master link

[421Altered]

I have 3 loops of .404 chain, 77dl's.  I ordered a 404 bar, 36 inch long from Stihl, and I wanted my dealer to make up 2 loops to fit the new bar. The Stihl web site calls for 108 dl's for that bar.  Well my dealer told me he could only make one loop because they can't put more than one master link in a loop.  Said that it would always break with more than one master link.  What do you guys know about this?

[lxskllr]

Crazy talk. If your tie strap fails, you did it wrong. All a chain is is bunch of links joined. By that standard, every chain should fail.

[doc henderson]

do they not work from 100 foot rolls?  why 2 master links.  and if the rivets are spun on, should be same as a regular chain.  doubt (I would hope) they use a master link with a clip. I have the 59 inch bar and only 1 link in the 404 chain.  almost sounds like they are short on supplies, do not deal with commercial/bigger bars, or do not know what they are doing.

[Pine Ridge]

I don't understand why there would be 2 master links either.

[doc henderson]

Oh, after rereading, are you asking him to make it up from your 3 chains that you are referring to.  should be able to make 2 chains and have 2 links in each new loop.

[Pine Ridge]

I had to reread it also.

[sawguy21]

There is no reason he can't splice chain in more than one spot if he knows what he is doing. There is no such thing as a 'master link', it is not like roller chain.

[421Altered]

Thanks for all the info from everyone that replied.  I now understand that my Stihl dealer doesn't know jack!  He's also same dealer that told me that Stihl does not sell full skip chain anymore!!

[Al_Smith]

I doubt a dealer would sell you a link but you might be able to find it on E-bay .You could always peen it shut if nothing else .I've done many before I bought a spinner --and that was only because it was cheap,Oregon brand too . 

[Al_Smith]

Yep,about 13 bucks a dozen ,you're welcome ;)

[Al_Smith]

Now let me get this straight.It is Stihl chain ? If it's Oregon most likely the Stihl link will not work or none of it I have would have .

[421Altered]

Yes it's Stihl chain.  It was given to me, and I looked closely at it today, and it looks funny.  The side cutter's are nearly vertical.  The chain was not in a regular Stihl silver box when I got it, they were in a Stihl orange box with the part number written by hand on the outside.  The hand written part number was 46 RS and then there was either an I or a 1.  I couldn't tell which.  Could this be square cut chain.  I've never seen square chain before.  It's definately 404 full compliment, with 063 guage, with a full chisel tooth.  But, it looks like if I try to grind it with my Oregon grinder, it may ruin it, so, I would like to find out what it is for sure before I grind it.

[lxskllr]

A pic would help. Sounds like it might be NOS chain. My chain from the 80s came with orange boxes.

[421Altered]

I'm too computer challenged to post pics.  I can just barely type into the forum!

[Al_Smith]

46RS would be .404 .063 round ground chisel RS=rapid super 
Buy a dozen good files,leave the grinder on the bench to repair rocked chains and file the chain .It isn't rocket science .It's so easy even I can do it .
Stihl probably sells the most expensive of all chainsaw chains but it is most likely the most robust long lasting chain .So you get what you pay for in the long run.IMO being a harder chain it's best to use a file that is not as aggressive as Oregon brand files .They don't last long on Stihl chains ,knocks the teeth right off of the file  .Save-edge or Pferd would be a better choice IMO .

[Al_Smith]

Rambling on .I've probably only bought at best a half dozen loops of Stihl branded chains and those were for my pair of MS 200T saws .The rest I have are repairs from my buddys tool bins from his bucket truck /
They rock them out hitting ,well rocks for one,nails ,wire fence etc .I gather them up and replace the cutters etc because I have the presets,tie straps ,drivers,cutters etc .Fact I've got a half dozen to do that have been hanging on a nail in my garage as I type .So that line you have to only use one tie per loop really doesn't hold water .All dealers are not the same .Some are helpful and some are  not .Find a good one and avoid the bad ones ,simple as that .

[421Altered]

Al thank you for that infomation! Especially the info about sharpening it.  I'll certainly do it like you said, because I really love that chain!!  I used that chain today on a 064 with a 36 inch bar bucking 24-28 inch diameter southern pine that got blown down in a ef-2 tornado that we had last month.  And WOW is that a cutting saw with that new sharp chain!!  It would glide almost like butter thru it!!  Same saw, 3/8 pitch 36 inch bar day before, same work, new full chisel chain, full compliment, cut mighty good, but, I think the 404 chain did better.  I know that's gonna start another war on here, but, that's my opinion.  Also, today is first time I've ever used 404 chain, so, I don't have anything else to compare to.  I even felled a couple of them with the long bar, but, as y'all know, that is a pain in the butt.  My other saws were too far away, so, here we go!  One of the pine trees when I bore cut it, the bar was too short to come out the other side!! 

[Al_Smith]

Well for one thing .404 takes a bigger bite if you have enough saw to pull it .All my large saws above 100 cc have it .I would think .which is just my opinion ,which is worth exactly 2 cents those below 100 cc would be better with 3/8" chain .I've ran 3/8" on large saws but it did not cut as fast as .404 on saws up to 123 cc .which includes an 084 Stihl running an 8 tooth rim .----I had to find out for myself on that one .Just the way I roll. ;)