Chainsaw chains

[rosinante]

Hi , I have bought myself a Stihl chainsaw also a spare chain , just seen chains at half the price on a well known site , are the cheap chains too good to be true or is it buy cheap buy twice , Cheers chaps
Chris

 

[Norsk]

The cheap chains are a bit soft for regular cutting. However if your only going to use your saw a few times per year they might be ok.

 

[brightspark]

there krap and soft as xxx . i bought one and it went blunt after half a dozen cuts cost a tenner and the oregon ones are 16 quid buy a branded one like oregon or similar

 

[pedrobedro]

I use Rotatech chains from Northern Arb, they sell on eBay and are not soft chains they last just as well as dearer ones. Some on arbtalk have had problems with quality but I have had loads and not had any bad ones and they are less than half a Stihl chain price.

 

[rosinante]

That's what I thought, cheers fellas

 

[Migmac]

As Norsk says, they’ll do for occasional use. Known brands will last longer

 

[dobbslc]

I've got Oregon ones on my saw and I'd say they're as good as the original Husqvarna ones.

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

They are usless, they dull very quickly.

EDIT.
I was cutting railway sleepers up.

 

[dobbslc]

Mmm I've found them pretty good

 

[brightspark]

I've got Oregon ones on my saw and I'd say they're as good as the original Husqvarna ones.

i sharpen my oregon ones and the sharpening file only lasts a couple of sharpens before its worn out there that hard . i catch the chain on nails or wire fence thats what blunts them mainly

 

[pedrobedro]

You see, so many opinions and how many have actually used the chains. I keep half a dozen as the wood we cut down at the farm is all scruffy old stuff and sometimes you hit dirt or metal and blunt them but the Rotatech sharpen up with the bench sharpener and go straight back on the saw to be used again then get swapped out when they blunt again.

 

[mtt.tr]

I used rotatech ones for years, bigger issue was teeth being excessively hard. Once you got through the case they are fine.

The sharpness comes from the chrome plating on the tooth.

 

[Migmac]

Mmm I've found them pretty good

Think he’s talking about the cheap ones. I used any known brand when i was cutting, they are all much of a muchness. One sharpen would last me a day unless I hit something. Cheap chains never lasted a morning without needing touched up.

 

[pedrobedro]

I used rotatech ones for years, bigger issue was teeth being excessively hard. Once you got through the case they are fine.

The sharpness comes from the chrome plating on the tooth.

That's why I keep a stock and sharpen them on the grinder when I am down to the last couple. They've always stood me in good stead. I have got a few Husqvarna and Stihl chains that came with saws but can't tell the difference once they are used.

 

[Migmac]

Just looked to see how much a reel of 325 chain is, frightening. A couple of us used to buy a reel and make up our own chains.

 

[mtt.tr]

Think he’s talking about the cheap ones. I used any known brand when i was cutting, they are all much of a muchness. One sharpen would last me a day unless I hit something. Cheap chains never lasted a morning without needing touched up.

Stretching I found the be a more common issue.

 

[roblane65]

I thought I'd read somewhere that Oregon actually make the husky chains .
any one know if this is correct ,

 

[Blobber]

I do tend to give them a hard time but have always used oregon, the last one I bought was husqvarna and I was very disappointed, killed it quickly and it seemed to stretch massively

 

[mike os]

Stick with good stuff ,,, especially if it's only occasional use, the less you use it the less the individual chain cost is relevant.

When you resharpen/ replace several a day the cost is a consideration

 

[sako243]

Just looked to see how much a reel of 325 chain is, frightening. A couple of us used to buy a reel and make up our own chains.

Don't go and see how much is sitting in @8ob's shed...