Quality alternatives to Stihl saw chains

[rwh963]

just wondering if anyone has experience with other brands that work well with Stihl (i have a 16" MS180C). just bought a Stihl chain for about $25. didn't stay sharp for long out of the box.

 

[ElevatorGuy]

Stihl makes great chains, objects other than wood dulls any chain quickly. Oregon makes good chains too.

 

[Czed]

I've been running upstart chain about 4 year's on my small saws
16/18/20" and never had an issue
Usually 6-8.00 a loop if you buy 4 at once online
I got my firewood seller friend 20 loop's and he swears by it
Otherwise each chain is 26.00 at the Stihl dealer here Oregon 16-18.00 locally.

 

[John Walsh]

I've been running upstart chain about 4 year's on my small saws
16/18/20" and never had an issue
Usually 6-8.00 a loop if you buy 4 at once online
I got my firewood seller friend 20 loop's and he swears by it
Otherwise each chain is 26.00 at the Stihl dealer here Oregon 16-18.00 locally.

Totally off-topic, but this ancient motocrosser wonders if your moniker refers to the East German CZ motorcycle?

 

[John Lyngdal]

I had a loop of Stihl 3/8" picco full chisel made at my local saw shop and it cut great, but on my MS180s I've started running these Brand X chains and they be holding pretty well and are closer to a full chisel cutter than it appears in the pictures.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/264873120877

 

[cookies]

Resharpen it and it will be sharp again, lots and lots of how to info about it in here and you only need a 2 in 1 sharpener from your local dealer or off amazon if your unskilled. I can get at a minimum 12 sharpening's out of a chain and you can replace its files. Look up tallox on amazon its under 30 bucks for a 3 pack. They hold a decent edge, easy to file, stretch some at first.

 

[HumBurner]

Resharpen it and it will be sharp again, lots and lots of how to info about it in here and you only need a 2 in 1 sharpener from your local dealer or off amazon if your unskilled. I can get at a minimum 12 sharpening's out of a chain and you can replace its files. Look up tallox on amazon its under 30 bucks for a 3 pack. They hold a decent edge, easy to file, stretch some at first.

Sorry, but....12 sharpenings??? If that is ever a maxed-minimum of sharpenings, that's insane!


I can't even imagine how a chain can be cost effective at that rate.




OP: I like Carlton chain. It used to be a little pricier than some chain, but now it's on par or cheaper.

 

[ELM]

My Husqvarna dealer sells chains buy one, get one 50% off. Doesn't matter if I'm buying for my Husqvarna or Stihl that's where I get my chains.

 

[user 122190]

Sorry, but....12 sharpenings??? If that is ever a maxed-minimum of sharpenings, that's insane!


I can't even imagine how a chain can be cost effective at that rate.




OP: I like Carlton chain. It used to be a little pricier than some chain, but now it's on par or cheaper.

Question is what's a sharpening. I pass a file thru my chains cutters at least one stroke between cuttings. Is it a sharpening, a touch up, or an inspection?

 

[Ethobling]

On eBay, you can often find a good deal on Oregon chain. I won't found a guy liquidating chain that fit my Echo CS400 for roughly $6/chain. Insane deal and it will take me years to use it all.

I HIGHLY recommend you resharpen your chain. It effectively makes a $15 chain cost ~$1.50 because you get 10+ sharpenings out of it. I'll sometimes get 20 sharpenings if I just do a touch up job to keep it sharp and don't just wait until it's completely dull.

 

[rwh963]

i usually drop my chains at the dealer for sharpening. costs $8/per. do you feel they are too aggressive and the off too much metal? probably can get 4 sharpening per chain.

 

[rwh963]

will fresh wet oak dull a chain fast?

 

[newforest]

What dulls chains is often what’s on the outside edge of the wood. So dirty bark wet/green wood can sometimes dull a chain more than clean dry wood. Different answers with different species.

 

[Woody912]

i usually drop my chains at the dealer for sharpening. costs $8/per. do you feel they are too aggressive and the off too much metal? probably can get 4 sharpening per chain.

takes me 10 minutes to sharpen an 84 drive link chain and they last forever. I will not let a dealer near my chains

 

[cookies]

Sorry, but....12 sharpenings??? If that is ever a maxed-minimum of sharpenings, that's insane!


I can't even imagine how a chain can be cost effective at that rate.




OP: I like Carlton chain. It used to be a little pricier than some chain, but now it's on par or cheaper

The soil is sand here, I cut downed hardwoods that often have been down a good long while that have sand splashed on its sides or drug by machinery. Cutting clean green wood its easily 20 sharpenings. Some chains have softer chisels so they dull faster and the file removes more metal faster. Like I said 12 resharpenings is the minimum for me while locals say they can get a maximum of 6-7 out of the local saw shop sharpening service.

 

[Czed]

Totally off-topic, but this ancient motocrosser wonders if your moniker refers to the East German CZ motorcycle?

I shot cz75s for over 20 years in idpa
But I had a 70s cz400 desert racer? I think it was called
Good bikes.

 

[John Walsh]

I shot cz75s for over 20 years in idpa
But I had a 70s cz400 desert racer? I think it was called
Good bikes.

If I remember correctly, the arms were high quality as well

 

[Cedarkerf]

Totally off-topic, but this ancient motocrosser wonders if your moniker refers to the East German CZ motorcycle?

I remember Jorslav Falta running CZ's in the world grand prix motocross series back in the 70s.

 

[rwh963]

please, get a room you two!

 

[John Walsh]

I remember Jorslav Falta running CZ's in the world grand prix motocross series back in the 70s.

And Joel Robert (Belgian?) and a bunch of Euros and 'Murcans. Men of Steel