Opinions on Forester chain compared to Stihl

[jellyroll]

I buy laser brand chain it is made in canada. It is better than oregon but not any better than husqvarna chain.
Stihl chain is just to expensive for me anymore.

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

Oregon never made x-cut chain, it's been a 100% husqy chain since it came out.

Technically that's correct if the development history and previous partnership is ignored. If I remember Oregon was making X-Grind chain for Husqvarna around 2016, then in around 2020 when Blount bought them quality dropped and Husqvarna brought chain in-house, made improvements, and called it X-Cut.

https://www.arboristsite.com/threads/husqvarna-x-cut-chain.300298/#post-5969867

 

[sean donato]

Technically that's correct if the development history and previous partnership is ignored. If I remember Oregon was making X-Grind chain for Husqvarna around 2016, then in around 2020 when Blount bought them quality dropped and Husqvarna brought chain in-house, made improvements, and called it X-Cut.

https://www.arboristsite.com/threads/husqvarna-x-cut-chain.300298/#post-5969867

as far as I know "x-grind" is oregon lgx chain, which is a different cutter profile then the husqy made x-cut chain.

 

[Lightning Performance]

Have a link to that article? I've found most of them are utterly garbage reviews, but I'm always up for a read.
Having said that, I prefer stihl and the new husqy chain, Oregon seems like the quality has been slipping fir a few years now. I tend to stay away from the China made chains, as my experiences with them hasn't been great, lots of stretch soft cutters (well the chain in general seems very soft.) Chrome plating peels off pretty easily. Just not something I want to deal with.

I agree with all that.
Also run harvester chain when necessary so those are about as top quality as cutting chain gets.

I bought this 25ft of Trilink to run short bar and longer bar LP and access it again. Three years ago it only took two loops of it and two loops of Raismen chain to cure me then. Now it goes on the mill and fast tiny saws. If it fails both tests it's junk like always. I run NOS Husky chain in LP because it comes cheap and factory made loops in the box. Or some guy made very nice loops and boxed them up.
Carlton has hard chrome and works nice for ice and dirty wood. Stihl and Oregon get the next spots. Carlton chain isn't very smooth unless it's semi imho. If Oregon quality slips more I will switch to another type. Have no ELX it's all older cutters in every configuration. Making a smooth chisel hardwood chain is something I'm already doing on the CSMs. Finding a manufacturer who turns out consistently consistent cutters is nice. This reel of Trilink has improved over three years ago based on many things just looking at it. Made sure to get the latest offering from them. Cutter hardness is the test not stretch.

All cheap chain continues through its lifespan to stretch. It's the opposite of harvester chain

Nope, just yank'n yer chain...

I was referring to OPs title question.

Cliff just missed RS ejects chip faster as it piles up on long bars. It's relevant if you don't have but twenty cutters in the wood. Bet he runs skip segments on longer bars and it doesn't showup.

 

[Lightning Performance]

No offense taken here and I have purchased a few bars and chains in the past few years so aware of some product changes and "outsourcing" that's going on. There is just no consistency to it. One time you order AC Delco oil filters for your vehicle and USA made show up. The next batch you get is from China or comes in a box that says "Country of Origin on bottom of box". So you flip the box over and 20 different Countries are listed......how confusing is that?

What I'm seeing more and more of are USA companies "outsourcing" and some try to cover it up with clever packaging. Bearings are one of these items. Try to find a roller bearing made in the USA. Recently I had to replace the ball bearings in an idler and another in a tensioner on one of my vehicles. I took the part numbers and found bearings from Taiwan, China, Turkey, Poland, Japan and a few Countries I've never heard of, but no USA made anyplace. Even the Timken bearings were imported.

So it's not going to get any better with any of this stuff, at least from what I've seen here.....

Portugal has always made quality bearings for several manufacturers including the big three or four. That was before covid. Look for NOS stuff next time.

 

[Seachaser]

Oregon never made x-cut chain, it's been a 100% husqy chain since it came out.

I think he was talking about previous Husky chains. At least my interpretation.

 

[Lightning Performance]

as far as I know "x-grind" is oregon lgx chain, which is a different cutter profile then the husqy made x-cut chain.

They are. Got both here in LP and 3/8" regular plus lx in 404. Cutters all vary slightly. Makes no difference unless your crosscutting 45° or felling. Bucking chains kept sharp all run about the same to me until chip load becomes an issue. It takes 110dl or more of anything but 325 to get there.

