Another which chainsaw question - 357XP or MS 361 for mesquite.

[Sagan]

I'm cutting mesquite generally up to 18" and some live oak up to 24".  My present chainsaw is a Craftsmen 41cc saw, but I'm ready to get a professional grade saw.  The "work  half an hour, then sharpen the chain and adjsut tension" bit has gotten really old.  My typical usage is 8-10 hours for one or two weekends a month.  I've been using this saw and it's predecessor McColloughs for over a decade.

Looking at the specs, it appears that either the Stihl or the Husky will fit the bill.  My main problem is that I can cut oak all day witht eh Craftsmen, but the saw won't cut the mesquite quickly and the chain dulls rapidly.  Even a new, out of the box chain, tensioned properly, doesn't last more than half an hour before needing filing.  The means about ten minutes of cutting and 20 minutes of clearing, not 30 minutes of actual cutting time. 

Are these the right size saws, or should I go up or down some?  Hefting a Stihl 390, the weight isn't a problem.

Thanks for any help

[sawguy21]

You will still need to sharpen frequently regardless of power. There are a couple of threads on chainsaw purchases so grab a coffee and scroll down.

[Big Daddy]

Hello Sagan
I had been cutting fire wood (oak and maple) with a 55 Rancher, in the bigger stuff the Rancher really strugled. I had bought a 372xpw and no more worries as far as power goes. As far as keeping chains sharp I find if I touch up the chain at every gas fill, 2 or 3 strokes with a file all goes well and fast. I dont know about the 361 or the 357xp  personly, how ever I have read nothing bad about them that would prevent me from buying one.
Big Daddy  

[SawTroll]

Stihl chain may hold up a bit better than most others, because of the thicker chrome, but the difference is not huge. Oregon chains are a tad faster to sharpen, though, and if you touch up often, you hardly will notise any differense.... ;)

Stihl RM chains hold their edge best of those I have used, but it doesn't cut as fast as RSC and Oregon LP/LG.

The saw itself has nothing to do with it, and 357xp vs MS361 is mostly a matter of what priorities you have, both are very nice saws.

[LeeB]

Depending on where you are getting the mesquite, it can have a lot of silica in it. I cut some that came from around Llano and it ate blades and chain like candy. I cut some from Seguine and it cut quite nicely.

[Sagan]

Thank you for the replies.  I considered the 455 Rancher, but for the same weight the 357XP has more power, and since it'll be my saw for the next ten years, I wanted the durability.

I cut just north of Llano, so my mesquite must be like LeeB's.  Adjustable oil should also help - the more the merrier.

I'm ordering the 357XP tomorrow, and it should arrive for Labor Day.  Then, three days of constant cutting to give it (and me) a workout.  Since I'm already spending some money, I'll get both a 16" and 20" bar, just in case.

[Warbird]

Nice choice.  Let us know how it compares to your current saw.  ;)

[stonebroke]

You might try carbide chain? maybe

Stonebroke

[SawTroll]

Thank you for the replies.  I considered the 455 Rancher, but for the same weight the 357XP has more power, and since it'll be my saw for the next ten years, I wanted the durability.

I cut just north of Llano, so my mesquite must be like LeeB's.  Adjustable oil should also help - the more the merrier.

I'm ordering the 357XP tomorrow, and it should arrive for Labor Day.  Then, three days of constant cutting to give it (and me) a workout.  Since I'm already spending some money, I'll get both a 16" and 20" bar, just in case.

Wise choises!!

[treecyclers]

I'm cutting mesquite generally up to 18" and some live oak up to 24". ...either the Stihl or the Husky will fit the bill. My main problem is that I can cut oak all day witht eh Craftsmen, but the saw won't cut the mesquite quickly and the chain dulls rapidly. Even a new, out of the box chain, tensioned properly, doesn't last more than half an hour before needing filing. The means about ten minutes of cutting and 20 minutes of clearing, not 30 minutes of actual cutting time.

Are these the right size saws, or should I go up or down some? Hefting a Stihl 390, the weight isn't a problem.

Thanks for any help

I cut quite a bit of Mesquite, Ironwood, Eucalyptus, and other very hard desert trees (Mesquite meets that grade), and have had great success with my STIHL MS460.
When cutting mesquite, I run a 3/8 chain with a 15 degree grind, and hog down the nubs in front of the teeth about 1/16" below the top of the chain tooth.
I can cut for about an hour before I have to sharpen up, and then I use my handy dandy electric sharpener off the truck battery and I'm back up in about 7 minutes.
I started out with a Craftsman and a McCulloch, but gave them away after buying my first Stihl, of which I now own 3 - a 390, a 460, and an 066.
I like the Huskies, i've run them a time or two, but I prefer the ease of maintenance and startability of the STIHLs myself.
Either one you choose will get it done for you.
Superdave