New "yellow" chain on my 362

it was time for a new bar and chain on my MS 362. For the first time on this saw, I put on a "yellow" instead of the "green" low kick back chain. I know it was a new chain, so that has to be factored in but I had forgotten how much better these chains cut compared to the low kick back safety chains. Like a hot knife through butter. Does anyone else notice such a big difference in cutting or is it partly my imagination?

 

I have a Poulan Pro 42cc chainsaw with 18" bar, I use a standard low-kickback chain, and I can notice the difference with a new chain vs an older chain that I've sharpened.

I'm still pretty new to cutting and properly sharpening the chains. I can get them sharp, but I don't think I'm getting the right angle on the sharpening as sometimes the saw will pull severely to one side and results in a curved cut that likes to bind on the bar.

It usually requires that I stop and re-file or re-grind the chain, which obviously takes up time and can be a bit frustrating.

I think I'll wait a while till I go away from the low-kickback chains.

Chaz

 

Those green link chains are garbage. The saw should come with the chisel chain when new.


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Get yourself a still RS, or RM if your wood is dirtier. To answer your question, yes, good chains are that much gooder. Just watch your tip and be safe!

 

Yes, those yellow RS Stihl chains are really that good. I ran my 16 yr old 029super with the yellow RS chain directly against a new ms362 with Stihl green chain in the same austrian pine back to back, and the old 029s was much faster cutting than the new pro saw. Both had 16" bars, and both were .063 .325, so I suppose I could have swapped chains to doubly reinforce the yellow chain's dominance.

Although the baileys full chisel ( I think it's lgx, no?) is a great deal compared the Stihl chain.

 

They make full chisel chains with a "green" label.

RSC3.. I like it a bunch, cuts fast and smooth.

RM..yellow label semi chisel
RS.. yellow label full chisel
RM3..green label semi chisel
RS3..green label full chisel

 

The full chisel, green link RS3 still cuts pretty fast, but a lot of guys don’t like it for bore cutting. There’s more raker to file down too when you sharpen it. I prefer the yellow.

 

I run the yellow chains exclusively. I did save a couple green chains that came with used saws on longer bars for stump cutting, but otherwise I give them away.

 

You're missing out on RS3 and PS3

 

It doesn't bore that great but it bucks logs just as quick and limbs nicer.

 

The stihl chains are a little harder steel than oregon or carlton. A bit more less forgiving to hand file. I have a couple of the baileys chains (woodland pro) and i like them. I dont know anyone who would even think about running "saftey chain" on any chainsaw bigger than 45cc. I do have the saftey chain that came with my 550 and it isnt horrible, it just does not cut as fast as the "good stuff".

 

Did you ever run ps3 or rs3?

 

I like the still rs too. Mucho grande compared to the green ime. I converted my bil pretty quick when I showed him the difference. I've been using a bunch of the Oregon lgx as well. Quite a bit cheaper in my neck of the woods compared to the steel chain.

 

There’s no better lo-pro available than PS3

If you can get PS, then get it while you can. My dealer says they can’t get it anymore

 

Once you go Yellow, you'll not want to use Green chains again. If you have any amount of wood to process that is.

 

OK, a question. Looked at the saw today, and I am using Oregon S62 chains, with full chisel teeth.

What exactly constitues 'low kickback'. I thought these were labeled as such but checking the package which hold a used chain, I don't see low kickback mentioned.

Am I reading correctly that the semi chisel are low kickback, and full chisel are not considered low kickback?

 

I don't know, I'm not familiar with Oregon chains, and am nowhere as knowledgeable as others here. I've had the same saw for 15 or 20 years. Been buying the same chain for that saw all along. Yellow chain, one time I bought a green chain as it was all they had and I needed one. I noticed the difference.

 

Thx NH mountain man I'm in a similar boat, purchased the saw at Home Depot about 11 or 12 years ago. Had to ask the people at Tractor Supply about proper replacement chain, they explained drive links and such.. very helpful.

The Oregon brand is what they carry/carried so that's why I use them.
I didn't know of full vs semi chisel till now.
I just knew I had the right chain, and that when sharpened correctly it works great.

I also remember after sharpening the chain a few times, it didn't wanna cut for crap.
It was then that I found out about filing down the rakers also.

 

They make full chisel green "low kickback chain" it's the rake design that makes it safety. I don't like green chain, bit it's the weird large takers that are harder to take down. That said the green chain stays on the hooks in the shed and I use normal chisel chain with normal rakers.

 

Interesting conversation. New to this here and just got my first saw a couple months ago and have been taking down some big stuff with my echo cs-590. It is a low kickback chain, but anyone have an idea who makes them? Would this be comparable to a green stihl? Maybe I need to try out a yellow for some more performance? Staying safe of course... got labonville pro chaps and all the other safety gear..