# TriLink Chain..Any Good??



## RED WOOD (Feb 15, 2013)

Stopped in a Tractor Supply Store on the way home from work and the shelves are stocked up with boxes County Line Brand saw chain. I didn't recognize the brand on the box or the stampings on the chain and asked the manager who makes the chain. He told me a company named TriLink is making the chains. They look like pretty good quality chains, they even offer full chisel non safety chains! The prices are not cheap and are priced about like Oregon but not quite as expensive as Stihl chain. Anybody try the these chains out yet??


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## Chris-PA (Feb 15, 2013)

It's Chinese chain that has been sold by HD for some time. I have two loops. One is an old loop of 3/8 semi chisel that had huge safety bumpers which my dad got years ago for the McCulloch. I ground off the safety bumpers:







It works just fine now. The other loop is a 60DL Lo Pro loop I picked up while waiting for my WoodlandPro to arrive from Bailey's. I've had no issues with that either. The ramped drive links are rather large - as high as the rakers - but when I set the rakers they got filed down too and don't seem to be a problem. The cutters were ground to 40*, but at least they were consistent unlike the last loop of Oregon 3/8 I got. 

Having said that, if there is no significant price advantage I would get Oregon or Stihl chain.


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## MPE (Feb 15, 2013)

Don't buy Chinese stuff if you can avoid it. Here, you can avoid it. Question answered.


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## SkippyKtm (Feb 15, 2013)

Its not as good. If its the same price as Oregon go with the Oregon! The local loggers around here who have tried it say it doesn't hold an edge for very long. I notice that when I push the rivets out using a breaker, it takes very little effort compared to Stihl or Oregon chain.


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## SawTroll (Feb 15, 2013)

Pure Chinese crap, as far as I know! :censored:


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## TK (Feb 15, 2013)

They dull really quick in my experience. I got frustrated with the two loops I ordered from my distributor, they never got used again. And there's no way they should be even close to the same price as Oregon. The chain looks good, but is poor quality steel.


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## Chris-PA (Feb 15, 2013)

OK, I would not choose TriLink over Oregon, but the older loop I have the most experience with holds an edge as well, and in sharpening I did not feel the steel on this one was inconsistent or much softer than my Oregon loops. The cutters are long and the shape seems to work well. 

I took the 60DL lopro loop off the McCulloch once I got the Carlton so I have less experience with it. 

Anyway, just my experience.


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## struggle (Feb 15, 2013)

I was going to post any sharp chain is a good chain, but giving the choice I wouldn't touch a chicom chain much less buy one knowingly


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## bucknfeller (Feb 15, 2013)

I went in to TSC this week looking for a loop of .325 Oregon, I was disappointed that they didn't have it. In fact, they have pulled all of the Oregon stock from their shelves (bars/files/file guides/etc.) I'm really going to miss those Oregon files. I didn't go for the chicom chain or files, I bucked up and went to the local Stihl dealer. That RS chain really makes you smile after you forget about how much you paid for it!


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## mikefunaro (Feb 15, 2013)

I have not used the tri-link chain but you should do a search here. The reports I had read said that there was overall very poor quality control and at best the metal was inconsistent with some good batches and some bad batches. 

I bought some chinese files once marked as "powercare" at the home depot in a pinch. They were absolutely worthless. I got like 1/2 a way through a chain using both files that came in a pack. Absolutely terrible. And I've never seen a file get so smooth. It was as if the texture was spray applied. I could have used them as as bbq skewers when i was done


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## TK (Feb 15, 2013)

The Tri-Link chain and products are marketed under different names in different packages. You will also find it in a Silver Streak package. It should be cheap enough to try a loop on your own to come to your own conclusions. But if it's anywhere near the price of Oregon, Stihl, Carlton, etc. then step away


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## Chris-PA (Feb 15, 2013)

mikefunaro said:


> I have not used the tri-link chain but you should do a search here. The reports I had read said that there was overall very poor quality control and at best the metal was inconsistent with some good batches and some bad batches.
> 
> I bought some chinese files once marked as "powercare" at the home depot in a pinch. They were absolutely worthless. I got like 1/2 a way through a chain using both files that came in a pack. Absolutely terrible. And I've never seen a file get so smooth. It was as if the texture was spray applied. I could have used them as as bbq skewers when i was done


You're right - I tried one of those files in s pinch once and they are worthless. I like Stihl's files.


