Stihl 361 or Husqvarna 357XP

[John_M]

My current and only saw is a Stihl MS250. It is a great saw for what is intended and I handle it safely and comfortably. Recently, however, I find myself cutting much 14' to 18" wood. The MS250 bogs down in this situation and I fear I might be wearing the clutch prematurely. I need/want? a larger saw. Probably the largest saws I can handle safely and comfortably (71 years old this month) would be the two mentioned in the title with full chisel chains on 20" bars.

The Stihl dealer is 1 hour from my house and much trusted. The Husqvarna dealer is 8 minutes from my house and a new (this year) Husqvarna dealer but has been a Ford/New Holland farm implement dealer with a fine reputation for many years. There is also a Dolmar dealer 8 minutes from my house but I am turned off by his abrasive personality.

Both saws are excellent and I am not a brand loyalist. I can almost recite all the specifications of both saws from memory. However, would like to hear from those who have USED both of these saws and if/why you might prefer one over the other. Please consider my age and traveling distance if recommending one over the other. Traveling distance is not that big a deal because I am retired. The only reason I mention age is because yesterday I was discussing my current wood gathering with a younger and stronger friend and explained how darned difficult it is for me split the larger rounds with chisels and sledge. He said it could not be that difficult and offered to go to my house (1/4 mile away) "right now" to split a couple for me. He is strong as an ox and did in 30 minutes what would take me 3 hours to accomplish. I became immediately aware of how much strength and stamina I had lost in the aging process. The saw's weight, balance, vibration, chain brake, ergonomics, and ease of starting will be considerations in my decision. My age-diminished strength and stamina are factors affecting safety and comfort. Price and distance-to-dealer are less important considerations.

I searched this forum for the info I am requesting and could not find the answer to my exact question. There were lots of discussions about which brand is better and which size saw is needed for various applications but nothing about my specific question.

All suggestions based on experience are encouraged.

John_M

 

[burntime]

I have 2 029/ms290s. They are great saws but a little on the heavy side. In a perfect world I would keep your 029 and get a ms361. Thats what I am contemplating doing. I may go bigger yet. I am sold on stihl. 9 years I have had my saw and only changed a bar and chains. Never an issue starting and it looks like the day I got it. I bought a stihl bg85 blower and it is the best blower I have ever owned! The others may be good too. My experience is with stihl and I am more then happy with it...

 

[John_M]

burntime, If I purchse one of the two mentioned saws, I would keep my MS250 and perhaps put a 14" bar on it when this 16" bar needs replacing. This way, the MS250 would be used for limbing and other small work while the new saw would be used for bucking and other large work.

Whew, I should be send to debtor's prison for all the money I have spent preparing for wood heat so far this year.

Best wishes,

John_M

 

[Bigg_Redd]

Either saw will last you the rest of your cutting days, so if weight is a big issue, get the lightest one. Simple.

 

[Adam_MA]

Not being farmiliar with the Husky saws, does the Husky have the decompression valve like the Stihl? If not, that would be a big consideration with regards to making the saw easier to start. Other than that, they are both pro saws, will last forever, are just about the same weight and put out the same power.

 

[SolarAndWood]

I run a 20" bar/full chisel oregon on the Jonsered 2152 which is a lot closer to the new 346 than the 357. While not as productive as my other saw, an older Husky 371xp, it works very well and is a lot easier on the operator. I think you might be happy with the 346/20" full chisel setup. Does the dealer have a demo you can try?

Adam, the saws that I own have decompression valves and are very easy to start. I am pretty sure the entire lines have decompression valves.

 

[DaveBP]

I am one who does not consider a longer bar to be an advantage.
Heavier and more awkward to maneuver. It also give the bar more leverage to hold back against when you get a little kickback at the nose. And then when you are bucking up the smaller diameter stuff (and the majority is smaller diameter) it's that much more difficult to keep track of where the nose is on the far side to avoid hitting the ground.

The felling cut is about the only time I wish I had a bar longer than 18" and that just isn't most of the time on my woodlot. Others with larger dia. trees or different styles of working will feel differently. My $.018...

