What is the difference in chainsaw chains

In 1947, the founders of Oregon became the inventors of a new form of cutting tooth chipper (sickle shape) for chainsaws. At first it was a small workshop with four employees, and now a world-famous company with a wide range of products.

What kind of company

By 1951, the company entered the world market and began to sell patents. Since 1955, the Swedish Husqvarna began to use Oregon design chains for its chainsaws. Gradually, the whole world switched to the use of chains of a new type. In Russia, they appeared only after 1991 and received the name in everyday life. “hooked”.

At first, Oregon specialized exclusively in manufacturing and improving the design of saw chains. Then she began to produce her own chainsaws under this brand.

In 2004, the bulk of the firm became part of the global concern Blount Incorporation. Today, the specialized company Oregon Cutting Systems, part of Blount Incorporation, is specifically engaged in the production and improvement of saw chains.

Oregon Chain Quality

Oregon Cutting Systems remains a trendsetter in the field today. Of course, this situation obliges manufacturers to keep the brand of the company in two positions:

• product quality, maintaining reputation;
• continuous improvement of the design, implementation of the latest solutions to improve the operational properties of the saw chains.

Today, the Oregon cutting headset is the most popular all over the world. These are products that are quite satisfactory in quality and price for domestic use, and excellent in the more expensive, professional segment.

In price and quality, Stihl can compete with them. Good quality chains from Husqvarna, but the original (not counterfeit) chain from this manufacturer is much more expensive.

Pros and Cons of Oregon Chains

The main plus is stable quality. In Oregon chains, almost no factory marriage occurs, such as:

• too stiff riveting, the links do not add up and the chain wedges;
• inaccurate compliance with strict parameters in thickness, link pitch;
• unsuitable alloys of links (hard burst, soft stretch), teeth (soft, quickly blunt).

Such a marriage may be in small industries, but this is not about Oregon.

All Oregon chains are even in quality, standard, with micron precision fit according to manufacturing tolerances.

The disadvantages include the uncertainty of the origin of individual groups of saw chains. For example, a consumer buys a saw chain with an inscription on an Oregon box, then discovers another honest inscription in smaller print. Made in China. At the same time, it is not known whether this chain was produced at the Oregon enterprise under the control of specialists, from alloys and according to the technology of the company, or a certain Chinese company bought a patent for the right to manufacture its products under this brand.

Be that as it may, but chains for household chainsaws under the Oregon Made in China brand have several disadvantages:

• quickly stretch;
• the teeth quickly become blunt and require frequent sharpening, therefore they quickly grind to an unfit condition;
• teeth wear unevenly.

The last drawback is critical when grinding is required on the machine. The machine is always set to sharpen the smallest tooth, otherwise it will remain unsharpened. As a result, almost whole teeth still grind to the size of one, the smallest. And the whole chain will have to serve for a very short time. When the tooth is less than 4 mm when measuring from above, the chain needs to be changed.

But objectively, even Oregon Made in China is more stable in quality than chains from unknown manufacturers.

Design features

All chains from this manufacturer can be easily distinguished from the others by the inscription oregon on each connecting link of the chain. They also differ in technological and design features.

1. Shiny cutting links, chrome plated.
2. On them, specially applied control notches are clearly visible, which help to control the exact angle of sharpening.
3. The recesses on all the links are designed so that they evenly distribute the oil throughout the chain to exactly where it is needed in the process.
4. All angles and surfaces of Oregon chains in contact with wood are designed to reduce vibration and kickback during operation.

Oregon chains use two basic types of cutting tooth shapes:

1. Chipper (CHIPPER, translated as "chopping into chips"). If you look in profile, it has the shape of a sickle. Rounded on top.
2. Chisel (CHISEL, translated "chisel" or "cutter"). It has the shape of a number 7. Flat on top.

On different models of chains, options are possible, for example, a half-bit tooth (half-eipper), or a micro-diesel.

Oregon Chains Overview

Today, in free sale you can find about 100 different models of chains from Oregon. The most popular of them with a pitch of 0.325, 0.375, a thickness of 1.3 and 1.5, with a different number of teeth depending on the length. These are the chains that are required on the most common household chainsaw models.

Video: What is the difference in chainsaw chains

There are also rare chains. For example, chains for longitudinal sawing. They differ in a different sharpening angle (5-15 degrees instead of 25-35).

Oregon Professional Chains

Professional models include two Oregon circuit models. LGX and LPX.

Model LGX

It is used on powerful chainsaws with a combustion chamber volume of 50 to 80 cubic meters. see. The cutting links have a rectangular chisel type profile (seven). Limiter of depth of cut of a wedge-shaped form. The chain provides a high cutting speed. Withstands heavy loads.

LPX Model

By design, the model is similar to the previous one. But LPX is designed for slightly lower operating loads than LPX. Recommended for lighter chainsaws with a combustion chamber volume of up to 50 cubic meters. see power up to 3 hp

Both of the above models gently enter the wood, do not bounce, therefore they are comfortable in work and safe.

