Chainsaw chains

[snowwolfe]

Didn't want to hi jack the chain saw thread so starting a new one. If 90% of the wood you were cutting was oak what brand of chain would be the best choice?

[labradigger1]

Free ones

[too many things]

about all are made to same spec . Main thing is get the chain made for the saw. Husky. oragan, stihl, echo. all are good but drive link is main thing to watch. best to stay with the saw brand if you have doubts . If you know how to use saw well then the chisel tooth is best, BUT it needs to be sharp the reg chain is more forgiving for dirty bark.

[snapshot]

the correct size is suggested and as far as brands go they're not to many choices in the us except Oregon.

[Mal Paso]

I use WoodlandPro from Bailey's. You need to know the Pitch (length between links), Gauge (thickness of the drive links) and number of Drive links in the chain.

Round Filled Chisel and Semi Chisel are the 2 most common styles of chain. Chisel (RC) chain has a square cutter edge that ends in a point, it is faster but dulls easily in dirty wood. SC or Semi Chisel has a rounded cutter, cuts slower, and is more forgiving of abrasive dirt.

I cut a lot of Oak and carry both styles of chain depending on dirt.

[Plate plinker]

A sharp chain to get it done.

[Hannibal]

I bought several Carlton chains from the fellow who runs the local small engine repair shop several years ago. They are far and away the best chains I have ever found. IIRC, he told me at the time Oregon had bought Carlton out, and he was apprehensive about what was likely to happen to the brand. (Carlton).

Oregon chains from discount stores are too soft for serious wood cutting, in my experience, and I'm quite certain you won't find anyone who makes a living with a chain saw buying them, either.

I just looked and Carlton still has a home page on the internet. I would not hesitate to contact a dealer if I needed any saw chain.

[hoosierlogger]

I make my living with Oregon chains. I cut only hardwoods at work. I cut 35 to 40 trees a day with them. They are cheaper than stihl chains, and work just as good. I buy my chain in 100' rolls and make them up myself.

A husqvarna brand bar or chain is just a re branded Oregon.

[funnyjim014]

I run stihl but tried oregon this year. Good chains I would not buy one of there bars again. Wore out way quicker than a stihl bar. Just keep em sharp. I use a file guide from tractor supply. Little bracket that clips onto chain with rollers on each side. Big difference having all the teath at the same angle and it has a gauge to cut the rakers down to correct height

[Frank46]

Oak is really hard on chains. Had a red oak that went down some years ago. tried to cut it and all it did was wear out the chain. An axe would just bounce off it, it was that hard. So just kept soaking it with used motor oil and eventually managed to get it all burned up. Though it took awhile. Frank

[Tackleberry41]

Yea red oak is brutal to deal with, my mom had a house built in 1948, all the wood used was local cut red oak. YOu had to drill if you wanted to use a screw. Not sure what kind of nails they used, must not make them that way anymore. Mostly they bent before they went in.

Theres usually not much choice in chains. Whatever is on the shelf at the store. Just sharpen them till you can;t and put another one on. They usually stretch to much before to a point I cant sharpen one. If there was a quality chain I would get one or 2, but you never know what your buying anymore. Often its just a name on the package, all made in the same factory.

[winchester85]

stihl chains are very good chains, but expensive. woodland pro from bailey's are not quite as good but a whole lot cheaper. oregon chain is the softest stuff out there and not cheap enough to make up for it.

unless the wood you are cutting is dirty, a square cutter will cut faster with good durability. if the wood is dirty then a round profile cutter will stay sharp longer.

i used to cut timber for a living, i ran all rapid super (stihl name for square cutters), tried oregons and when i used them up never bought any more, on my shelf right now is a few stihl chains and about 30 woodland pro.

keep the bar out of the dirt and a chain lasts a long time.

[Petrol & Powder]

The chains that come on most homeowner saws and the chains sold in the typical retail setting generally have rounded cutters. They're junk! While that rounded cutter helps prevent kickback and they are a little better in dirty wood, they aren't worth a damn for cutting hardwood or any serious use.
The semi-chisel and full chisel profiles cut MUCH better and the semi-chisel is a good compromise for all-around cutting. The full chisel profiles have square cutters that have a distinct point. As Mal Paso correctly stated, they cut very well but don't tolerate dirt well. Any chain will last longer if you keep it out of the dirt & rocks :-|.
You have to go to a shop that caters to professionals (loggers and arborists) or order on-line to get the more aggressive profiles.
As has been stated, sharp is important.
Back when I was cutting a lot I would carry several chains into the woods with me. It was far more productive to simply swap chains out as needed rather than attempting to sharpen a chain in the field. The money I spent on chains was offset by productivity and the overall wear was spread out over several sets of chains. I had 5 sets for one saw, all semi-chisel. I think I'm down to 4 sets and I've had those for well over 15 years.

[Petrol & Powder]

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[Mal Paso]

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Good picture! Square Chisel is usually not a choice and takes different equipment to sharpen.

[hoosierlogger]

Good picture! Square Chisel is usually not a choice and takes different equipment to sharpen.
All square chisel takes is a different file. It is definatley not for everyone.

[Hannibal]

I make my living with Oregon chains. I cut only hardwoods at work. I cut 35 to 40 trees a day with them. They are cheaper than stihl chains, and work just as good. I buy my chain in 100' rolls and make them up myself.

A husqvarna brand bar or chain is just a re branded Oregon.

I have no desire to pick a squabble with you, on the contrary, I believe we can both learn a bit from one another. I have touched a German file to the chain sold in blister packs at the local discount store and found it to be unacceptably soft simply by the 'bite' the file gets. That stuff is too soft for anyone wanting to cut firewood.
By contrast, my local small engine dealer sold me on an Oregon Pro saw bar with a sprocket tip and I have nothing bad to say about it. Looks good. Works fine. Lasts a long time. As my Uncle was fond of saying.
I believe we have proved one another's point. Blister pack chain or bar from the discount store is NOT worth bringing home. Pony up your hard-earned dollar and buy a grade or 3 up, and it's a whole new ballgame.

YMMV.

[Teddy (punchie)]

There are many different types of grade for the steel. The old guy I did get chains from is gone Don Sayre, Nice gentleman.
Any way from what I recall he said Oregon has a few grades of steel. I seen prices going up and stock up on them. By the way I cut dry locust allot, oak is soft (lol softer then locust). Just case you don't be leave me cut some of each after it starts to get dark. Full chisel, 5 deg. down, 20-25 deg. angle cutting edge and 10-15 deg. in cold frozen wood. German made file, husky files are good also.

[chuckbuster]

Don't mean to derail or hijack this but Frank and Tackleberry, sounds like you had WHITE Oak not Red Oak.