What Brand/Type chain should I buy?

[TomSeller]

Carlton, Windsor and Oregon are all made by Blount. Not long ago, I had a chance to tour Blount's assembly line in Portland Oregon that made Windsor, Carlton and Homelite saw chains. The Oregon brand was made nearby. The plant manager was giving a personal tour as we were doing business with Blount. At the end of the tour I had to ask what is the best readily available saw chain. He said Stihl was, due to the chromium content. Enough said. Not that Oregon and the others are not very good saw chains, but he answered my question.

Interesting tour by the way.

 

[Oldpath05]

At the end of the tour I had to ask what is the best (readily available) saw chain. He said Stihl was, due to the chromium content. Enough said.

"Enough said", (not quite). "readily available", (maybe on Ebay in .050ga.) I spent 2 hrs. already trying to find .058ga., .325p., 72dl in the Stilh chain brand, all I could find is my online search patience will only last 2 hrs., but Oregon brand chain is what I'd call readily available, I can buy my size all day long, at a few places online about the same price as the nearest saw shop to me. Enough said? I hope not, there's a few more brands of chains out there in the chainsaw chain jungle.

If I do find a Stihl brand chain, I'll save it for this fall when I start cutting up my 7 cord of tree length muddy firewood, and do a side by side test right out of the box with Oregon chain on my XP550, then see which one needs filing first.

 

[TomSeller]

Stihl sells through dealers only.

 

[RedNeckGeek]

Stihl sells through dealers only.

Maybe so, but the last time I bought Stihl chain on eBay, I don't believe I was purchasing from a dealer. He sure wasn't getting dealer prices...:thumbsup:

 

[94BULLITT]

"Enough said", (not quite). "readily available", (maybe on Ebay in .050ga.) I spent 2 hrs. already trying to find .058ga., .325p., 72dl in the Stilh chain brand, all I could find is my online search patience will only last 2 hrs., but Oregon brand chain is what I'd call readily available, I can buy my size all day long, at a few places online about the same price as the nearest saw shop to me. Enough said? I hope not, there's a few more brands of chains out there in the chainsaw chain jungle.

If I do find a Stihl brand chain, I'll save it for this fall when I start cutting up my 7 cord of tree length muddy firewood, and do a side by side test right out of the box with Oregon chain on my XP550, then see which one needs filing first.

This?

Stihl 18" Chainsaw Chain Loop (25Rs 72 Drive Links) 3638 005 0072 | Stihl 25RS Chainsaw Chain | Chisel Chainsaw Chain (.325" x .058") | www.baileysonline.com

 

[Oldpath05]

I found out one thing on this post, I'm no good at online searching, I was on Baileys site before and didn't notice the Stihl brand chain. The price is 8$ more then Oregon, does that mean it will cut 8 times faster, last 8 times longer or comes from 8 times farther away.
I just went through 7 tanks full of gas on the Oregon chisel chain, it finally got a little dull and when I filed it, the cutters felt harder then my last chain, if that's possible.

 

[dgeesaman]

The price is 8$ more then Oregon, does that mean it will cut 8 times faster, last 8 times longer or comes from 8 times farther away.

Leslie Neilsen once said "The difference between a $3 golf ball and a $1 golf ball is.... two dollars"

I've run both Stihl chain and Oregon and I'm getting longer time between sharpenings with the Stihl but I'm cutting dirty wood and it's not a big difference.

The Oregon sharpens easier and costs less, so I'm not sure I have a preference yet.

 

[Will_C]

I'm surprised- my local dealer is cheaper than Bailey's on Stihl chain.

Will

 

[Oldpath05]

Leslie Neilsen once said "The difference between a $3 golf ball and a $1 golf ball is.... two dollars"

I've run both Stihl chain and Oregon and I'm getting longer time between sharpenings with the Stihl but I'm cutting dirty wood and it's not a big difference.

The Oregon sharpens easier and costs less, so I'm not sure I have a preference yet.

"Shirley you cant be serious". If the price of that golf ball is true, then the price of 5 Stihl chains at Baileys is $114.85+$9.99 S.H., and the price of 5 Oregon chains at Frawleys Saw Shop is $73.95+$5.00====== over $9.00 more for the Stihl chains, and that adds up to $45.00, and then with that $$, I could buy two more Oregon chains and a cup of coffee and dozen donuts at Dunkin Donuts, and that's sound good to me.

 

[Oldpath05]

I'm surprised- my local dealer is cheaper than Bailey's on Stihl chain.

Will

I've been looking at Baileys for a couple days now, and your right the prices on several items are higher then most places, I think it's because in California everything is sky high, but if the minim wage is $35.00/hr. in Cal. then it's not so bad.