Duke's saw chain

[MG porting]

The Duke's 84DL full skip is a steal!

Yeas it is indeed but that's only in .050 if he had it in .058 I'd be all over it pretty soon I'm just going to have to bite the bullet and get some guid bars for my saws that are .050 for the Husqvarnas much easier to find chains in 3/8 .050.

 

[Duke Thieroff]

Soon!

I would try a roll, if it was available…
3/8, .050, skip

 

[Duke Thieroff]

You got a frown smiley on Your post!
What do consumers expect, cheap/affordable but Made in U.S.A. ?

People are willing to pay horrendous prices on stuff they do not really need to survive just for the fake image of being "wealthy", yet they cheap out on consumables they need to make a living and complain about the product being made in China!

Thankfully I don't get it.

I would love to give Your chains a try.
I'll have to figure something out.

Also, we get this question a lot.

The reality is that most aftermarket parts originate in China or Taiwan, with much smaller quantities being made in Europe and then India (VEC/Golf/Private Label Pistons)

Generally when we hear this question we are already prepared to see the "frown" face. The whole reason the question was asked was so the gentleman could react. He likely knew the answer, he just wanted to hear me say it so he could disapprove.

We all like to buy the "best" stuff, or OEM is the top choice, but the ends don't always justify the means.

There's hundreds of saws out there that have been saved from the scrap pile as a result of reasonably priced parts, and the market speaks to it. Chainsaws are relatively "cheap" so $50-100 difference in parts really makes a difference.

That's my two-bit case for aftermarket parts.

When we buy a used vehicle, do we promptly ask the seller if "all the parts are OEM?"
Why do we do this specifically with chainsaws?

As the aftermarket builds out, the quality has become noticeably better with each iteration.

 

[redline4]

Also, we get this question a lot.

The reality is that most aftermarket parts originate in China or Taiwan, with much smaller quantities being made in Europe and then India (VEC/Golf/Private Label Pistons)

Generally when we hear this question we are already prepared to see the "frown" face. The whole reason the question was asked was so the gentleman could react. He likely knew the answer, he just wanted to hear me say it so he could disapprove.

We all like to buy the "best" stuff, or OEM is the top choice, but the ends don't always justify the means.

There's hundreds of saws out there that have been saved from the scrap pile as a result of reasonably priced parts, and the market speaks to it. Chainsaws are relatively "cheap" so $50-100 difference in parts really makes a difference.

That's my two-bit case for aftermarket parts.

When we buy a used vehicle, do we promptly ask the seller if "all the parts are OEM?"
Why do we do this specifically with chainsaws?

As the aftermarket builds out, the quality has become noticeably better with each iteration.

If I posted the origin of every oem part I install at the auto dealership, many would shìt the proverbial golden goose.
I think one of the few countries I've never seen listed was Russia if that makes any feel better.

 

[Wilhelm]

Yeas it is indeed but that's only in .050 if he had it in .058 I'd be all over it pretty soon I'm just going to have to bite the bullet and get some guid bars for my saws that are .050 for the Husqvarnas much easier to find chains in 3/8 .050.

If Your bars rails are dressed and the chains DL's don't bottom out in the groove .008" less means nothing!
I am running .050" gauge loops I got from the US in well used .058" gauge bars, no issues whatsoever - 72DL/20" B&C's though.

Just saying.
I'd be all over that 84DL full chisel full skip in half a heartbeat if it weren't for shipping!

 

[Steve]

If I posted the origin of every oem part I install at the auto dealership, many would shìt the proverbial golden goose.
I think one of the few countries I've never seen listed was Russia if that makes any feel better.

I put a dealer EGR bypass valve on a Duramax last week and the bag was taped closed with a massive "MADE IN CHINA" sticker like they were proud of it.

Believe it or not I've had better luck with aftermarket overseas parts than made in USA parts. The old adage "They just don't make them like they used too." Has some merit towards overseas parts. The quality on a lot of it now rivals or exceeds that of the western world.

 

[redline4]

I put a dealer EGR bypass valve on a Duramax last week and the bag was taped closed with a massive "MADE IN CHINA" sticker like they were proud of it.

Believe it or not I've had better luck with aftermarket overseas parts than made in USA parts. The old adage "They just don't make them like they used too." Has some merit towards overseas parts. The quality on a lot of it now rivals or exceeds that of the western world.

Yup.
I've replaced a bunch of those.

 

[Gullet]

If Your bars rails are dressed and the chains DL's don't bottom out in the groove .008" less means nothing!
I am running .050" gauge loops I got from the US in well used .058" gauge bars, no issues whatsoever - 72DL/20" B&C's though.

Just saying.
I'd be all over that 84DL full chisel full skip in half a heartbeat if it weren't for shipping!

Enlighten me why full skip on a 24" bar would be preferable to full comp?
I know why it would be on 28" or longer but,
I haven't had a issue with with chip removal with 24" full comp chain.

 

[Woodwackr]

Enlighten me why full skip on a 24" bar would be preferable to full comp?
I know why it would be on 28" or longer but,
I haven't had a issue with with chip removal with 24" full comp chain.

half the cutters to sharpen. It will be a tad slower on a big cc saw and a tad faster on a small cc saw.
one tree service I do maintenance for has switched to all skip chain for this reason...even their 20" saws.

 

[Woodwackr]

most of the chains I use now...and sharpen for others, are 28" (91dl) rather than 24. If there were 28s I'd try a 3pk.
just ordered the 72dl for a friend to try...261s with 20" bars
on the 3/8 lo-pro: 55-56 DL is standard for Stihl 16" (200t, 201t) and 57 for Echo (355t) When your rolls come out that would be another I would try for one of the tree services I work with.

