Husqvarna vs Stihl Chainsaws Why I Switched to Stihl
For over 20 years I used both Husqvarna and Stihl chainsaws. This gave me a good time. To compare Stihl versus Husqvarna chainsaws. About 10 years ago I switched to Stihl only. I go over why I think Stihl is the better choice for the logging I am doing. I also explain why I use long bars on my chainsaws even when I am cutting small material. 
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It's all about the local dealer.
True
This is why I run Stihl.
We had a Stihl dealer in town and the Husky dealer was 50 miles away. The Stihl dealer is good, if he wasn’t I’d make the drive.
I use to run Stihl and Husqvarna, but only run huskys now due to an ownership change with my local Stihl dealer, service was shit and getting parts from them was difficult, kept my older Stihls and source parts for them from outside suppliers
Excellent point, the Stihl dealer local to me just closed. So I would probably go Husqvarna next time.
I've ran both saws myself. I've always had better luck with Stihls. But the thing is with people on showing which is faster is that one of the two has a dull chain. So I'm not going to put down either one because I may have to use it. What I'm saying is. My favorite saw and car or truck is the one that gets the job done.
I've run both too and I prefer the Husqvarna saws .....to each there own I guess .
Yeah I think a lot of it can come down to how they maintain the saw and the chain.
@@WilsonForestLands right. Like I said. I've ran both saws. They both are really good saws. I lean more to Stihl.
Husqvarna vs Stihl, Cadillac vs Lincoln... forget about it.
Yeah my girl friend likes a longer shaft too.
I've been a Stihl guy and a Dodge guy for many years now, and I got a good laugh from the "ribbing" you gave us Dodge folk....I appreciate good natured humor like that, keep up the great channel, good advice and friendly jousting!😊
maintain the saw, check and clean the air filter daily, use clean fresh real gas, and sharpen the chain. ✌
That's the trick but you forgot "drive a cummins"!!!!😂
Perfect balance of sensible reason, simple humor, a professional opinion based on experience. You didn’t waste my time and you hooked me quick- I’m subscribing.
Like Buckin says, long bar , stand up and buck, saves your back.
Buckin army !
I currently own husqvarnas, stihls, 2 jonsereds, and one makita/dolmar. I recall an older makita dcs 6401 that was a rental saw from Home Depot. They used to sell them after a year of being rentals. I think I paid $200 for it. I never used it as a 6401. I immediately purchased an aftermarket big bore kit from Bailey’s. That was the best starting chainsaw I’ve ever had. It routinely fired on the 1st pull with choke when cold, and started on the 2nd pull. It turned heads too. People would see the Makita blue and ask what it was. After hearing it was a Makita they assumed it was crap. The big bore kit jumped it up to 84cc. I was able to run a 32” bar and chain. Loved that saw. Unfortunately my friend shoved a large chunk of silver maple from about 15’ up and crushed it.
I worked with and on both makes, both saws are great saws, the vairables that make how well saws perform are often due to fuel quality & mix, atmospherics. Then of course the saw operator and the mechanic who services and repairs them. My favorite saw ever was a Husky 266 that was in the mid eighties. Whatever make, it has to be better than a two man cross cut and axe which my grandad used 🤔
still have my 266 and 272. Had a compression release installed on the 272 and I have no problem with starting. 32 in bar and I don't have to bend over.
I started on a 254 in the 80s. They were good saws but when the weather got over 90° they were hard to start. Dealer told us to use aviation fuel because of vapor lock. May have helped a little but when the weather got hot we grabbed the Stihls.
@@WilsonForestLands We have the opposite issue with snow. Stihl does not like powdery snow all that much, but the newer models have gotten better about that.