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## Philbert (Feb 15, 2013)

I got some Tri-Link chains for free, but they did not fit any saw I had. Passed them on to another AS member and he was not impressed. Apparently, neither is HD, because they are putting Oregon back on their shelves.

Philbert


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## gmax (Feb 15, 2013)

I bought a chainsaw that had a new Tri-Link chain fitted , the edge was dull after 5 mins, not even worth sharpening I tossed it in the bin.
As for buying Chinese files... no thanks :msp_biggrin:


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## deye223 (Feb 15, 2013)

well if you wouldn't buy a chicom saw don't buy a chicom chain 

here in our wood they last about 5 mins but then agine i ain't 

tryed one in years


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## zombywoof (Mar 24, 2014)

Wandering through the threads and came across this one....thought I would throw in my two cents. Oregon and Carlton use a basic (cheap) carbon steel for their lopro chains. Trilink uses a superior alloy steel (same steel found in Oregon / Carlton pro chains). As for Chinese products, the Oregon and Carlton LP chains are made in China. Most of their smaller laminated bars are also made in China. Chinese steel is no longer used in any of the Oregon - Carlton - Trilink chains, or bars. All steel comes from the US and Japan.

The Carlton chain is no longer Carlton chain. It is Oregon chain branded as Carlton. More and more of it is moving to China every day. The Trilink chain continually improves while the Oregon / Carlton people are always looking to cut corners and make the chain cheaper to produce. They do this by buying cheaper material and making it cheaper to produce. The quality gap is getting narrower. There is little difference between them anyore.


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## deye223 (Mar 24, 2014)

well the last roll of carlton i bought (about 6 months ago) last just as long as me old stuff so they haven't stuffed it yet


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## SawTroll (Mar 24, 2014)

zombywoof said:


> .....
> The Carlton chain is no longer Carlton chain. It is Oregon chain branded as Carlton. .....



I didn't know that had happened yet, but it was of course just a matter of time......


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## ky044 (Mar 24, 2014)

I dunno about tri link chain but there files are worthless I made the mistake of buying some when I first started fooling with chainsaws oh well live and learn


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## 2dogs (Mar 24, 2014)

zombywoof said:


> Wandering through the threads and came across this one....thought I would throw in my two cents. Oregon and Carlton use a basic (cheap) carbon steel for their lopro chains. Trilink uses a superior alloy steel (same steel found in Oregon / Carlton pro chains). As for Chinese products, the Oregon and Carlton LP chains are made in China. Most of their smaller laminated bars are also made in China. Chinese steel is no longer used in any of the Oregon - Carlton - Trilink chains, or bars. All steel comes from the US and Japan.
> 
> The Carlton chain is no longer Carlton chain. It is Oregon chain branded as Carlton. More and more of it is moving to China every day. The Trilink chain continually improves while the Oregon / Carlton people are always looking to cut corners and make the chain cheaper to produce. They do this by buying cheaper material and making it cheaper to produce. The quality gap is getting narrower. There is little difference between them anyore.


Interesting. Would you please provide the source for the info you posted?


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## Philbert (Mar 24, 2014)

zombywoof said:


> As for Chinese products, the Oregon and Carlton LP chains are made in China.



If you read the backs of consumer packages of Oregon chain, they are typically labeled:
_"Made in USA", or
"Made in Brazil", or
"Assembled in China from components manufactured in USA or Brazil"_

I have no doubt that high quality products can be made in China - look at most Apple and IBM/Lenovo computers, etc. But too often, products are off-shored to cut corners. As for steel, even if 2 companies start with the same raw materials, it is no guarantee of getting the same quality product at the end. Just like giving 2 cooks the same raw ingredients and expecting to get the same quality food.



zombywoof said:


> The Carlton chain is no longer Carlton chain. It is Oregon chain branded as Carlton.



Not sure what you mean by this. Same quality? Same materials? They still have different shapes/profiles, etc. Not sure about Ray Carton's ideas of sharpening cutters after assembling them into the chain, File-O-Plates, etc.

The test for comparing Tri-Link, Oregon, Carlton, STIHL, etc. chains should be based on side-by-side comparisons, user expereince, etc.

Philbert


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## pLuMcRaZy78 (Oct 24, 2018)

apparently i am very lucky where i am at because it is actually cheaper for me to stop at stihl shop and get stihl chains then oregon or any other, and i can say for a fact that i prefer stihl made chains over any of the others hands down i have tried the others for whatever reason over the years and always ended up getting a stihl chain within a few days.


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