Is there much of a difference in quality on bars?

The Total/Tsumura bars are a work of art, but I find mine clog up the rails fairly easy when falling or doing stump work. They wear really well, but I have seen some that the edge chips instead of developing a lip. Kinda a trade off in that you get a hard bar, but it can be brittle.

I usually run whatever I can get a deal on. I’m running total, stihl, oregon, tsumura light and tough, and cannon right now. The cannon is my favorite, then stihl. Oregon bars are definitely a little softer than what they use to be. Forester bars are good for the money in my experience.

 

The Stihl bar lips are easily filed. I don't like that the Tsumara chips.

 

What is the E next to the drive link count designate ?

 

Great choice I've run total/tsumura since the 80s
And for me at least they last the longest.
Never had the chipping issue
They wear out eventually but takes me longer to do it.

 

I’m not sure what that stands for.

 

I stocked up on Tsmura when I got a deal on them. The tips don't hold up well to a lot of bore cutting though.

 

I have Stihl and Oregon bars and no problems. Just remember to flip them every time you sharpen the chain to keep the wear even. Oregon is good IMO and reasonable. OEM is always good too.

 

Willing to pay slightly more for Stihl bars and chains at the local dealer. No $$$ deals there but whenever there is a problem it is taken care of fast.

Example: in our recent temps in the singles, I couldn't get the MS261 to start the usual way. After cleaning the plug, filter, etc..., brought the saw to the dealer thinking it was the coil. Bright huh?
The guy takes the saw, one pull, the damm thing starts. " You weak or something....pull fast and hard....fast and hard," he says. That was it.

 

This seems like a nice bar. I finally have a chance to go out this morning and use it. Now if I could only get a chain on it! I have five freshly sharpened chains for it. That don’t fit! Bar says 72E on it. When I count the links on my chains there are only 70.

Can my chain sharpening shop add two links to all of them? I have a call placed into them now. It’s a part time shop so I’ll wait till he gets back to me.

That’ll teach me.

 

Should be easy to add links , they take them out.

 

The original Husqvarna bars last, but I have found what really makes a bar last is the oil you use! Bought some bargain brand bar oil ( Lordco) along with new bar and chain (Oregon). By the time the chain was worn out, so were the rails on the bar. I only use Stihl oil now with no problems.