I used to heli log here in British Columbia and we used to use both brands. I found the stihls were easier to work on and we had less trouble with them,even with me getting pissed off and overhead throwing the 066s down the hill, bouncing off logs,little or no damage at all. If the saw was pinched in a big slabby cedar,there was a good chance the chain and/or bar wasn’t coming out so you would have to take the powerhead off,the Husky saws could be a bitch in tight spots because of the outboard clutch whereas the Stihl popped right off. I currently have a sweet 066,a low hr 038 magnum 2 and an ms 200T for climbing duties. 😊
It's nice to have a local dealer, we have one who's great and reliable and another who's hit and miss. My opinion is both are pretty comparable and reliable and there is always a lemon if it's man made. It runs down to how you take care of your machine and how sharp you keep your chain. I've bought a lot of old vintage saws that were never cleaned. Pretty sad how most won't take the time to clean their saw after using it.
I run castor 927 in all of my husqvarna 2 stroke equipment and it removed alot of my problem plus it smells so good. I ran out of mix one day and just happened to have it mixed 50:1 for my atv so I used it and have never went back. Equipment starts great and the motor outlasts everything else. I have been using that mix in a weed eater now for 20 years without problems. By the way I also use it in my stihl saws to without issue.
Been running my stihl ms310 for over 15 years with only keeping the air filter clean. No problems.
Being a faller on a wildland fire crew the saw we use are stihls because that’s who the government has a contract with. Most are 038 or 044 with long bars. Personally I do own both with the biggest being the 441. Both brands are good for me I take really good care of them. I enjoy the Saturday night round table.
A faller on a wildland Fire crew probably knows what he’s talking about. Glad you like the round table. It’s still new for us, we are still trying to iron some of the wrinkles out of it.
I run Stihl, Husquvarna and Jonsered when I used to cut timber and found all of them was great saws and all of them was bad saws as well. The saw that feels good in your hands and that you can get good dealer support is the saw you should run!
Similar experience to me. I started with a Husky almost a decade ago. Had starting issues occasionally, which were really annoying, and had to replace a few parts here and there. Bought a Stihl last year and it's been very good to me so far. No starting issues, too soon to tell how it'll hold up though.
I hear ya. I like a long bar for the same reason. I've burnt firewood for my primary heat source for 30 plus years. Buckin logs to stove length I often use a Husky 576 with a 28in bar and it saves me from bending over alot.
I have used both Stihl and Huskey, both are great, but I just love how a Stihl feels in my hand for a pro saw. same as you said, I never noticed anything different about either one matched in size etc. But one thing Husky has a better air filter for their 90cc class, I had to buy a max-flow for my 661.
I used husky 371and 372 for 20 years logging in Michigan. I had at least 10 new huskies in that time. The newer ones I had started going through crank bearings pretty quick. I got tired of it and started using stihl. Also the huskies would frost up on below zero days and wouldn’t idle.The Stihls last quite a bit longer and have a lot fewer problems in my case. I’ve been using stihl for 10 years now and I haven’t had a bad one yet in there pro saws. I’m sure the homeowner ones are far less robust.
Interesting, I've found the exact opposite. My Stihl saws are hard to start and don't run worth a damn in the cold. The husky doesn't seem to mind the cold nearly as much. If I've got a Stihl as a back up saw I have to get a little fire going to keep it warm, otherwise it's almost impossible to start.
Funny I had the same problem with the crank bearings with husky’s I’ve run ran and still run a jonsered 2095 for a long time without a single problem but have recently switched to echo now that they are making a bigger saw and also a better warranty than stihl or husky and they cut great
@@tfilson50 The Jonsered has a husky engine with husky crank since 1978. I have never had that problem on a husky for 40 years. I think the fuel mix can be the case.
I love that even though you wore out the Stihl MS 362 four years ago, you still keep it around. It’s hard to get rid of tools that you love, even when they no longer work.
I like a sharp saw and dealer service. The only saw I didn't like for dropping trees is the 500I just due to throttle response when trying to slowly cutting up to the hinge.
I think a better phrase would have been "more thoughtful." 😉 My son sells both Husky and Stihl and I've got all Stihl equipment... I went that way before he started working there. The first one I bought was because Stihl has been a supporter of Ruffed Grouse Society--I used saws they donated when I took Game of Logging training. After that it was because the Husky auto tune was very problematic. The tree service guys I know had all kinds of problems with auto tune and the shop had a lot of warranty claims to address. I've never looked back... currently own 8 Stihls including 4 pro saws and a pole saw.