 

[Wilhelm]

Enlighten me why full skip on a 24" bar would be preferable to full comp?
I know why it would be on 28" or longer but,
I haven't had a issue with with chip removal with 24" full comp chain.

There is a whole thread about this topic, in the end it just comes down to personal preference.

To me, because I can't get full skip anything!
I run full complement in 36"/115DL.

 

[lehman live edge slab]

half the cutters to sharpen. It will be a tad slower on a big cc saw and a tad faster on a small cc saw.
one tree service I do maintenance for has switched to all skip chain for this reason...even their 20" saws.

In my experience it’s a fair amount slower on an adequately powered saw and about the same on an underpowered saw as full chisel full comp and sucks to limb with because if vibrates. Personally I think far to many people try to put to large a bar on two small a saw for what there doing and use skip chain to attempt to compensate for to little power. If your saw has the power to maintain chain speed in the cut and your not having chip clearance issues or binding it’s faster to run regular chain. Most of the tree guys I grind for don’t care about cutter count either because they swap chains instead of filing. I get Rubbermaid containers of chains to sharpen. They pretty much run all 462’s or 500’s that have no issues pulling full comp on a 25” bar.

 

[Wilhelm]

To me, a small saw will wear an adequately short bar.
Small wood OD gets cut up with a small saw.

But, in large OD logs full skip bucks smoother and faster than full comp.
In my case, beech & oak, PS-7310 & PS-7900 with 24"/84DL B&C setups.
PS-7310 runs full skip full chisel, PS-7900 full comp full chisel - ground exactly the same.

As I mentioned before, YES full comp 36"/115DL works, though I bet in those size logs full skip would be "nicer".
But I wouldn't know as I can't get full skip locally.

 

[Maintenance Chief]

In my experience it’s a fair amount slower on an adequately powered saw and about the same on an underpowered saw as full chisel full comp and sucks to limb with because if vibrates. Personally I think far to many people try to put to large a bar on two small a saw for what there doing and use skip chain to attempt to compensate for to little power. If your saw has the power to maintain chain speed in the cut and your not having chip clearance issues or binding it’s faster to run regular chain. Most of the tree guys I grind for don’t care about cutter count either because they swap chains instead of filing. I get Rubbermaid containers of chains to sharpen. They pretty much run all 462’s or 500’s that have no issues pulling full comp on a 25” bar.

There's a good time to run full or semi skip chain , even on a 20" bar.
Here in the south vegetation grows like mad , even marketable timber (15-20 yrs harvest).
In the late spring loblolly pine will flow sap like thick honey, cups of it can pour out the notch! Of a healthy tree. I will absolutely testify from experience that full or semi skip makes a big difference cutting stuff like that. I've cut white oaks that tap rooted into sewer distribution boxes and the notch must have poured 3 gallons of water, which causes the grain to swell and tighten the kerf.
True that I think most are trying to get away with using a longer bar on a small powerhead, but there are good scenarios where its awesome.

 

[Oddsandends]

Who's Duke?

A chainsaw place in PA.

 

[jakethesnake]

@Duke Thieroff wheres Oregon chain made these days? I don’t know for sure but I’ve suspected they moved to China as well?


How’s the feedback on this stuff you’re selling? I might grab some just don’t need much chain currently. I’ve grabbed odds and ends at your shop before and always been happy with it

 

[Squareground3691]

@Duke Thieroff wheres Oregon chain made these days? I don’t know for sure but I’ve suspected they moved to China as well?


How’s the feedback on this stuff you’re selling? I might grab some just don’t need much chain currently. I’ve grabbed odds and ends at your shop before and always been happy with it

Oregon been bought and sold a number of times in the last decade, the quality of there chains, is nothing like the old suff , Material quality and manufacturing have suffered,

 

[Duke Thieroff]

@Duke Thieroff wheres Oregon chain made these days? I don’t know for sure but I’ve suspected they moved to China as well?


How’s the feedback on this stuff you’re selling? I might grab some just don’t need much chain currently. I’ve grabbed odds and ends at your shop before and always been happy with it

People be liking it

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

@Duke Thieroff wheres Oregon chain made these days? I don’t know for sure but I’ve suspected they moved to China as well?

From what I can tell, yes. From my understanding Husqvarna used Oregon as a chain supplier until Husqvarna ended that relationship and came out with X-CUT. I believe most Oregon products originated in China prior to that, and around the time of the Husqvarna separation Oregon quality markedly decreased, which may or may not have been one cause for the parting.

My most recent Oregon chains have been poor compared to previous, but it could be a bad batch (hard, unfileable chrome spots on some cutters and some other really soft cutters, between 1 to 2 of each per chain). The rivets are good so unlike really cheap chain Oregon should hold together when hitting something hard (which happens often doing landscaping).

Husqvarna chain quality has been like the old Oregon, and X-CUT is basically an old racing chain setup. So it's good chain and really fast, but don't file it like it says on the box-- that's not how it comes from them.

STIHL remains mostly unchanged, with the newer designs seemingly slightly slower but much smoother due to cutter shape redesign. It's hard to file except when using Vallorbe or Pferd files but stays sharp longer. It's designed to run great with a low oiler setting and tacky oil (which it does), I just ran it balls-out with cheap oil at FULL on the oiler in somewhat dirty wood that on a low oiler setting mungs up the clutch housing, on FULL the bar, chain, and housing are pretty clean (great advice from guys on the forum).

I'll try Dukes chain instead of gambling on Oregon's quality next season.

 

[davidwyby]

Couldn't resist and ordered some to try. I'll do a review.