but I cant find 25 ft. chain rolls online all I see is 100 ft. rolls, maybe it requires more Sat. morning net-working.
What Brand/Type chain should I buy?
- Thread starter ultrarunner
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I give up trying find Stihl saw chains online so my next choice is Oregon chain. My 550 Husqvarna I bought 2 years ago now came with semi-chisel Husq chain and it broke only half used up and the other ones, not sure what they was, they cut ok, but this new Oregon chain,(full chisel) is really cutting awesome, I forgot what full chisel cut like and the little holes in the drive link seams to be getting more oil on my bar, but I cant find 25 ft. chain rolls online all I see is 100 ft. rolls, maybe it requires more Sat. morning net-working.
That's I don't want to get into, saving dollar or two on one chain, taking 15 min. of time to make a loop, 5 min. if I spend $175.00 on a good saw chain breaking-spinner tool.
What's the mail order site you buy chains at, $15.00/20"chain sound like a really good buy for Stihl chain, I've been using .375, 72DL, .058 gauge, and this new Oregon full chisel chain I put on last weekend is really cutting great. I think Bangor has a woodsmen show coming up, but 65mi. away and 5 hr. of time, and the crowds, I have crowd phobia.
dgeesaman
Silver Member
Check the numbers for yourself.
I have a chain breaker and spinner on my workbench that I inherited, so zero investment required. Based on the cost of bulk chain alone, I won't save enough any money compared to thrifty shopping for loops.
Found one place online called Frawleys Saw Shop, they sell Oregon loops and 100 ft. rolls, I did the math on the rolls and it figures to about $5.00 savings for me, on the .058ga., .375p, 72dl, and that loop here cost $18.00. Also 72dl is just under 4ft. of saw chain for one loop, I use 2-3 loops/year, that will take me a while to go through that, a grand savings $125.00 in ten years or so, WOW! Then if I figure in climate change, global warming, end of the world in ten years, and bigfoot still on the loose, I'll stay with buying loops, 2-5 at a time.
But if I buy 100' of Forester brand saw chain that everyone says is junk, my savings would triple, then again if I have to file on every tank full of gas, I'd waste more time and have to buy more files, this Oregon chain I'm using now, after 4 tanks of gas, I still haven't filed it yet, and I've cut through some muddy branches, still cuts fast.
But if I buy 100' of Forester brand saw chain that everyone says is junk, my savings would triple, then again if I have to file on every tank full of gas, I'd waste more time and have to buy more files, this Oregon chain I'm using now, after 4 tanks of gas, I still haven't filed it yet, and I've cut through some muddy branches, still cuts fast.
crazyal
Super Member
In the past I've bought Stihl chains off of ebay. Often I find a 5 or 10 pack that'll save about $5 off the price per chain. I don't cut as much now, maybe 6 cord a year, so 10 chains is too many. Now I usually just buy them one or two at a time and have a spare just in case. I can usually find either the RS or the super L series for less than $25 with shipping for a 24" bar. My local dealer comes close to matching it but their hours make it hard for me to get there without making a special hour long trip).
OP
ultrarunner
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Is there much of a performance difference between RS and super L series?
RSL in stock from is not faster than RS. I've compared the 2 and other people have compared them and there is not a difference in the way they perform out of the box.
crazyal
Super Member
I was told by my local guy that the Super L cleaned itself out better when cutting large diameter trees. I couldn't tell the difference so I've never spent time trying to get one over the other.
So far, six chainsaw fill-ups on this new Oregon chain (full chisel), and haven't had to sharpen it yet, it's still cutting faster then my last several Simi chisel, no name brand, and Husqvarna chain ever did, right now I'm sold on the Oregon full chisel chain, with the fancy little holes in the drive links.
When I do find a Stihl saw chain, it's a .050 gauge, not for me. I run .058 ga., I tried .050 ga. several times in the past, and seems like the thinner drive link like's to jamb in between the sprocket nose on the bar, ruining the sprocket nose/bar/chain/day/mood.
When I do find a Stihl saw chain, it's a .050 gauge, not for me. I run .058 ga., I tried .050 ga. several times in the past, and seems like the thinner drive link like's to jamb in between the sprocket nose on the bar, ruining the sprocket nose/bar/chain/day/mood.
crazyal
Super Member
Stihl make very few .058 chains. My local dealer carries them, I think the large Husky chainsaws use .058. Since he sells both Stihl and Husky he stocks them but the other Stihl only dealers near me don't. Even finding .058 Stihl chains on-line is much more difficult than .050 or .063.
