It's all about the chain...

[thinkxingu]

Sorry for the long post, but I can't seem to shorten it:

I took the advice of the Stihl dealer and went back today after a few months of playing with my MS250 to 'talk shop.' I told him that, although I love the weight, reliability (starts every time, all the time), and ergonomics, I was thinking of stepping up to a bigger saw because sometimes the 250 seems a bit slow. He then proceeded to make me a full-chisel chain, flip the bar, and send me off to play: "If this doesn't do the trick," he said, "come back and I'll let you upgrade your saw. I stand by what I said: this is the right saw for you."
SO, I took it home and it's sa-weet! The saw ate through everything I had: fresh-cut 24" oak (this morning's drop), 2-year old maple and oak, and various other hardwoods.

Other than true beginners, I can't fathom why anyone would stay with a safety chain. The saw worked faster while working less.

Love it!

S

 

[smokinj]

Sorry for the long post, but I can't seem to shorten it:

I took the advice of the Stihl dealer and went back today after a few months of playing with my MS250 to 'talk shop.' I told him that, although I love the weight, reliability (starts every time, all the time), and ergonomics, I was thinking of stepping up to a bigger saw because sometimes the 250 seems a bit slow. He then proceeded to make me a full-chisel chain, flip the bar, and send me off to play: "If this doesn't do the trick," he said, "come back and I'll let you upgrade your saw. I stand by what I said: this is the right saw for you."
SO, I took it home and it's sa-weet! The saw ate through everything I had: fresh-cut 24" oak (this morning's drop), 2-year old maple and oak, and various other hardwoods.

Other than true beginners, I can't fathom why anyone would stay with a safety chain. The saw worked faster while working less.

Love it!

S

that rs chain is a great chain! dirty wood is the only thing that screws with it

 

[Corey]

Hummm? I always thought the low or reduced kickback feature was totally different from the chisel or semi chisel feature? Mainly owing to the fact the raker teeth are very high on the low kickback version which limits the amount of 'bite' the tooth can get while 'normal' chains have a more optimum depth for the rakers but can be pretty vicious when they bite in a kickback situation.

I'd be interested to know how your full chisel chain holds up. I've always heard they cut the fastest, but also dull quickly in anything but very clean wood. This would never fly around here as it always seems carpenter ants drag huge piles of dirt inside some of the old hedge trees I like to cut. So I've stayed away from one. Though I've found my semi chisel works pretty good once I ground the rakers to be 'optimal' for the hedge.

 

[LLigetfa]

Hummm? I always thought the low or reduced kickback feature was totally different from the chisel or semi chisel feature?

Ja, it is unrelated. I've been using nothing but full chisel for more than 25 years and have never used a reduced kickback chain. The last two loops I bought are Stihl RS and I'll never go back to the Oregon chain I was buying before.

 

[mike1234]

I've always felt my 270 was a little underpowered, bogged down a little too much, but I really like how light it was, and I know I am running too long of a bar on it (20").

That did change this week. I'm not sure if you can do it to 250, but I've done muffler mods to both my 290 and (just this week) to my 270. Don't do it until they are out of warranty. My 270 went from my 2nd favorite saw to my favorite saw today. Lighter, faster, and with the mod, stopped bogging down they way it was. I went out to test it, 2 tankfuls of gas later, I was convinced the 270 was the better saw.

Full chisel chains are the only way to go, but I do not tend to stay out of the dirt wither (must be a Kansas thing), so I do sharpen them more often. I've also found that I can sharpen full chisel to cut better than when I bought them (at least that is the way it seems to me), not exactly sure why, maybe I take the rakers down further, but this is not true with safety chains, my best sharpening, is never better to when they are new.

 

[savageactor7]

thinkxingu your post doesn't mention it but... hell ya! If you were using a CYA chain invented for parasite lawyers then any pro chain upgrade would have been an improvement. Good for you for patronizing a dealer ...most of the time they'll look out for you. I can just imagine the look on your face when you started cutting with a real chain.

 

[thinkxingu]

Savage, I was using the 'green' chain that came with the saw ('safety' chain?) and 'hell ya' is a great way to put it--I was truly blown away by the difference.

S

 

[Dune]

Dang. The other day I went to the Jonsered dealer and said I wanted a spare chain. I didn't ask for any special type. I was going to try that full chisel chain, but then I thought, in over 30 years of using saws of all types I've never had an injury. Maybe it is because of the dang safety chain. So I chickened out.

 

[ken999]

There aint nothing safe about running a chainsaw period.

Putting a chain on that makes you work harder at an already hard task in the name of 'safety' is pure BS.

I never could wrap my head around that line of reasoning.

I glad your dealer swapped out that POS for you.

Be careful with the new chain and watch what you touch with the top half of your tip. That's where alot of the trouble comes from with the good chains. Keep your rakers reasonable, watch your tip and you should be fine.

Don't forget the chaps etc. either.

Have fun.