What is this?

gstrom99 · Jan 10, 2022

This saw chain was hanging from a nail in my pole barn, when I bought this place. It's not real long, probably for a 20 - 24" bar, but the chisel teeth are massive and they are spaced at 3". Rusty and I see no numbers on the thing.

What could this be for/from?

Tinhack · Jan 10, 2022

The picture is blurry but I'd say...a chain saw.

Perhaps from the 50s.

gstrom99 · Jan 10, 2022

I could take a close-up, but it probably wouldn't help...

RandyT · Jan 10, 2022

I am betting it is 3/4 pitch. Was used on handheld chainsaws in the 50-60's but is still used on commercial harvesters. Measure the distance between 3 rivets and see if it measures 1.5 inches and half of that would give you 3/4 pitch.

gstrom99 · Jan 11, 2022

RandyT said:
I am betting it is 3/4 pitch. Was used on handheld chainsaws in the 50-60's but is still used on commercial harvesters. Measure the distance between 3 rivets and see if it measures 1.5 inches and half of that would give you 3/4 pitch.

Yep. That's what it measures. I was going to scrap it, but looks pretty impressive hanging from the nail.

RandyT · Jan 11, 2022

@gstrom99 Yep those large drivers and huge teeth on 3/4 pitch are quite large. Never ran any that size but have ran a couple old chainsaws that had 1/2 pitch on them. Back before they had automatic oilers and you had to push a manual oiler every few seconds when cutting.

turnkey4099 · Mar 12, 2022

RandyT said:
@gstrom99 Yep those large drivers and huge teeth on 3/4 pitch are quite large. Never ran any that size but have ran a couple old chainsaws that had 1/2 pitch on them. Back before they had automatic oilers and you had to push a manual oiler every few seconds when cutting.

May have been on those big harvesters. Sounds too big to be on any regular chainsaw even back in the early days. Those saws were beasts, all gear drive and hell on torque but slow. One could really lean on them and throw impressive chips. My big shock when I retired from the AF (21 years) was buying my first new saw. No gear drive. Took a bit of getting used to not haveing the lean on it and the need to keep the chain SHARP!