21LPX VS. 21BPX chain questions

[mckeand13]

Just got a new saw that I'm really excited about. Husky 545 w/18" bar.

I don't cut for firewood, only the occasional trim some branches or drop a dead or out of place tree around the yard.

I need some help educating myself on why one is rated as anti-kickback and another is not.

I was going to buy an extra loop or two to have on hand. The chain that it came with the saw is a Husky H21 which apparently is a full chisel with a bumper drive link (per the Husky site) I believe it's Oregon comparable is a 21LP. This chain is NOT ANSI rated as anti-kickback.

If I look at the H25 (or 21BP) those are both micro chisel and also have the bumper drive link. These chains ARE rated as anti-kickback.

Question #1:
For some reason I've been thinking that it was the bumper drive link, or lack of, that gave a chain the anti kickback capability. With a bumper drive link came the safety, but at the lack of bore cutting capability. Since they both have that but aren't both rated as anti-kickback have I been thinking incorrectly? Is it related to the cutter style (chisel vs micro-chisel)? I can't see the cutter geometry making that much difference with regard to kickback.

Question #2:
I'm not a professional, I don't cut wood for a paycheck or to heat the house. I don't use the saw a lot but have used a saw for many years and I respect it's ability to wreck me just like any other piece of equipment. Does it seem best to pick the 21BP because I may be cutting wood that isn't always clean and the micro-chisel will stay sharp longer (from what I've read)? Having a faster cutting chain would certainly be nice but ultimately doesn't matter for the little time I spend cutting. I sharpen chain myself but I'm not sure if one is harder to sharpen than the other.

Input appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[Chris-PA]

It's strange that the semi chisel version is advertised as "green-label chain that meet the low-kickback performance requirements of ANSI B175.1", while the full chisel version is not, given that only the cutters are different. I use 20BPX and find it to be very fast - it's great chain, and I have no interest in the full chisel version.

 

[SawTroll]

....

Question #1:
For some reason I've been thinking that it was the bumper drive link, or lack of, that gave a chain the anti kickback capability. With a bumper drive link came the safety, but at the lack of bore cutting capability. Since they both have that but aren't both rated as anti-kickback have I been thinking incorrectly? Is it related to the cutter style (chisel vs micro-chisel)? I can't see the cutter geometry making that much difference with regard to kickback.

.... .

I can't comment much on BPX, as I never used it for anything but cutting up planks etc - but the small rakers and ramps on LPX is less detrimental to bore cutting than the large ramped rakers of the LGX and RS/RSC.

The somewhat similar looking Stihl ("3" Chain) and Carlton designs are a completely different story though, as they have both the large ramped rakers and much larger ramps.

RSK and other designs with just a small raker is of course better than both for bore cutting.