Recent content by Catbuster

Frank’s Fire Commander. Nicks quality has kinda gone downhill under its current management. Frank Petrilli used to run Nicks boots and has his own shop now building boots the way Nicks did 10 years ago.

It is what it is, don’t worry about it. This is a logger boot… And it’s a overbuilt example at 10” tall with an inch thick sole. These are my main fire boots for doing engine/hand crew work. But, in general, a logger boot is: -Lace up -Over 8” tall -Has an aggressive lug sole -A defined...

I’m headed out west in a week, and man, my bag is lighter without nomex or a chainsaw.

The stock 462 filter works really well, and it’s certainly not worth oiling and cleaning a foam filter. Especially if you’re not cutting in really dusty or nasty conditions. Air filters are air filters, IMO. For my saws, Stihl runs the same air filter from the 044 to the MS880 so I figure the...

It’s funny you say that, I’ve gone away from the high heel and arch support as the years go by. I think part of it comes from them being caught or rebar mats doing bridge work, another part being easier to run equipment in, and the last being that with an 8” boot the shaft not being stiff enough...

I like it the best out of the box, but to me RSK is a better chain by the time I file it a few times. The baby C goes away over time. I think RSK holds a little bit better edge, and I like Stihl’s chain having a little bit shorter cutter.

You joke, but… Explosives work.

That’s interesting. I hate those types of trees. Falling abover the union seems to always be just high enough to be uncomfortable and have sawdust and ships flying right at your face. If you’re not going to have access to something stable that will get you up in the air, do it this way. Cut...

On a serious note, Stihl’s MS 500i is vastly inferior to Stihl’s close to 80cc offerings in the 40 years before it was around. Hell, of all the manufacturers since 1985 have produced a better 80cc saw Like, way worse, in a lot of ways. And I didn’t think the air filter or AV on an 046 could...

On track loaders that function has mostly been killed off by the use of excavators when it comes to loading trucks. Or really, the modern hydraulic excavator has killed off the track loader for most things on construction sites that are any larger than residential sites. Most of the time they’re...

A steam donkey. With a few drums. It would be innovative at the time to be rigged between two spars and run something similar to a slackline setup, or maybe even shotgun (gravity) rigging with what we would now call a shotgun carriage with multiple fixed length chokers hung off a running...

I didn’t think California got that humid, maybe I’m wrong? It’s a big state and I haven’t been to all of it. Probably the worst heat and humidity I’ve ever experienced was in Georgetown, SC in August of 2022. Houston, Biloxi, and states on the Gulf are bad too, but it gets hot and then rains...

Did that boot have a sock liner under the foam? It was in the upper 90s with heat indices between 105-110 degree highs this weekend. I’m very glad I had unlined boots and a fairly light wool sock. I don’t think I would have made it with a Gore-Tex lining.

I dislike taking the entire top cover off of the saw with 3-4 screws or tabs and having to slide it under the handle to get it on or off just to get to the air filter. It drives me nuts. The saw manufacturers had it figured out with separate covers for air filters with the 3 series Husqvarnas...

Hardwood trees, yeah. Softwood trees the coos bay or triangle backcuts work just fine. JMO.