Shindaiwa

[Ohio Dave]

Never see any one comment any shindaiwa saws.  Are they any good?

[realzed]

An Echo clone from what I've been told - so just so-so from most opinions!
 

[ladylake]

 My opinion is that Echo make fine saws, WAY better than Husky and Stihl home owner models. Plus they are reasonable. Steve

[Ianab]

Shindaiwa make a lot of good power tools, and are well respected in the professional power tool area.  But they aren't "big" in the forestry / chainsaw market. I expect their chainsaws work just fine, as do their leaf blowers. post hole borers and hedge trimmers. They are maybe just more aimed at the professional landscaping market? They don't seem to have any "stand out" models, but they all work as described, and often that's more important than being a lb lighter and 1/4 hp more. 

Often it's a matter of choosing your dealer. A good Shindaiwa dealer is better than a useless Stihl or Husky dealer. 

[HolmenTree]

Like Ian said it boils down to a supportive dealer.

I was introduced to a Shindaiwa 680 in 1984. 68cc, 12.7 lbs, 4.8 h.p. rated for a 28" b/c. Still today in 2019 there are few saws that can claim that kind of power to weight ratio.

1984 was at peak logging production here in Manitoba  and I was running a 61cc Jonsered 630 that was over a lb heavier and alot less h.p. Even the Husqvarna 268XP introduced years later in 1987 was equal to the Shindaiwa 680 in cc but was still a lb heavier 13.7 lbs and less h.p. at 4.7
I had just bought a newly introduced 56cc Stihl 034 that year in 1984 and it was a toy compared to the Shindaiwa.
My 61cc Stihl 038 at 15 lbs was slower then my  630.
The best 68cc saw Stihl had to offer at that time was their 042 at a bloated 16.8 lbs! (Heavier then a 92cc 066/660,) Can't forget the 67cc 038 Super introduced a year earlier but had a weight problem over 15lbs.

I demoed that Shindaiwa 680 for 2 days (16hrs) felling , limbing and topping spruce and I loved it and it had zero problems. It was years ahead of its time. Full magnesium construction with poly covers, made in Hiroshima, Japan.
But the big Stihl, Husqvarna and Jonsered dealers saw it as a threat and the Shindaiwa didn't stand a chance with a reputable dealer.

[sawguy21]

I sold Shindaiwa products for a few years and was very impressed. The line was very popular with the landscapers, not cheap but reliable and easy to use. Very few in for service except for abuse.
The trimmers and blowers sold well but like Echo we couldn't give the saws away. Most saw custonmers were consumers who ate up the Stihl and Husqvarna adverising plus that was what their bil the logger told them to buy. We did stock the Shindaiwa 490 for one municipality who refused to buy anything else.

[ButchC]

Never see any one comment any shindaiwa saws.  Are they any good?

Guilty as charged. We have owned two of them for quite some time.  I have nothing bad to say about them, at least the pre merger ones. Bought a 446 because the dealer said if I wasnt impressed just bring it back for full refund.  Liked it well enough that I also bought a 757 which is pretty much on par with our old Stihl 044.  Just after the merger I purchased an Echo branded but obviously Shindiawa inspired 50CC "professional" saw of forgotten model.  That saw ran nothing like my Shindy's and was quickly cast aside and sold. I think the 590-600 Echos are also Shindy designs that were acquired with the merger and they get mostly good reviews.