 

[John_M]

Solar, The 346XP certainly appears to be a great saw but it is not significantly stronger -26%- than my Stihl 250 (3.0 bhp vs 3.7 bhp). So, I am going to keep the MS361 and the 357XP as my two choices. The 357XP has a significantly higher MSRP than the MS361 but the dealer's selling price is what matters.

Dave, You introduce a valid and relevent question. This morning, while bucking the last large branches and trunk of my 55 year old ash, the tip of my 16" saw was very close (2" +/-) from another immovable branch behind it. This was a perfect setup for a dangerous kickback or pushback situation. I was fully aware of the closeness and took necessary precautions to prevent the danger. There are probably pros and cons to both 18" and 20" bars. I am getting down to the thicker parts of the trunk, some of which are 22" in diameter and my 16" bar with approx. 14" useable is being buried in this wood. So, I have to change position and cut from the opposite side of the tree for a complete cut. This climbing over and walking around is time consuming, tiring and frustrating to me.

I guess I'll have to go to my two dealers and try both saws. Feel, vibration, ergonomics and balance will be the key attributes for me. As Bigg_Red wrote, both saws will outlast my potential years of cutting but I do want to be certain this decision allows me to enjoy those years to the maximum.

Thanks for the responses.

John_M

 

[Gooserider]

I am one who does not consider a longer bar to be an advantage.
Heavier and more awkward to maneuver. It also give the bar more leverage to hold back against when you get a little kickback at the nose. And then when you are bucking up the smaller diameter stuff (and the majority is smaller diameter) it's that much more difficult to keep track of where the nose is on the far side to avoid hitting the ground.

The felling cut is about the only time I wish I had a bar longer than 18" and that just isn't most of the time on my woodlot. Others with larger dia. trees or different styles of working will feel differently. My $.018...

I think that there is an optimal bar length, and that going longer OR SHORTER is going to be harder to use. I find that 18-20" is about optimal for me, and I suspect many other average size folks... Depending on the size of the saw, it is best to get one that makes the saw balance well around the top bar... Too long and heavy, or short and light, and you will always be working against yourself to push the saw up and down, but if it balances then you just pivot...

In addition, with a short bar, you are going to be finding that you have to reach out further with the saw or bend over more to make cuts. This can be more tiring than swinging a longer bar that lets you keep the saw closer to your body, and not bend over as much. IMHO the optimum is if you hold the saw with the top bar at comfortable waist level and angle the tip down, it should hit the ground about a foot in front of your feet.

With a bit of practice, I find this makes it very easy to tell where my tip is, since I can stay upright, and just angle the saw into whatever I'm cutting...

Right now I have two saws - a Dolmar 7900 w/ a 20" bar, and a Pull-on with a 12" bar... The Pull-on is half the weight of the Dolmar, and both saws cut small diameter (under 4-5") diameter wood about equally fast - yet I find that it is less tiring for me to use the Dolmar as a limbing saw. When I limb with the Dolmar I can stand upright, and 80% of my cuts are made with my left hand at waist level supporting the weight, and I just rock the saw with my right. With the Pull-on, the saw is lighter, but I have to spend a lot of time bent over to cut stuff on the ground, and much of the rest I'm having to pick the saw up and hold it away from me in order to reach the higher limbs...

Gooserider

 

[burntime]

Goose is right by my book as well. 18 or 20 give good balance and length to the saw. I cut with an 18 and a 16 on another saw and the 16 seems more awkward or less balanced then the 029 with the 18...same saws with 2 size bars. Thats not to say another saw may not handle better the other way around. 18 has done well and only wished I had a 20 or larger a few times...

 

[Adam_MA]

Some good advice from Gooserider. It also goes to show you just how personal a decision of what saw/bar combo to buy is to each person. BTW, Gooserider if you are near Lowell, we are practically neighbors, Billerica here.

