What made you a stihl or a husky guy.

[ciscoguy01]

Dolmar

That would be Dolmar makers of the first chainsaw which was not portable. You had to bring the wood to it.
Followed very closely by STIHL which did make the first portable chainsaw.
STIHL is 80 years old this year.

Were they the ones that demo'd in Eureka Cali in 1905 the worlds first chainsaw??? That 2 cylinder water cooled bugger that chewed through a 10' foot sequioa in 4.5 minutes???

http://www.vannattabros.com/saw43.html

Stihl was 1926, dolmar(lerp) was started in 1927. I know there's someone older than those out there...

http://www.amickssuperstore.com/articles.asp?id=130

 

[ciscoguy01]

Confused

Ok, so now I'm confused. Dolmar did it in 1927 with the type A gas chainsaw. Then in 1929 Stihl patented his? How can this be???
Read this link. It's interesting, but not sure about all the info in it... Food for thought guys, just some food for thought...

http://inventors.about.com/od/cstartinventions/a/Chainsaws.htm

 

[Urbicide]

What Made Me A Stihl Or A Husky Guy

Very basic biology. The union of an "X" chromosome with a "Y" chromosome.

 

[adkranger]

"I became aware that I have arrived at a point in my life that price is not so important anymore. Service is. I want a competent person to listen to what I need and take care of it. I'll pay for it, that's fine. But I don't want to return something 4 times because they can't figure out how to fix it." - chowdozer

Could not have said it any better, right on, right on!! I have had many favorite dealers over the years as I moved around the state, but once I find one I like in a particular area I'm a loyal customer. The guy I deal with now works on anything I bring in whether or not he even sells that brand, much less whether I bought there or not. I'm smart enough to know that he does not keep his lights on by retrofitting a bar/chain tensioning screw from old Poulan stock to fit an old Husky 2100 for three bucks. He dug through boxes of old stock, then had to modify it with his grinder, added a bushing and finally tested it for me. All that for three bucks and he never sold a 2100 ever much less that particular one. Of course he knows I'm good for chain loops, bars, mix oil, files and the occaissional big ticket item sales. I've personally never had a dealer refuse me service on a saw regardless of purchase point. Either I have a knack for picking good servicing dealers or they sense a sucker coming through their door that just has to have another chainsaw someday. I'm betting it's the latter.

 

[buck futter]

Air injection is the main reason that I mess with huskies more.

 

[dadouthat]

I'm a late arrival to this thread and have only owned one Jonserd and that was a long time ago. But in the spirit of the forum I will reply anyway.

I have had several Stihls from an 018 to an 064. More that homewowener use but a lot less than a pro and now completely dependent on firewood for heat in what is a very cold place. (http://weather.yahoo.com/climo/USAK0162_f.html). Before buying the Jonsred, I talked to a few friends who were pros. At the time (1993) Jonsred/Husky's had already gone to more plastic and lighter saws. The 520SP (I think that was the designation) was a good saw. Lighter than the mostly metal Stihls of the time and plenty of power with a 20" bar. I did not like the outboard clutch or front tensioner. Of course once the side tensioner arrived via Stihl, I didn't want to ever use a front tensioner again. The brake spring area was always full of caked sawdust and changing the chain was just a lot less convenient. ) I also didn't like the small chain guide plate that was one more part to remove when cleaning or changing the chain. ( Does that guide arrangement still exist?)

Even though the saw ran well, the overall design seemed less refined than Stihls of the same era. That still seems to be the case. Why don't all Huskys have side tensioners and inboard clutches?

Have had good dealers for Stihls and what little service has been required has been done quickly. In this region of Alaska, Stihls outnmber everything else by a wide magin.

 

[rxe]

Our service has won awards. But if you buy it elsewhere, we don't have time for you. I always find it amusing that people are miffed when I won't service a unit from Lowes, but they don't seem to be upset that the store they bought it from doesn't even have a service department, and blows them off by telling them to "call the 800 number".

