Non-Stihl bars and chains any good on Stihl?

[SawTroll]

How much can I file them down? Does that make a low-kickback chain cut faster? Will try it on my old Pull-on's $15 chain. Not much to lose there.

That can go both ways, depending on the power of the saw, in relation to the increased resistance.

What is sure, is that the saw with be grabbier, and less smooth in the cut.

Nothing wrong with trying, but don't overdo it - take a little at a time, test cutting inbetween.

 

[PES+]

I'm beginning to think that the Forrester bars are being made by everybody!
Checked the Forrester bar on my 254xp last nite, Windsor, made in Canada.

Ed

They had some made by windsor too.....but they got too pricey after Oregon bought Windsor

 

[woodchuck361]

Would there be a noticeable weight difference between a 25" Stihl Es and a 25" GB titanium on a ms361Thanks

I had the same question. Some of the replacement bars feel really heavy compared to the stihl bars.

I also wonder would it help the 361 by running a full or half skip chain on the 25". I run a 20" most of the time. It is only once in a while that I need the 25" oak does not get that big here for the most part.

 

[Lakeside53]

Out here full skip is standard for pro users on the 25 and 28 bar...

 

[pgg]

Weight difference between GB titanium 18" bar and a windsor steel 18" bar is 2 ounces, non-issue. The chains, down here, oregon chain always ridiculously blunt new from the box, always needs rakers filed before even using it, not so stihl chain, always sharp from new. With stihl chain, on filing, the first touch up always the hardest on the file but easy from then on..

 

[SawTroll]

Out here full skip is standard for pro users on the 25 and 28 bar...

If so, they really need larger saws - the balance would be better as well.....

 

[woodchuck361]

just a though if a 20"bar chain has 72 links half of those are cutters (36) right?
and a 25"bar chain has 84 links. if the 25" is a full skip does that mean there are 33 cutters?

 

[oldsaw]

And what'd you think of Carlton Bars Mark??? I've seen'em but never had the chance to try one out yet. For me, I'm pretty abusive on bars... Go Figger'!!! With all the twisting and yanking I do it's a wonder I still have any bars to use, lmao...

Cheers
Dude

I like that 24", it's been a winner. Rails hold up very well. I'm not much of a "yanker", but they seem pretty stout. Not as stiff as a GB or Stihl, but lighter.

Mark

 

[Freakingstang]

For non stihl bars, I like the GB pro tops. They seem to last, but are heavy buggers. The GB Ti's are good bars, but the prices of late don't make them much of a deal anymore. I can get Stihl ES bars from my amish dealer cheaper than most GB Ti bars, and there isn't much wieght difference between them. My dolmar dealer used to sell a lot of Ti bars, but says the steel has changed over the last couple years and they don't seem to be as strong as they used to be.

My favorite cheapy bar is the Tsumara "total super bar". They have a stout tip, and seem to last a lot longer than an oregon or windsor.

I don't like the new Windsors bars, they remind me of the wear fast oregons. The old windsor sandvik bars were as stout as they came, but finding old stock of them is getting harder and harder. I have a couple smaller ones stashed away.

 

[SawTroll]

just a though if a 20"bar chain has 72 links half of those are cutters (36) right?
and a 25"bar chain has 84 links. if the 25" is a full skip does that mean there are 33 cutters?

I would think that 25" skip chain would have 28 cutters (two thirds of 42).