 

[Jags]

The 361 with an 18" bar is a well balanced, reliable, comfortable, cutting machine. 18" is my goto bar unless I actually NEED to go bigger. If your bar is never too short---its always too long. Just my opinion, and as you can see from my sig. I might be a little biased in it. ;-)

 

[smokinj]

The 361 with an 18" bar is a well balanced, reliable, comfortable, cutting machine. 18" is my goto bar unless I actually NEED to go bigger. If your bar is never too short---its always too long. Just my opinion, and as you can see from my sig. I might be a little biased in it. ;-)

I put my 16 in. bar on my 460 and its like having a light saber! Its awsome

 

[Jags]

I put my 16 in. bar on my 460 and its like having a light saber! Its awsome

Thats a little akin to slapping a 350CI chevy on a skate board isn't it?? :lol:

 

[smokinj]

I put my 16 in. bar on my 460 and its like having a light saber! Its awsome

Thats a little akin to slapping a 350CI chevy on a skate board isn't it?? :lol:

not quite but 14-18 in rounds can be done in 2 seconds fun watching the eyes on the guy's who is picking them up to get them in the trailer!

 

[stee6043]

The 361 with an 18" bar is a well balanced, reliable, comfortable, cutting machine. 18" is my goto bar unless I actually NEED to go bigger. If your bar is never too short---its always too long. Just my opinion, and as you can see from my sig. I might be a little biased in it. ;-)

I put my 16 in. bar on my 460 and its like having a light saber! Its awsome

HAh....holy crap. Does the saw even really slow down or does it just free-fall through the wood? That would be fun to try...might as well put a 12" on it and do some limbing from a step ladder while you're at it! Perhaps they make a blender attachment as well? A Stihl 460 Margaritta Maker - Part number 1267833-3 - comes in three colors.

 

[smokinj]

The 361 with an 18" bar is a well balanced, reliable, comfortable, cutting machine. 18" is my goto bar unless I actually NEED to go bigger. If your bar is never too short---its always too long. Just my opinion, and as you can see from my sig. I might be a little biased in it. ;-)

I put my 16 in. bar on my 460 and its like having a light saber! Its awsome

HAh....holy crap. Does the saw even really slow down or does it just free-fall through the wood? That would be fun to try...might as well put a 12" on it and do some limbing from a step ladder while you're at it! Perhaps they make a blender attachment as well? A Stihl 460 Margaritta Maker - Part number 1267833-3 - comes in three colors.

the saw is made to do 16-32 in. bar and yes its a free fall (about 2sec. a log) your cutting much faster than two people can keep up with.

"A Stihl 460 Margaritta Maker - Part number 1267833-3 - comes in three colors" got to have one of those I'll take camo!

 

[wendell]

If your bar is never too short---its always too long.

From "The Good Woodcutter's Guide" by Dave Johnson

 

[Jags]

If your bar is never too short---its always too long.

From "The Good Woodcutter's Guide" by Dave Johnson

Could be. Unintentionally plagiarized (considering I don't have the book and have never read it.) but oh so true IMHO.

 

[Henz]

I have a 357XP, it is the first saw in the professional lineup of Husky saws. I love it. 20" bar. It has my vote for sure!

 

[woodmeister]

I've got the 361 with a 20'' bar - I love it!

 

[Spikem]

I've got the 361 with a 20'' bar - I love it!

Same here.

 

[Bigg_Redd]

If your bar is never too short---its always too long.

From "The Good Woodcutter's Guide" by Dave Johnson

Could be. Unintentionally plagiarized (considering I don't have the book and have never read it.) but oh so true IMHO.

I'd rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

 

[Jags]

If your bar is never too short---its always too long.

From "The Good Woodcutter's Guide" by Dave Johnson

Could be. Unintentionally plagiarized (considering I don't have the book and have never read it.) but oh so true IMHO.

I'd rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

I always carry two bars into the woods with me anyhow (not that I have ever pinched a bar or anything, then had to remove the power head and bolt on the other bar--never happened). I personally find that if the wood is on the ground, I have more trouble with a bar too long, than one that is a little short, and have to take a swipe from the other side. Personal pref.

 

[smokinj]

If your bar is never too short---its always too long.

From "The Good Woodcutter's Guide" by Dave Johnson

Could be. Unintentionally plagiarized (considering I don't have the book and have never read it.) but oh so true IMHO.

I'd rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

I always carry two bars into the woods with me anyhow (not that I have ever pinched a bar or anything, then had to remove the power head and bolt on the other bar--never happened). I personally find that if the wood is on the ground, I have more trouble with a bar too long, than one that is a little short, and have to take a swipe from the other side. Personal pref.

Ive had two saws pinch now thats a B_____ but I have 3 bars so I was able to cut out of it! (very large tree just after felling lots of weight)