which stihl

[sawinredneck]

Jeff is absolutly right, again! I started out cutting firewood with a husky 350, then this year went to the ms390 and muffler modded it. I then bought the ms192t. Firewood is my main thing, but the all have there places. It is so nice to pick up the 350 or 192 after dropping and blocking the bigger stuff with the 390!! And if I ever get my saw stuck I have two more sitting in the truck, no more winching and cableing or wresteling to get the first one out. Need to climb and top before you drop? Grab the 192, don't have to drag the 350 up anymore!! Ohh my God.................. it's happened!!!!!!!!!:jawdrop: I have the fever for sure now, I am one of them!!!!! Run!!!!! Don't hang out on this site too much, you will become chainsaw addicted!!!!!! Save you're self, or start buying more saws
Just have fun, that is the most important thing,
Andy

 

[Greg Lees]

Jeff,

I see that you own both the 440 and 460. Any particular reason for both? Also, is Stihl going to replace either saw in the near future? I've heard of the 441, but not read anything.

 

[computeruser]

Do I send the 361 off and add $200-$250 to its cost, or do I consider getting another saw in the 440-460 class? Does a modification to a 361 really gain anything more, torque-wise, if I will only cut hardwood?

Being from Tennessee, I will only use oak and hickory for firewood and cut the occasional cedar, etc. if I need to clear an area. I am a weekend warrior, but like stuff to perform well. Please don't misunderstand, I love my 361, just need some more information to help with my decision.

I'll throw my 2 cents in on this one, even though the general point has been addressed: Buy another saw. I spent many years with only one saw, and while it got the job done it seldom seemed to be the right saw for the job. Like you, I am a weekend warrior and only do a couple paid cutting jobs per month. Even still, the old saying about having the right tool for the job still holds true. As I continue to grow my saw collection, it is nice to have each saw have its own purpose and to not have to ask a saw to do a job for which it is not ideally suited.

I happen to feel that everybody who cuts any quantity of wood should have at least three saws - a light "around the house" saw, a mid-sized saw, and a larger saw. This is especially true for those of us in hardwood country, where the larger saw will be needed more often than for those in softwood country. Your 361 will probably be at its best in hardwood with a 16" bar, anyway, so assign it to that role. Then go get a 460-class saw for the larger stuff where a 20", 24" or 28" bar is needed.

 

[shucksters]

I agree with everybody. It's hard to have too many saws. Everytime I get a new one, I think "that's it- I've arrived". Then I figure out a new application.
I'm like "REDNECK". I really like having the right saw for the right situatuion, and I REALLY like having a bunch of them. It's also REAL important to me that they work right which means I need a good dealer. That solves my buying decision for me- it's Stihl Pro series because I have a great dealer 15 minutes from the house (and he even works on my husky for me too).
I don't really count the homelite classic although he will fix that for me too.

So I pay more but I get more too- sorry - looks like philosophy took hold of me- think what I'm trying to say is just what sawinredneck said-
HAVE FUN

 

[geofore]

wait a miniute

Did you ever see a mechanic with one wrench? How about a woodcarver with one chisel? A carpenter with one size nail? NOT! Chainsaws are the same, you need one or more for each part of the job and they should be modded. Does the carpenter use a hammer or a nailgun? The mechanic uses an air wrench or torque wrench? Options are our friends. So you have a slew of saws set up to do specific jobs. How are you going to know what's best if you don't get a saw for every bar/chain made? Sure I can take the tree down with my top handle saw but my 7900 would have to sit in the truck and watch the top handle struggle. Plus I'd like to give my saws a rest between tanks of gas so you need that second saw to be fueled and ready to go while you let the other cool down. You need lots of saws if your buddies come over to help make firewood otherwise they have your beer in their hand if you don't give them a saw to hold/use and you end up buying three cases instead of two. Heck you could end up going for the kegger. More saws will keep the costs down.

