Does Stihl square ground suck?

[Fairways_and_Greens]

I bought a square ground chain from Stihl today for my 562XP and it seemed to cut worse than my Husky semi chain. Any experience with the Stihl square?

 

[mdavlee]

I think it sucks new. I won't buy it any more. Oregon seems better quality in the last 2 years for consistent grinds off the roll.

 

[CR888]

I bought a small roll of Oregon CL and its pretty terrible 'off the roll', but a lot of chain is like that square or round. Never judge a chain by its new off the roll cutting performance. Some chain cuts great off the shelf but normally they all need a few tweaks to cut fast and nice.

 

[mdavlee]

All new chain is slow. Some is worse than others. Seems the rolls of stihl chain were worse than boxed loops. Shaun carr got a roll that a lot of it wasn't sharpened on one side. I've had part of a roll not have the same top plate angles from side to side. It had to be ground to be used. Oregon might be crappy but it's consistently crappy the same way on a roll.

 

[Cut4fun]

I tested new off the roll chain once to see. Not much difference factory dull off the reel.

2010 test thread http://chainsawrepair.createaforum.com/chain/stock-chain-testing-2010/msg10140/#msg10140

A. Stihl RSLK factory sharp..................................4.09...4.53 ...4.13 sq

B. Stihl RSLHK factory sharp.................................4.47...4.74. .4.28 sq

F. Oregon CL factory sharp..................................3.88....4.20...4.25 sq

K. Stihl RS factory sharp....................................4.18..... 4.21....4.12 rd

 

[exSW]

Huh. Maybe I got a good loop.

 

[CR888]

I've just found off the roll to just be consistently inconsistent lol. One time you buy it its good the next it could be poor.

 

[Cut4fun]

During or PS PS3 build off I seen that. I got a loop of PS3 that just fly's through the cuts. Came off a early roll I had when first came out. The newer stuff was always behind it in the test. Even some round and square filed was behind it.

 

[Frank bierce]

I tested new off the roll chain once to see. Not much difference factory dull off the reel.

2010 test thread http://chainsawrepair.createaforum.com/chain/stock-chain-testing-2010/msg10140/#msg10140

A. Stihl RSLK factory sharp..................................4.09...4.53 ...4.13 sq

B. Stihl RSLHK factory sharp.................................4.47...4.74. .4.28 sq

F. Oregon CL factory sharp..................................3.88....4.20...4.25 sq

K. Stihl RS factory sharp....................................4.18..... 4.21....4.12 rd

Great test setup here!!

 

[junkman]

Off the roll is usually sharpened to last longer ,shallower angles .Square will be smoother / less grabby which feels slower because it is not jerking the saw out of your hand like round does .If you hit any dirt right away (or cut lead bullets) with 3/8 it is usually done in ,where semi will keep going ,this is why i run .404 now ,it holds up better .

 

[junkman]

I tested new off the roll chain once to see. Not much difference factory dull off the reel.

2010 test thread http://chainsawrepair.createaforum.com/chain/stock-chain-testing-2010/msg10140/#msg10140

A. Stihl RSLK factory sharp..................................4.09...4.53 ...4.13 sq

B. Stihl RSLHK factory sharp.................................4.47...4.74. .4.28 sq

F. Oregon CL factory sharp..................................3.88....4.20...4.25 sq

K. Stihl RS factory sharp....................................4.18..... 4.21....4.12 rd

I do not think they have sold the K (klassic) chassis for a couple years now ?With the smaller rakes .

 

[Cut4fun]

I do not think they have sold the K (klassic) chassis for a couple years now ?With the smaller rakes .

That was 2010 test if you read the post.

 

[MustangMike]

I have generally had very good luck with both Stihl RS & RSL, with just a few exceptions.

This is 044#1 (an unported saw) in 19" Red Oak, running RSL right off the reel (with 28" light bar). I think it did very well.

From the factory, IMO, the angle is best for hardwood, not softwood. A steeper angle may work better in softwood.

 

[KiwiBro (deleted)]

Is the raker shape the only difference between rsl and rslk? It seems like the "K"lassic type is still available (or my dealer is a bit "K"onfused) because I was asked to clarify my needs recently. Given it's the first time I've considered stihl square ground, I couldn't tell him the difference between them or which of the two I was after.

 

[mdavlee]

Smaller raker and wider gullet area.

 

[jake wells]

i can not critique stihl klassic aka square i have only used 33rs and 23rs.

 

[MustangMike]

Both the K and the regular RSL perform just fine. It is also a lot easier to convert RS to RSL than I thought.

I think all RS being sold now was formerly called RSC (comfort), again, a change in the raker profile.

 

[srcarr52]

I tested new off the roll chain once to see. Not much difference factory dull off the reel.

2010 test thread http://chainsawrepair.createaforum.com/chain/stock-chain-testing-2010/msg10140/#msg10140

A. Stihl RSLK factory sharp..................................4.09...4.53 ...4.13 sq

B. Stihl RSLHK factory sharp.................................4.47...4.74. .4.28 sq

F. Oregon CL factory sharp..................................3.88....4.20...4.25 sq

K. Stihl RS factory sharp....................................4.18..... 4.21....4.12 rd

Stihl doesn't make square ground classic chassis chain anymore (L and K). They still sell chain by those designations but it's not really the old style cutter chassis, it's the regular rapid, kicked out raker chassis. So even when you ask for RSLK you just get RSL. The pictures on their website even show it this way. But I did see they kept the classic cutter for round ground full comp (RSK).

 

[junkman]

I have generally had very good luck with both Stihl RS & RSL, with just a few exceptions.

This is 044#1 (an unported saw) in 19" Red Oak, running RSL right off the reel (with 28" light bar). I think it did very well.

From the factory, IMO, the angle is best for hardwood, not softwood. A steeper angle may work better in softwood.

I like off the roll in softwood ,the stock angles hold up a long time ,it does get a little faster after the 3rd or 4th sharpening i do though ,my grinder is set up a little steeper than off the roll

 

[Cut4fun]

Stihl doesn't make square ground classic chassis chain anymore (L and K). They still sell chain by those designations but it's not really the old style cutter chassis, it's the regular rapid, kicked out raker chassis. So even when you ask for RSLK you just get RSL. The pictures on their website even show it this way. But I did see they kept the classic cutter for round ground full comp (RSK).

My test was back in 2010 so dont know (2010 stated in OP above). Just going by what was on the chain when came to me. Some of the chains I had was before that too.