The category “professional” implies that the chains are designed for continuous operation during the work shift for a long time, in contrast to the chains of periodic operation.

The Oregon 20LPX100R saw chain is described in the following video, which also compares it with the Stihl chain and gives some information about the manufacturer:

Oregon Chains for Intermittent Use

By another definition, these are chains for semi-professional use, average in terms of life between professional and domestic.

BPX Model

By design, this model can be called classic, or ordinary. Most of these chains have a thickness of 1.5 mm and a pitch of 0.325, different lengths and number of links.

SpeedCut Model (95TXL)

SpeedCut marking means the chain makes a narrow cut. The guide segments sliding along the groove of the chain have standard 1.3 mm. But the links themselves are already. And as a cutting element there is a micro-chisel, that is, a tooth of the usual form of chisel (seven), but with a smaller width. Thin cut reduces the load on the chainsaw, increases the cutting speed. The chain transfers oil well along its entire length due to the well-thought-out shape of the recesses on the links.

As a result, it is well lubricated, which compensates for a thinner section in terms of service life. It is recommended to use on chainsaws with a combustion chamber volume of up to 55 cubic meters. cm.

DPX / DX Model

It differs in the shape of the cutter. recipient. Designed for sawing problematic wood. dense, dried out, dull and contaminated. The shape of the tooth slightly reduces the cutting speed, but makes the chain more unpretentious in work and sharpening. Easy file management. Even without strict adherence to sharpening angles, it completely restores the ability to cut.

Oregon Chains for Home Use

In addition to a wide selection of saw chains of the usual (classic) design, today Oregon offers several types of the latest and more advanced models.

Model 91VXL

This is a low profile chain for household chainsaws. The height of the cutting tooth is reduced. As a result, the chain captures less wood. This reduces the cutting speed, but less stress on the chainsaw. Wood is sawn more smoothly and gently, vibration and the possibility of rebounds are reduced.

Model 91VXL Multi-cut

A chain marked Multi-cut means that this model has cutting elements with increased strength. The chain can cut frozen wood, not dull from ice and snow. Saws hardwood, dull knots, stumps. When sawing ordinary wood, sharpening is required about 2 times less than on a conventional chain.

Model 90PX

The 90PX belongs to the Micro-lite model series. These are narrow chains that provide an unprecedented cutting speed due to the low resistance of wood. Unlike narrow-profile chains, for example, SpeedCut 95TXL, Micro-lite has narrowed not only the cutting part, but the entire chain. The thickness of the guide segments and the groove of the tire under them is 1.1 mm.

Until then, the minimum generally accepted standard was a thickness of 1.3 mm. These chains can be put on many running models of household chainsaws, but complete with a tire with a groove thickness of 1.1 mm, respectively.

Model 91P

Differs in universality of use. The unique shape of the half-cutter. half-cutter makes it equally easy to cut construction wood and trim gardens.

Model 91 POWERSHARP

The POWERSHARP system is a new word in this area. The tires and chains of this series allow you to sharpen the chain during operation, thanks to the abrasive tool integrated in the tire.

Oregon or Stihl: what to choose and why

There are ongoing debates on this topic among users of chainsaws.

Oregon Made in China chains are not considered. They are of some other type.

There is no doubt a universally recognized leader, because the Oregon and Stihl cutting headsets are about the same level in quality. There is a difference, but at the level of nuances that are not always noticeable during operation:

1. Oregon chains stretch faster than Stihl because they are made from softer alloys, but the links never burst. over, they stretch harder in the summer, in the heat. It affects heating to a higher temperature than in winter.
2. Stihl chains are made of harder alloys, less stretch, but the links sometimes burst.
3. Oregon cutting teeth are easier to sharpen. Some put this as a plus. But this is a minus. it is easier to sharpen. they blunt faster because the alloy is softer.
4. Stihl cutting teeth are harder to sharpen, but no longer require sharpening.
5. It is recommended to use a saw headset of the same company on Stihl chainsaws, similarly, native chains are ideally suited for Oregon chainsaws.

For other indicators, you can not compare all the chains in bulk from Oregon and Stihl. Each manufacturer has a big difference for specific models.

Oregon Chain Reviews

Feedback from Mikhail, Kaluga. Oregon chains are good when not in China, but in the United States. I drink firewood to fellow villagers, there is always a lot of work, all year round. I use these chains. Of course, I would like an eternal chain and not to be dull at all, but there are none. Because these are satisfied.

Feedback from Sergey, Kursk. Specially for the test, I bought two chains, Oregon and Stihl. Oregonovskaya stretches faster. Links from softer metal. Stihl stretches less, metal is more rigid, red-hot. But this is a plus and minus. as a result, one link burst on the Stihl chain. And soft metal cannot burst, it stretches.

Conclusion

As you can see, Oregon launches new types and designs of chains, sharpening technologies, alloys and lubrication systems. This suggests that the company still does not intend to concede its leading position in this area.