What's the best chain?

[2000ssm6]

tried it... makes too much wook out of cutting compared to a chain with the rakers set close to spec.

+1, that also makes it harder on your saw and easier to catch a spining chain to the onion.

 

[rngrchad]

Why do I feel like I need to post up a disclaimer for my above posts? Ok here goes so no green-horns get any wrong ideas:
Don't file your rakers too low. It is bad. I find it makes the saw vibrate way to much, and the chain catches on everything causing the motor to bog-out from time to time. This I'm sure isn't good on the saw. I don't file my rakers past spec on my other 5 saws. This is not something I commonly do. I was just making a comment about chains since it seemed to fit this post. Might I add again: don't file your rakers down past the .25/.35 specs. Death may result. One more thing: oh yeh, as far as speed is concerned it still outcuts any other chain I've ever ran..it is just not practical for "in the woods."
Phew

 

[MCW]

hmmm... Australian Carlton chain must be tempered differently. around here Stihl chains seems to be the hardest and longest lasting.

I've found (although I haven't personally used much Stihl chain for a while because its so expensive) that in normal conditions there is not much in it. However when conditions became dirty with some tough hardwood Carlton/Windsor came out in front, not by much though. When you take into account the extra cost for Stihl chain (30% more here than Carlton/Oregon) then its a no brainer for me. There is also a possibility that Stihl chain may have changed as I'm referring to mine and other's experience from about 8+ years ago.
Funnily enough, the Carlton chain that was hard to file I personally imported from the US before our dollar went to sh*t!
I like Stihl stuff too as a rule

 

[Crofter]

I like my Oregon LGX the most. Seems like it holds an ok edge, and as soon as the chain stops taking large chips, I'll run an 11/32nd file across the cutters 3 or 4 times and brush the rakers once or twice. Takes maybe 10minutes at most and I'm good to go for two or 3 tanks. For ME, LGX responds to my hand sharpening style the best, so it is my favorite. I could care less how the metal could be slightly softer than stihl. I really like my Carlton chain as well, but I can never seem to get it as sharp after a handfile compared to the oregon lgx.
The meanest cutting chain I've ran is on my ms361, I got the rakers so low that you wouldn't ever dream of making any sort of bore-cut with that thing, and to compare it to the others I run would be unfair as the rakers are seriously stupid low!

Can you show us some pictures of that chain. I have used 5/16 to clean out gullets! Dont bet the rent money on low rakers making fast cutting chain if you are up against a good filer, Lol! I do agree though, that low rakers have all the real problems you describe in your legal disclaimer!

 

[rngrchad]

Can you show us some pictures of that chain. I have used 5/16 to clean out gullets! Dont bet the rent money on low rakers making fast cutting chain if you are up against a good filer, Lol! I do agree though, that low rakers have all the real problems you describe in your legal disclaimer!

Yeh sure, I could go snap a few pics of that low-rakered chain tommorow.
I'll be in the woods cutting all day anyhow and will hopefully have a bunch of other great pics to add. My hand-filed chains cut like banshees also.....just not near as aggressive as the one I have on my ms361