Why don't you just charge enough for the service to make money? Who cares where it came from, you should be making money on the transaction in front of you and sending a happy customer on their way. If you think they won't pay, take the money in advance. The customers you send away are just going to bad mouth you to all their friends, thus reinforcing the effect.

About 15 years ago I took an 009 to a Stihl dealer - I hadn't bought it from them, but they fixed the problem and fixed it well. In the intervening time, I bought a 460, FS120, MS200, 024, a chipper...and I sent my parents to them as well when they needed stuff. If they were still in business (the guy retired and closed the shop), I'd be using them today. In dollars, I suppose that was about $20,000 of business. He could, of course have told be to get lost when I walked in the door.

 

[MikeInParadise]

First saws I used were my dad McCullogh's. When I was in my early teens he sent me out to clear cut about 5 acres for a truck stop parking lot.

The first saw I bought and owned for 20 years was a big old used red sears(not craftsman) that worked well. I cleared a lot that I built a house on with it. Cut many cords of wood used for heating with it. Finally the clutch flew apart and I couldn't get parts for it. I also bought a small McCullogh that worked well and that my Dad borrowed and still has.

I made the mistake of buying a poulan for a very occasional saw to cut the odd turning blank and fallen tree branch and it was pure crap.

I bought a 5 acre woodlot and after the poulan broke again I went looking for a professional saw that I could use for a long time. I researched the web and Stihl just had a more dominate presence, not in terms of on-line sales but in terms of popularity. Just look at ebay listings and compare volume of Stihl versus other manufacturers.

On the net Husky owners just try too hard to Rah-Rah their brand as if they are trying to prove something. Stihl owners just seem content in the fact that their saws work and do the job day after day.

Where I live there are more Stihl dealers than Husky dealer and Huskies are the same price or more expensive than Stihl. I liked the feel of the Stihl better than the husky.

There is no such thing as a saw shop around here as chainsaws are just a small sideline at all the dealer who make most of their money in the rental business, garden supply, atv's, snowmobiles etc.

If I lived in the US where Husky was cheaper than Stihl and they had more dealers maybe I would have bought one.

Anyways so far I am very happy with the Stihl's.

 

[Timberhauler]

I'm not completely switched off from Stihl yet,we still run a few of em',but most of my line up includes Husky's.Over the years,Husky's have seemed to hold up longer and I have yet to have one that's "nickeled and dimed" me.For this reason and the fact that I have had really bad luck with Stihl's in the last couple of years,I will probably eventually have all Husky's

 

[bsjonny520sp]

520sp

I'm a late arrival to this thread and have only owned one Jonserd and that was a long time ago. But in the spirit of the forum I will reply anyway.

I have had several Stihls from an 018 to an 064. More that homewowener use but a lot less than a pro and now completely dependent on firewood for heat in what is a very cold place. (http://weather.yahoo.com/climo/USAK0162_f.html). Before buying the Jonsred, I talked to a few friends who were pros. At the time (1993) Jonsred/Husky's had already gone to more plastic and lighter saws. The 520SP (I think that was the designation) was a good saw. Lighter than the mostly metal Stihls of the time and plenty of power with a 20" bar. I did not like the outboard clutch or front tensioner. Of course once the side tensioner arrived via Stihl, I didn't want to ever use a front tensioner again. The brake spring area was always full of caked sawdust and changing the chain was just a lot less convenient. ) I also didn't like the small chain guide plate that was one more part to remove when cleaning or changing the chain. ( Does that guide arrangement still exist?)

Even though the saw ran well, the overall design seemed less refined than Stihls of the same era. That still seems to be the case. Why don't all Huskys have side tensioners and inboard clutches?

Have had good dealers for Stihls and what little service has been required has been done quickly. In this region of Alaska, Stihls outnmber everything else by a wide magin.

the 520sp was a great saw for 1983 my goto saw

 

[dadouthat]

bsjonny520sp,

Thanks for posting the photo. It brought back lots of memories. I still have the saw but it is in a remote cabin and I haven't used it in almost 10 years. It did cut a lot of firewood and brush. I'm acquiring more years than I ever expected to and also the 200+ mile each way riverboat trip there is now expensive so the cabin and saw sit unused. I did enjoy using it and after seeing the picture, I plan to bring the saw back to town when I next get to the cabin. It will be fun to crank it up again and I "need" another saw here anyway.