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

Jeff,

I see that you own both the 440 and 460. Any particular reason for both? Also, is Stihl going to replace either saw in the near future? I've heard of the 441, but not read anything.

Absolutely, and that's because they're completely different saws. Not being a smart :censored: , but they are. They may appear to be very near on paper, but in your hands, and in a cut, they're different saws entirely. They're separated by a pound I think, and that's a big pound. Power-wise as well. You can feel it, especially with both opened. They fill very different roles for me.

And yes, the 441 is on it's way out. Try a search here, there's been a couple of threads on it thus far. We're not sure what to expect yet....

Jeff

 

[manual]

Did you ever see a mechanic with one wrench? How about a woodcarver with one chisel? A carpenter with one size nail? NOT! Chainsaws are the same, you need one or more for each part of the job and they should be modded.

You don't go golfing with one club.
I think Jeff gave you some good opions on want you are looking for.
The 361 is making its mark in the stihl world. go for it. Pace back and forth while waiting for the all new 441 to make its appearance.

 

[woodfarmer]

fish

fish could you elaborate, explain the differences between the two

 

[Greg Lees]

Before I read your reply, I looked at some threads, re: the 441 (and the 461). Like you, I don't know much about the saw(s) from what I read.

But, assuming the 441 and the 461 are long getting to the market, need time to get the kinks worked out and since I have the 361, what's the next way point, the 440 or 460?

I'm leaning toward the 460. (I'm reminded of what the late Texas Ranger and pistol shooting critic, Elmer Keith, use to say...use enough gun.)

As I referred to in my first reply, the oak I'm cutting are tops left over from loggers as well as trees taken down by the last throes of Katrina. In both cases, these trees have been down (but are clean, sometimes off the ground) for 10 months or so. There's so much of it that it will take a lifetime to cut it all up. It will just get harder and harder the longer it sits there. I burned some of the wood I cut-up in early March, if that gives you an idea as to how dry it already was.

Greg

 

[bhemry]

Just wanted to make a minor correction. Elmer Keith was a Montana cowboy (at least until he moved to Idaho) and while he was an awesome shooter, gun experimenter, helped create the .44 mag., etc.- he wasn't a Texas Ranger. (He did feel the .338 magnum was about right for deer though!)

But the "Use Enough Gun" was from the title of a Robert Ruark book, who was a pretty famous author/ shooter himself.

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

fish could you elaborate, explain the differences between the two

Well, there's not much to add to what I said above. The 460 feels like it weighs more. Not like a ton, but on paper it's a pound or whatever, but it does feel noticably heavier. Or maybe a better way to look at it is that the 440 feels alot lighter. The 460 also has more grunt to it. I run a 32" on my 460, but not on my 440, on which I run a 28".

Was there something specific you wanted to know?

 

[Freakingstang]

Well, there's not much to add to what I said above. The 460 feels like it weighs more. Not like a ton, but on paper it's a pound or whatever, but it does feel noticably heavier. Or maybe a better way to look at it is that the 440 feels alot lighter. The 460 also has more grunt to it. I run a 32" on my 460, but not on my 440, on which I run a 28".

Was there something specific you wanted to know?

How do they compare with the same size bar, such as a 20". Also, is there any performance differance between your 044 and your 440?



-Steve

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

How do they compare with the same size bar, such as a 20". Also, is there any performance differance between your 044 and your 440?
-Steve

Don't know. I've never had less than a 28" on either of them. They seem to cut similarly, but the 460 feels torquier, which it should be. Maybe that's just me. And I've never ran my 044 side by side with my 440. The 044 is a beater, which is in my garage awaiting a rebuild, and I just sold today actually. The older 044 breathed better stock from the factory, but the later 044s and 440 had updated ports and some internal factory upgrades to boost power from 5ish to 5.4 or 5.5 whatever it is now.

Jeff

 

[Greg Lees]

bhemry,

You're right. Been a while since I read Ruark (one of my favorite outdoor authors, next to Nash Buckingham and Peter Capstick).

Thanks for the correction.

Greg