When I hit 117dl of 404 or 114dl of 3/8" the bs starts. Having a decent well thought out grind in mind for that task helps a bunch.
Chain discussions that don't involve brand name pissing matches, priceless.

 

[sean donato]

I think he was talking about previous Husky chains. At least my interpretation.

I'm aware of that, oregon made all husqy chain before they started making their own. X grind vs x cut is not the same chain quality or cutter profile. Hence why it's important to keep that in mind when comparing husqy chain of old and new.

 

[sean donato]

They are. Got both here in LP and 3/8" regular plus lx in 404. Cutters all vary slightly. Makes no difference unless your crosscutting 45° or felling. Bucking chains kept sharp all run about the same to me until chip load becomes an issue. It takes 110dl or more of anything but 325 to get there.

When I hit 117dl of 404 or 114dl of 3/8" the bs starts. Having a decent well thought out grind in mind for that task helps a bunch.
Chain discussions that don't involve brand name pissing matches, priceless.

I haven't noticed major chip clearing issues with 115dl 3/8" unless I get greedy on the depth gauges in soft wood. Just toss loop of semi or full skip on and keep going. I've basically glossed over 404 since I don't have an 084 anymore, and it's a pain to get around here. Don't cut enough to make buying by the roll worth my while, so just stick with 3/8.

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

as far as I know "x-grind" is oregon lgx chain, which is a different cutter profile then the husqy made x-cut chain.

Since we're apparently picking nits, X-Grind was the predecessor for Husqvarna X-Cut, and also Oregon LGX, though I'm not sure "legally" one can say that, but "practically" it's the case.

LGX is Oregon's next generation of X-Grind.

I think he was talking about previous Husky chains. At least my interpretation.

Correct, I was speaking in general terms as the rest is tangential in a Forester brand chain thread. To some people it's important though. That's how the new guys learn, and indeed I was imprecise.

 

[farmer steve]

I have tried many variations of chains, the Stihl RS chains are my favorite, acknowledging they are pricy. I do have many of the Chinese knock offs, including Forster, Holtzfarma, and even the new Duke branded variety. I have three or four local Stihl dealers around that offered buy two get one free for the steel chains and usually stock up on those when they run that deal. Not sure that is widespread option. Specifically I have been pleased with the Forrester chain for the price and realistic expectations. The China chains are generally reserved for dirty wood, like cutting down in the floodplain or logs that have been drug.

I asked the stihl dealer 5 minutes from me about the buy 2 get 1 deal. He told me it was only when stihl authorized it. So when I was at the stihl dealer where I buy my saws and chains at (buy 2 get 1 year round) I asked him how he could do it all the time. He told me stihl left it up to the dealers when they could do it. Been that way at that shop for close to 20 years.

 

[Lightning Performance]

I haven't noticed major chip clearing issues with 115dl 3/8" unless I get greedy on the depth gauges in soft wood. Just toss loop of semi or full skip on and keep going. I've basically glossed over 404 since I don't have an 084 anymore, and it's a pain to get around here. Don't cut enough to make buying by the roll worth my while, so just stick with 3/8.

I'm always greedy because I hate bucking. 404 28" is worth having in dirty oak with full chisel on 90cc saws. Quick touches keep it just nice. It bore cuts well under mud filled bark. It rips with an eight pin. Sandy bark My next loop up is 117dl GB roller 404 mostly milling but I have full comp RS loops for it in 25° or 30°. That will jamup chip if you let it.

Anything, really anything I have in under three foot bars is probably exactly the same stuff as everybody else. Likely set up the same way. Aggressive as hell to get it done quickly. The 404 28" is a real advantage at times when it needs to get finished quickly. 90cc of snort does that with no issues rather quickly. I am dropping back to an 80cc class soon, switching manufacturers and running more 3/8 050 on the 28" for that. Better AV is my main goal there and less weight. 36" stays on the big stuff most times for bucking. With a bandsaw more quality stuff near 28" will get milled this year.

Large edit

 

[farmer steve]

I read all 3 pages (since it's raining) and didn't see anyone mention Stihl's Hexa chain. Anyone else try it yet? So far I'm liking it. Running it on my 400. Still getting the hang of hand filing it but has held up well in dirty wood.

