Also, buy a set of chainsaw chaps if you don't have some already. Doesn't hurt to be too safe around these things.

 

used to sell alot of saws. we were an authorized stihl dealer.

i would recommend the 441. well built, amazing anti vibration system, and plenty of power. just keep the fuel as fresh as possible and use a high octane with proper oil.

 

Hey DJ the Stihl website does not say if the 441 as a compression release. But some of the small pro saws do. Do you know some of the common features of the 441? Thanks....

 

i would not buy the 441 just yet. we are having some problems with rhe mount screws wearing into the case and some vapor lock trouble under hard use(falling and hotshot). fuel line routed out of air box and into cyl. area. stilh working on it but right now my 440 guys are getting 460mag. GET CHAPS AND WEAR THEM!
Clark

 

Hey darkvader do you log for a living? Where does you experience with the 441 come from? What are the main differences from the 441 and 460?

Thanks...

 

All you sthil boys need to try some huskys,HEY Darkvader, My uncle was a faller and firecrew (not hotshot) for CDF, BLM and USFS! rock on! HE ran his own husky though, he always said that guys who dont know better or don't buy their own saws run sthil, but if they are smart and buy their own they run huskys, so I am a little bias. I own a 61 , 261(w/decomp) both with 28" bars and semi-chisel full comp (I also keep an 18 for both as well), and they pull chips in the toghest of woods and start on the first pull. IMO husky's power/weight ratio has always been better, ran a 66 with a 36" bar and a newer 385xp with the decomp valve and 48" bar both so sweet! ran the Farm boss for awhile at my folks place with an 18" bar, thing would never start, and boy was it heavy. But I have to admit I have on 084av sitting in the garage with a 60" on it, and a 20"on the side(overkill but it never boggs, like running a hot saw) got it in trade, guy didn't know what he had so I got a bargin, but still husky all the way, and no low kickback chain!!!

Thats my two cents. Amen to the saftey gear, chaps, hearing, face(my fav is the Peltor lumberjack helmet system) and good boots!

PS, if money were no object, get a 3120xp with a 24"bar, and 3/4 pitch chain!!! !!!

 

While I don't have experience with either of those particular saws, I worked in a shop that sold both husky and Stihl , and If i was buying a saw , i would buy a stihl any day of the week , they were the better saw , we saw less of them come back for repairs , and we sold more of them. I had some experience with the old 044 , and have nothing bad to say about it at all, the 440ms was just coming out onto the market when i got out of the business.

 

i am a stihl and husky dealer. the 460(6.1hp) is larger(power wise) version of the 440(5.4hp)(now discontinued and replaced by the 441). the 441(5.5hp) weighs more.many(most) of the parts are used by both the 440 and 460. almost no parts are interchangable between the 441 and the 440/460. most of my 440 people have backup saws and parts saws, the parts of which they could not use on a 441, hence the move to the slightly more expensive but proven 460. one of my hotshot crews has 8 441 and is not a happy camper. stihl is addressing this(441) and will solve the problems but i woild wait a bit. as a side note: the husky 570/575 which is replacing the 365/372 has the same parts interchaneability problem, nothing fits. not a problem if you have one saw or are starting new with 575. the 575 and the 441 both weight more than the saws they are replacing.
Clark

 

Thanks for the Info Clark. I will go with the 460 for sure. Going to the 460 from my 20" Poulan Pro will be a nice change.

 

Is it me or do the Huskies really scream? My dad has a Husky and my friend has a Stihl, the Husky seems like it makes HP with RPM.

I have never run a saw like my dad's Husky, it flat out cuts.

 

Amen, as for sthils, and huskys, they are on the top of the pile for sure, my huskys have never let me down, but my folks farmboss sure did, but I have that 084av so I geuss I have a foot in both doors.

 

again: CHAPS CHAPS CHAPS. my wife has discovered when i take them off all the bar oil,dirt,filth is left with them. not only are you safer. your wifes washing machine is happier and so are you.
Clark

 

441 does have a decompressor. from what i remember anyways.

personally i would take a stihl over a husky any day. husky's only have 1 piston ring.

 

..........and even if that were true, how does it make a Husky any less good than a comparable Stihl?

Didn`t you say that you formerly worked for a Stihl dealer? I guess that you still spread the Stihl propaganda...........but you`ve conveniently forgotten that Stihl has had single ring models also. Not all Huskies are single ring and those that are aren`t known for ring failures.

I run Huskies, Stihls, and even a Dolmar 7900. I don`t consider myself at all biased since I know how good Husky 371s and 372s are(I own a few) as well as the 460s which I have three of. Each model has it`s strengths and weaknesses. I haven`t seen any appreciable difference in the MTBFs in either Husky or Stihl although the rings in the Dolmar seem to be weaker, but then it`s only about 15 bucks and 20-25 minutes to change them out. When the Dolmar is running at it`s best it has the best power to weight ratio of the three saws I`ve listed.

Now to address a few questions:

I checked out the 441 and I wasn`t impressed, it`s too porky for it`s power, just like the 575 Husky that I have. It`s been rumored that Stihl is coming out with a 461 which if they do their homework and redesign it as they did with the 360 to 361 they will have a real winner in this displacement range.

Full compliment chain is less prone to kickback than skip chain, this is fact. If you can`t accept this then consider what do the chain manufacturers do to chain to make it low kickback? That`s right, they make the gaps between teeth smaller. Full comp chain will also cut faster than any variety of skip sequence unless you are running a long bar or some other factor is making chip clearance a problem. Speaking of long bars, most guys 6' tall and under find a 20"-25" bar about right to cut with without bending over too often. Longer bars are for cutting larger diameter trees of course, but I believe that most firewooders aren`t cutting enough trees over 24" to justify running a longer bar but it is a personal and regional choice. Guys on the east coast like myself are confident enough in our manhood that we use the shortest bars we can, I most often use a 16 or 20.

The primary cause of kickback is using the upper quadrant of the bar tip for cutting. A tooth catches or bumps and pushes the spinning chain back toward your head. This is why it`s so important to fully grip the front handlebar with your thumb wrapped around it rather than using the monkey grip where all of your fingers face forward as they wrap the bar. Held properly, the front bar may rotate in your grip at kickback but you should never lose your grip and if it does rotate the brake flag will contact your wrist, activating the brake.

Treat your new saw with respect West Coast, not fear, and it will serve you very well. Fresh gas, good oil, and sharp chain are all very important. Other things that too many saw users overlook are keeping the air filter clean and periodically cleaning the saw dust out of the saws nooks and crannies, especially the engine fins.

 

Wow, it sounds like you need some time on that saw. Don't get hurt. Get somebody w/ some experience to get you started out and get some chaps and steel toe boots. Asking what kickback is and calling the bar a blade sent up some red flags. Sorry, I've seen some pretty bad cuts in my day, but the chainsaw wounds are the worst. Anyway, the Stihl or the Husky are both excellent choices. I've moved towards the husky recently after running one for a while, power and balance. Kurt