Husqvarna XCut

[Mike M.]

Here we go, brand new XCut chain from Husqvarna. Been waiting to try one out. Will give it a run this weekend. Dealer soaked me $30, will see if its worth it.

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[Medic21]

I’ve been waiting to try some too. Do they have 3/8th pitch yet?

What i saw was price point will probably not be enough for me to switch from Stihl chains.

 

[Mike M.]

I’ve been waiting to try some too. Do they have 3/8th pitch yet?

What i saw was price point will probably not be enough for me to switch from Stihl chains.

I think they have 3/8 for the new 572XP. The dealer I was at only had .325 on hand.

 

[SpaceBus]

What is the intended market for this product? Is this a geometry change? I read their website information, but it seems to mostly be marketing fluff with no actual data. I've been very impressed with the OEM Husq full chisel and Oregon full chisel replacement chains. Will this really hold an edge longer? It seems like a "too good to be true" kind of thing for $20-30...

 

[Mike M.]

The XCut appears to be semi chisel which I had thought would slow it down some. Not the case, this is the fastest chain that I have ever used. I was cutting maple with it yesterday and was very impressed. The cutter top plate does seem to be narrow which might have something to do with the speed. It clears chips very well. I am happy with my purchase, have to do more cutting to see how it holds an edge, I suspect it will stay sharp for a long time with the blued cutters it has.

 

[SpaceBus]

I asked my dealer about them yesterday. He said it's going to probably be the best chain you've ever used until it needs to be sharpened. There is a downside, the consumer will never get that chain as sharp as new. It seems to be much more of a homeowner occasional use item designed to last forever. I don't see any benefit to the firewood burner over a comparable regular semi chisel that could be sharpened easier and returned to a like new state repeatedly.

 

[Mike M.]

I asked my dealer about them yesterday. He said it's going to probably be the best chain you've ever used until it needs to be sharpened. There is a downside, the consumer will never get that chain as sharp as new. It seems to be much more of a homeowner occasional use item designed to last forever. I don't see any benefit to the firewood burner over a comparable regular semi chisel that could be sharpened easier and returned to a like new state repeatedly.

Husqvarna sells an updated file designed for this chain. I will file mine and it will be sharper then new out of the box, guaranteed. I don't believe a word that dealer is telling you. Designed for "occasional use" that must be why this chain is standard on the new 550XP Mark II and the 572XP professional saws.

 

[SpaceBus]

Husqvarna sells an updated file designed for this chain. I will file mine and it will be sharper then new out of the box, guaranteed. I don't believe a word that dealer is telling you. Designed for "occasional use" that must be why this chain is standard on the new 550XP Mark II and the 572XP professional saws.

Wow, perhaps he is mistaken then. I'm actually thinking about ordering a granberg electric sharpener bar mounted jig because filing five chains by hand (even with the granberg jig I already have) is getting tedious. Hopefully over time as I become more proficient with saws I won't beat up my cutters so bad and hand filing with the jig won't be so bad. Is a hand file required for this new chain? I'm still learning, so please forgive my ignorance.

 

[Mike M.]

Hand filling takes practice. Use a bench vise to hold the saw bar. Take your time. 2 or 3 pushes on each cutter is about all it takes. Sharpen every tank of fuel if you can. For bad chains that have hit something I prefer the Oregon bench grinder.

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[SpaceBus]

Hand filling takes practice. Use a bench vise to hold the saw bar. Take your time. 2 or 3 pushes on each cutter is about all it takes. Sharpen every tank of fuel if you can. For bad chains that have hit something I prefer the Oregon bench grinder.

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Well... Nowhere for a work bench yet. I use a larger round with a field vise on top of my tough box. The Granberg file-n-jig has really elevevated my chain sharpening game, but I really just need to stop finding stones with my saws ...

 

[SpaceBus]

I only put two tanks max on one loop. I usually just swap the chain and flip the bar and then file them all at once.

 

[salecker]

There isn't a factory chain that will be as sharp as a chain hand filed by someone who knows how to file.
Period. Stop.

 

[SpaceBus]

There isn't a factory chain that will be as sharp as a chain hand filed by someone who knows how to file.
Period. Stop.

Well, I just used a chain today I spent quite a while cleaning up. It's an OEM Husky full chisel from my 460. It ripped today. I ran five tanks through it cutting for hours and it didn't skip a beat. It's better than it was new and better than both Oregon full chisel chains I snagged a few months ago.

 

[Dobish]

Well... Nowhere for a work bench yet. I use a larger round with a field vise on top of my tough box. The Granberg file-n-jig has really elevevated my chain sharpening game, but I really just need to stop finding stones with my saws ...

Yep, I hear that.... and old toys buried in trees...