Stihl 041 Super

That made me chuckle.

There is a marked difference between the 241 and 261 (especially the 1st gen 261) in the way the saw runs and handles. An 024 (non super) is just an underpowered 026. The 024 Super is just the rarest form of the 026. *shrugs*

 

They are indeed good machines. Also heavy but better ergos, solid-state ignition, higher revving, and better parts availability vs the 041. 038 still uses flathead slotted screws, was the last one before Stihl switched to the Torx screws. Keep a screwdriver around because they do like to vibe loose from time to time. 038 Super would be a great "barn find" and run the heck outta a 25" bar. The Magnum or Magnum II saws are harder to find and typically sell for a big premium if in good shape. Worth keeping an eye out though.

 

I have 3 041AV Supers, those saws are amazing runners. Two of them have DP mufflers that I designed and built, also did some port matching and base gasket deleted. They will not outperform more modern saws (044/440, 046/460) but they most definitely are workhorses. Lower RPM than vertical cylinder saws, but the torque is unmistakable in those old horizontal cylinder saws.....

Those old all-magnesium saws have a special place in my heart. They were built to last. The Stihl 041's did have several different ignition setups over their production span, and those ignitions cannot be mix-and-matched. Both of my running Supers have been converted to points ignition, and I installed an ATOM chip to replace the points. Very reliable and easy to maintain that way.


300 isn't unfair if it's a nice saw, but you've gotta consider the age and lack of safety features when buying a saw to run if you're gonna run it often.

 

Even with the 2nd gen 261 narrowing the weight gap (by a full lb if the paper specs are right?), it's the single-stud 3005 bar mount and the lighter "picco" bars that really make the 241 shine. It just feels better/right for everything that's not a 12"+ trunk. Zoom Zoom.

 

Way back in the early days of FHC, at the first G2G, Scotty Overkill brought his 041S for all of us saw nuts to run. It was pretty surprising how close it ran to a stock MS460, a saw that is at least two decades newer?