 

[bsjonny520sp]

I wish I could cut with it in alaska

 

[dadouthat]

A correction: I got the saw in 1983, not 1993. The pro friends in Minnesota still prefer Jonsreds. They even know the correct pronunciation of the name!

 

[bsjonny520sp]

is it john sir red I was always wondering

 

[TooTall999]

I became a Dolmar guy by luck.My ex father in law owned Dolmars and when I moved up to Vermont and needed to cut firewood he lent me either his 116si or 120super.I liked both,but wasn't real sure of the Dolmar brand.When I went to buy a saw,I tried the 371,044,and 120si and bought the 120si for a couple of reasons.One was it just felt right,and two the local dealer gave me a price on a complete saw that was lower than the powerhead price on the other two.I bought that saw in 1995 and have cut 5-6 cords of wood every year since then,without a single problem.My next saw will probably be a Dolmar 7900...but I will try out the others before I make a decision.

 

[blis]

is it john sir red I was always wondering

here in finland its just called jonseret, but ofcourse, it would be impossible for you americans to pronounce that without causing hysterical laughter among fin's....


:hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[Austin1]

I am neither/nor, I like some parts of the Husky line, and other parts of the Stihl line.
What skews the competition here, is that the Husky pro saws often cost a lot more than comparable Stihls.

It's the other way around for me! Stihl's cost more than husky but I know the Jonserd dealer so I get them at cost plus 10%! and I don't like the husky dealer because it is more like a box store! and as far as dolmar goes they don't Even now what a chainsaw looks like! they just sell cutoff saw's and I really wanted a 5100 to see what all the fuss was!

 

[Tzed250]

The good and the bad

Stihls are great, Huskys are great. Honda vs. Yamaha, GM vs. Ford, on and on and on. The pefect saw does not exist, never will. Arent we lucky that change is inevitable, because if it had all stopped with the Homelite Super XL, this would be a pretty boring place.

 

[Cam501]

As long as the dealer is a round for service whats the diffrence if you buy it from a box store, while I did not buy my from a box store, I got mine from a dealer via the internet because for some reason chainsaws cost less is washington and oregon then they do in NJ/NY. I got a great deal on both my saws including free shipping, free assessories, free chains, and a price $50 lower than my local dealers without any extras.

That is my only knock on Stihl, my father still has his after 30 years and it is a good saw, but if they do not at least let their dealers market and sell their products compeditively it is going to hurt them, especially to the homeowner market, must homeowner would much rather go to sears or lowes to by a chainsaw VS a saw shop. It was a great move for Husky to seller their products through the box stores, major issue is the staff at the box stores do not set up the saw for you and don't know alot about them but my local lowes has a husky 359 for $375 plus if you use their credit card not payments for 6 months, no dealer is offering anything like that

If you buy if from a box store, your local servicing dealer WILL treat you differently, and in my opinion, with good reason. You go to the back of the line for all service work. The people at Lowe's are not knowledgable enough about the product. Plus, our local Lowe's gives you no other option but the 18" laminated farm tough bar, whereas the local dealer gives you a choice of bar lengths and uses the solid HT bars. I wish husky would do what stihl does and exclusively sell through independent dealers. They're already getting rid of the online dealer advertising for many products in their line If you can't service the saw, trimmer, or whatever product you are selling you have no business selling it in my opinion. I like both stihl and husky, but I think stihl has better support for their dealers, and more consistency in pricing from dealer to dealer, so that dealers are not competing more with other dealers than against lesser saws.

 

[.aspx]

Mac looked too much like a Husky, my wife had a Husky [Sewing machine] so I bought a Stihl..

As far back as I could remember my grandfather and father both had Stihl's. I would go with them when they went to cut firewood and not once would hear them complain.

It only made sense that I bought a Stihl.