preferred 3/8" Lo-pro chain

[MN Ripper]

Is there a better chain among the all the brands that stands out better than others?  Oregon's 91 VG or VX, Woodsman Pro 30LP  , Windsor 50RG , Stihl ??? etc?

I picked up a new Echo CS-330T to help me with my annual pruning on the ground mostly and once a year in the fall from a bucket for the high stuff on my property.  I like the saw very much after doing all my pruning with a 028 previously.  I'm mainly cutting stuff 4" dia and smaller most of the time.  So far the stock 91 VG chain isn't bad, I know, I know safety chain sucks but this stuff is so small I takes only a few seconds and its through branch. I've not had the saw very long so I have not cut for many hours on this saw. But maybe non safety would shine better in the larger diameters that I can come across.

I'd like to get at least another loop or two and would like to hear what other use for pruning.  I've never had a saw with this chain style before so its new to me.  The cutters are tiny compared to the standard .375 x .050!

[Rocky_J]

I prefer the Stihl PM chain for my 3/8 lo-pro needs. It is noticably harder than other brands so it is more difficult to file if you're not well practiced, but it also holds an edge much longer than other brands under normal use (not cutting dirt, rocks, concrets, metal). It costs more, but it also cuts faster and lasts longer so it ends up being cheaper to use in my experience. The cutter teeth are quite long so you can get many sharpenings out of them before the chain is used up.


The typical arguments against using Stihl chain are "It's too expensive, it's too hard to file."

The Woodsman Pro would be my second choice, it also has a relatively hard steel. Oregon would be my last resort because it is a very soft steel and dulls too quickly.

[madhatte]

Just reprofiled a square-ground Stihl chain to round (Don't look at me!  I didn't buy it!) with great results.  Cleared a bunch of of blowdowns across a road with a beat-up 044 and a 20" bar almost effortlessly.  Well, as much as sawing can be effortless.  You know what I mean.  A factory round-ground non-skip Stihl on the same project has been sharpened once. 

Note:  Stihl files in Oregon handles can get stuck.  Just sayin'. 

[Al_Smith]

It would be my assumption then you are referring regular 3/8" chain and not low profile ?

I was under the assumption that lo-pro is not available in either round or square ground chisel but only in a form of semi chisel .

[John Mc]

Between the Oregon 91 VG and 91 VX I would go for the VX. The VG is what ships standard with some of the "big box" store chainsaws on a number of brands. As long as you observe some basic safety precautions when cutting, all the extra bumper links on the VG just slow you down (and make bore cutting harder, if that's a technique you use at all). The VX does not have all the bumper links, and cuts more like a regular chain.

I've never used a Woodsman Pro or Stihl low-profile chain, but I'm sure their "non-safety" versions are also lot better bet than than the safety chains.

[Cut4fun]

I run the Windsor 50R on my small saws , never ran the  stihl 3/8LP chain because of what Brian said, 1. cost and 2. hand sharping.  Run some Carlton N1 too, that I couldn't complain about either.
Would like to try the LP VX stuff someday.

[MN Ripper]

Thanks for the input guys. 

I've got woodsman pro in the .325 and standard .375 on bigger saws and it cuts real nice and fast, like the Stihl RSC loops I also have.  So locally its either Stihl or Oregon off the bulk roll at the dealer.  I need 52 drive links worth so I'll see how much the price differs to Baileys.  I combine orders with a cutting friend and we split the shipping on Baileys stuff.

Rocky is the Stihl chain low profile called PM?  And for Oregon I'll have to make sure they have the VX.

John Mc I do make bore cuts but I doubt I ever would with this particular saw-its just for small stuff, I save the CS-670 & 028 for felling.  Honestly I don't know if I'd want to bore cut with an arborist style saw-no rear handle? 

I have touched up the the chain once already just from cutting a large pile of white oak branches I wanted gone.  With the short chain and all the bumper links it didn't leave many teeth left to sharpen!   After I went and got the correct size file, none of my others would fit.

[Rocky_J]

Yes, the Stihl 3/8" lo-pro chain is called PM. If you're running .050 gauge (most likely) then the specific designation is 63PM. The correct file size is 5/32".