Duke's saw chain

[cookies]

I ordered 2 25 foot rolls of 3/8 .050 a few weeks ago, one in regular and one in skip for a couple builds I was finishing up. The first thing I noticed is the grind on the chisels, they looked pretty good from all angles. No extra slop in the rivets, small channels in the drivers to help hold oil. Second thing I noticed was how easy the rivets are to punch out compared to stihl/laser/stens titanium. The crimping and spinning of the master links took 2 extra steps to get them crimped down and spun where the slack was removed. Today I spun up a 91 driver full comp chain for my ms460's 28" bar. Then I went out and ran it for 2 hours cutting up some large hickory and oak piled up from the storms last month. I needed to tighten the chain a total of 5 times, sharpened it with 2-3 strokes per chisel at the refill and only 3 depth teeth needed a hair removed telling me they are a hair low off the roll. For the price its a good deal to get 25 feet of chain for 65 bucks to throw on saws your looking to sell or toss on as a freebie for a important deal or completed repair. One of my rolls was 130 drivers short and came with a 25 pack of master links so I assume it was a cut down 100 foot roll. I notified them through their messenger thing on their website so they could look into having a possible issue, they thanked me and asked how to make it right. They sent me a 114 driver loop a couple days later, thats all I needed to combine with the chain I had still to finish making the needed loops from that roll. I will do business with them again in the future after this experience, the chain needs further use to see if the stretching stops or if it will be a issue requiring a link removed then using these chains for dirty jobs on worn bars. I think the chisels are a hair on the soft side but totally acceptable at this price point. The chrome coating on the top plate showed no issues but the back of the cutters are left ragged not square from the chroming (i think) but thats moot being just aesthetics. I look forward to them hopefully offering rolls of .325 .063 in the future to try out and possibly some semi chisel versions.

 

[Entisol]

Duke have start selling an Other chain. Have any one Tryed it? https://www.sawsalvage.co/collectio...in-compare-to-stihl-rs?variant=45988378509530

This is the first I’ve seen of the "Blue Label" chain. Based on the pictures on the website, the rakers look a little different, not sure about the cutters. Has anyone tried it?

Hello. Have any one try to square file the dukes full chisel chain?

I have a few loops of Duke's chain that were square ground on a Simington. It cuts great, but the faller who did it has been square grinding chain since the '80s. He does a great job balancing the variables/angles into a fast, smooth cutting, durable chain in our local species. Duke's chain files easily, so I wouldn't expect any issues converting it from round to square using a file.

 

[cookies]

This is the first I’ve seen of the "Blue Label" chain. Based on the pictures on the website, the rakers look a little different, not sure about the cutters. Has anyone tried it?

I have a few loops of Duke's chain that were square ground on a Simington. Works great, but it was ground, not filed.

Thats what I purchased

 

[Entisol]

Got it @cookies. Have you tried the other Duke's variety? Any comments on the difference? Just raker/cutter geometry? Same steel characteristics? I put screenshots of both below

 

[cookies]

Got it @cookies. Have you tried the other Duke's variety? Any comments on the difference? Just raker/cutter geometry? Same steel characteristics? I put screenshots of both below
View attachment 441738
View attachment 441739

no idea if the rivets and tie straps are different metallurgically or if the tie straps just have a different imprint on from stamping. the chisels look identical in the pictures.

 

[Colonel 428]

Well, Duke Thieroff (the guy who actually sells this chain) is a member here. Maybe he'll chime in and tell us the difference between the Duke's chrome plated chain and the new Duke's blue label chain. Hey Duke, you there?

 

[Entisol]

Well, Duke Thieroff (the guy who actually sells this chain) is a member here. Maybe he'll chime in and tell us the difference between the Duke's chrome plated chain and the new Duke's blue label chain. Hey Duke, you there?

@Duke Thieroff

 

[Duke Thieroff]

Cutter is a little bit different, drive links and tie straps are a little different.

Same metal, same good value.

 

[Colonel 428]

Cutter is a little bit different, drive links and tie straps are a little different.

Same metal, same good value.

So which one do you think is best suited for cutting exclusively hardwood? Absolutely no question about the value of your chain. It's all I run anymore and I recommend it to anyone who'll listen to me...

 

[Duke Thieroff]

So which one do you think is best suited for cutting exclusively hardwood? Absolutely no question about the value of your chain. It's all I run anymore and I recommend it to anyone who'll listen to me...

Either one will "get it."


As with any chain, it's more personal preference than some pretty marketing words I can say to you.

 

[Wilhelm]

I'd just get a 3-pack of each and have at them!

Trying out different chains can be entertaining.

 

[Hinerman]

@Hedgerow

 

[Hedgerow]

@Hedgerow

You rang?

 

[Hedgerow]

Kenneth gave me a new 84dl loop of this here Duke’s full chisel..

We used it on pecan logs..

The 562 was on tank number 11 when we ran out daylight.

Same chain.

Good product.
Great value.

 

[bradb123]

I have bought two 100ft rolls of the Duke's chain in 3/8 fc-fc and love it. I have never tried the Duke's chain in 325. I got a coworker a 3 pack in 325 a while back. He finally ran it the last couple of days. He said that it held its edge for a long time. The thing that he was really impressed with was the lack of stretch. Great value guys!

 

[Duke Thieroff]

I have bought two 100ft rolls of the Duke's chain in 3/8 fc-fc and love it. I have never tried the Duke's chain in 325. I got a coworker a 3 pack in 325 a while back. He finally ran it the last couple of days. He said that it held its edge for a long time. The thing that he was really impressed with was the lack of stretch. Great value guys!

Thank you!

Glad its working out for you, we hear a lot of positive experiences with it and we're glad people are happy with the product. We want to sell you and your friends chain over a long period of time, not just once.

 

[MG porting]

I just ordered a Duke 24" bar and 3 chain combo and can't wait to get them lots of blow downs to get bucked into fire wood my old bar is crap no name bar hoping the Dukes bar fares out better I'm sure the chains will be great I've seen lots of good reviews on those.

 

[greystone mountain man]

I just ordered a Duke 24" bar and 3 chain combo and can't wait to get them lots of blow downs to get bucked into fire wood my old bar is crap no name bar hoping the Dukes bar fares out better I'm sure the chains will be great I've seen lots of good reviews on those.

I got a 20" bar and chain back in August for my old poulan.i've probably run 20 tanks of gas thru it so far and I'm impressed with the bar and chain both.

 

[Loony661]

I’m currently testing a 24” loop in frozen hardwoods, logging here in south east Minnesota (thanks @bradb123 !)

I gotta say, I was expecting it to feed a little more aggressive “out of the box”. However, what’s more important to me is how well a chain retains its edge while I work. After I touched it up with a 7/32” round file, and hit the rakers with a couple strokes, it’s feeding how I like. And so far seems to be holding its edge the same, or better, than Oregon EXL. If it keeps this up, I will likely order a 100’ ft roll.

 

[farminkarman]

I’m currently testing a 24” loop in frozen hardwoods, logging here in south east Minnesota (thanks @bradb123 !)

I gotta say, I was expecting it to feed a little more aggressive “out of the box”. However, what’s more important to me is how well a chain retains its edge while I work. After I touched it up with a 7/32” round file, and hit the rakers with a couple strokes, it’s feeding how I like. And so far seems to be holding its edge the same, or better, than Oregon EXL. If it keeps this up, I will likely order a 100’ ft roll.

I have found it to hold its edge longer than Oregon LGX (I know its obsolete, but it is what I still have around).