3/8 vs .325, Std vs Lo Pro Chain Question

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mbopp

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I realize 3/8” standard pitch (like Oregon 72LG) is for saws roughly 50cc & up. So what are the pros & cons of 3/8 Low Profile (91VX), .325 (20LP), and .325 Low Profile (33LG)? I know you need a sprocket change for 3/8" to 3/8" Lo Pro, but what about .325 Lo Pro? The reason I ask is that I’m looking for a smaller occasional use saw like a Husky 142 or Echo 440 for smaller work and easier carrying. Bar length would be 16”. I have my Mac 610’s for bigger stuff and back-ups. And sorry, the search function didn’t work.
 
And what about narrow-kerf? I'm using an Arborpro bar with 20nk and really like it, holds sharpness well too. I have a loop of 20lp, but haven't tried it yet. The 33SL that came with my Dolmar sucked bigtime. I got a 3/8 set up, but haven't tried it out yet either. One advantage of laminated bars, thin-kerf tech, low-profile tech, is that they're all lighter than a solid bar with .375 chain, and I like that for what I'm doing this year.
 
I expect a lot of posts on this thread but I'll throw a few things out there. Who knows, maybe some of it will even be correct.

A low profile cutter generally reduces kickback risk and vibration, but at the cost of chip clearing ability, ease of sharpening, and often performance. Something like Oregon 33LG is a regular .325 chassis with a low profile cutter.

Low profile 3/8, sometimes referred to as .365, is both a low profile cutter and a lower profile drive tang. This has the same benefits and drawbacks above plus the low profile drive tang allows for smaller radius sprockets which reduce kickback potential (nose sprockets) and reduce required torque from the engine (by allowing smaller drive sprockets).

Narrow kerf technology is pretty straightforward. Taking less bite out of the wood requires less power and allows for lighter bars, but doesn't really work for larger applications. As far as I know this is only available in .325, but low profile 3/8 might also be a narrower kerf than normal 3/8, I'm not sure.

As far as .325 vs 3/8: if your clutch has a rim sprocket, these are 7 spline and you can't really get less than 7 teeth on a rim sprocket. With 7 teeth the drive tangs fit in between the keys on the spline. Since .325 will have smaller radius than 3/8 with the same number of teeth, the engine needs less torque to pull the chain. However, since .325 has proportionally more cutters per inch of bar, who's to say which is better. It is likely that having closer, smaller cutters makes for smoother cutting in smallish wood.

...but now I'll sit back and watch as most everybody here has more experience than I in such things
 
Bremen said:
.... A low profile cutter generally reduces kickback risk and vibration, but at the cost of chip clearing ability, ease of sharpening, and often performance. Something like Oregon 33LG is a regular .325 chassis with a low profile ...cutter. .
Low profile .325 is on the way out, Oregon has discontinued the 30-series LG and hopefully also the SL (probably about the worst .325 chain ever designed).
 
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