 

[sean donato]

I read all 3 pages (since it's raining) and didn't see anyone mention Stihl's Hexa chain. Anyone else try it yet? So far I'm liking it. Running it on my 400. Still getting the hang of hand filing it but has held up well in dirty wood.

Too rich for my blood, eblings would have to order it in for me and they want to charge shipping since it's non stock item for them.

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

I read all 3 pages (since it's raining) and didn't see anyone mention Stihl's Hexa chain. Anyone else try it yet? So far I'm liking it. Running it on my 400. Still getting the hang of hand filing it but has held up well in dirty wood.

I use primarily STIHL equipment, but I passed on Hexa chain. Financially it doesn't seem to make sense.

To me it's STIHL's version of square-ground chain, however using special files. Six-sided files would be fine if all six sides were usable, which they could be if they would have been made that way.

Sometimes STIHL comes out with a less-than-stellar product, maybe this one will get iterative improvements until it's cost-effective.

 

[Lightning Performance]

I read all 3 pages (since it's raining) and didn't see anyone mention Stihl's Hexa chain. Anyone else try it yet? So far I'm liking it. Running it on my 400. Still getting the hang of hand filing it but has held up well in dirty wood.

I see we should both be in shop doing something today

It's the cost for me.
Although once I try a cut with yours then I'll need that too

Stihl set this up to sell itself by word of mouth. They got you, didn’t they?

 

[Lightning Performance]

I read all 3 pages (since it's raining) and didn't see anyone mention Stihl's Hexa chain. Anyone else try it yet? So far I'm liking it. Running it on my 400. Still getting the hang of hand filing it but has held up well in dirty wood.

It must be good. Your dropping and bucking dead, dirty, muddy old oak and ash trees. I know how much wind blown **** is in them. The road scud alone on the side would kill cheap chain in three cuts. You have miserable pebble filled mud there.

 

[farmer steve]

Too rich for my blood, eblings would have to order it in for me and they want to charge shipping since it's non stock item for them.

Yeah cost is the only downside. Like I said earlier getting the buy 2 get one free helps. Buying 3 cut my per chain price to $28. Stihl not cheap but better than $42. Glad my guy never charges me shipping when I need parts.

 

[Lightning Performance]

Yeah cost is the only downside. Like I said earlier getting the buy 2 get one free helps. Buying 3 cut my per chain price to $28. Stihl not cheap but better than $42. Glad my guy never charges me shipping when I need parts.

That's not bad at all. I buy used Stihl loops or shots, never new, or old reels of just about anything. No more RS left on my reels now. Ifn I do buy new the Oregon factory loops are out based the fact they cost 2/3rds of newer Stihl chain. The ELX pricing is out of line with the product imo. Stihl pricing is also out of line. Buying hexa files and no CBN wheel makes me cringe

 

[Hermio]

I will tell anyone reading that Husqvarna chain with the folded over dorsel fin rakers isn't worth two squirts of duck poop. I've tried their standard varieties a few times over the years and it's just OK.

Stihl chain is decent. Some of it isn't all that sharp right out of the box but fine once you touch it up with a file and lasts about as long as Oregon.

Oregon overall is at the top of the pile. The "blue" cutters are preferred and I run that variety on all my 50-55cc saws on 18" bars, .050" gauge, 72 drive count and semi-chisel cutters.

Windsor chain is decent, but you hardly ever see it these days.

Carlton is just OK.

Archer is one notch under Carlton, OK at best. Don't like anything about their bars however and I've got one of them hanging on the wall that looks brand new but locked up SOLID and no way to free it up no matter how good you are.

Anything from China isn't worth two squirts of duck poop and it will go dull or break if you stare at it too long!

As a disclaimer here my post is not meant to start a brand lovers war or to get anyones panties all wadded up that loves some of the stuff that doesn't or hasn't made the grade here. I see that sort of thing far too often on the Forums. There are parts or equipment out there I have had poor or even ZERO success with, but the first time you utter a harsh word about there is always someone who loves that junk so much the carry a sample of it in their pocket all day long and some even sleep with it at night. Seriously folks, just putting up some observations from direct experience and I would add that I did work on small power equipment in a shop I ran full time for over 20 years.

In my expereinc3e, Oregon chain is soft and will not hold an edge as long as Stihl. It also stretches more. I won't use it anymore.