My local dealer sells both Stihl and Husqvarna. They keep them at opposite ends of the showroom. They also sell Mahindra and Kioti tractors, which are intermingled on the floor, and the lot outside. You make a great point about the bar length advantage of not having to bend over so much. I'll consider it next time I'm shopping for a saw. Thanks and thumbs up.
I've work in the Maine woods most of my life and I'd love to see him cut trees down here and climb out Spruce and fir with that REDICULES BAR!!! and carry it on a skider LMFAO!😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣
I think he would do especially fine with his long bar in the spruce/fir woods of Maine. it’s all about ergonomics
Love the humor you put into your videos. I’ve owned second gen, stick shift, diesel dodge trucks for over 20 years and yes, every thing great about dodge trucks are not made by dodge. Fortunately we have a thing called a free market, so there are a lot of people that make great replacement parts that don’t fall apart so quickly. Some times it seems like they are going out of their way to make stuff as poorly as possible. I have both husky and stihl saws, all of them are older and are ported. Despite being in New England, I prefer long bars for the same reason, little to no back pain.
I have both, but think on balance, for me, Stihl is my first choice for new saws, but I do like stubby short bars. More power and control. handier in tight spots, lighter, faster to sharpen, but my back does ache sometimes .....
Damn good explanation video. I have and use both the Stihl 362cm &462cm on the 362 i run a 28" bar really love the balance it gives, and on the stihl 462cm i run a 36" bar and that is my go to saw on wildland fire lines. I run the Stihl saw because of my local dealer, and the availability of parts on fires!
When it comes to trucks, I dont want to give other drivers any ideas. It's all about the branding. I'd rather the other drivers Dodge instead of Ram.
Agree about the dealer support. Both Stihl and Husky are equally good. My only complaint is the ergonomics of Stihl saws. They feel awkward for some reason to me and vibrate more. Husky just seems to be smoother in the vibe dept to me as well. But I would not hesitate to go with Stihl if the dealer was better. I am lucky to have a great Husky dealer close. In the end run what you like and be happy. Because either will get the job done.
Great topic Michael! I have been a Husqvarna guy for 30 years, and my mechanic finally convinced me to switch to Echo X Series after years of ranting about it. The 7310 and 620 have been as good as any Husqvarna or Stihl I've ever owned under heavy work conditions. I prefer the 32 Inch Bar myself, the 7310 runs perfect with it here in Vermont USA.
I have a 32 on my 661c and I like it. I keep a 22 on my echo 620. im not tall so I don't have to do a lot of stooping but still nimble when limbing hardwoods.
@@mattfleming86 The 661 is a fine Saw, I'm 6 ft 2, so I'm a stooper...lol
@@HardRockVermont My opinion is.. skewed.. i had to buy a used one for financial reasons and it has been a money pit LOL. Still ended up with a GREAT deal on it.. but I like the overall build qualities of my echoes better. I was able to get such a good deal on it BECAUSE of stihl's choice to use plastic caged crank bearings. Failed and plasticwent through the top end, took out oil pump, damaged the plastic shields. I was able to go back with a metal caged bearing on flywheel side but i'm locked into dealer parts on the pto side. That said, it cuts like a banshee and has a lot of power for it's weight. Handles well. It can be a hard starter at times but it still has the first edition solenoid and mtronic setup. So that will either all be replaced eventually or I may go standard carb on it. Last batch of miscellaneous parts should be in next week... Then i'll tackle that. Even in its current "cranky" state it is a monster as far as power goes. We run autotune huskies at work and about ~25% of them are just as hateful. Especially the 562s. I guess if there were "perfect" saws there would only be one brand and just a couple models.
@@mattfleming86 Ya, I hear that. I am not a fan of Auto Tune, some of the operators that I know have to keep bringing it back to the Pro Shop for tuning, which is a pain. I was a 390 XP guy for years, and it still is a fine Saw, it's just that my mechanic is very good, and he wouldn't push the X Series Echo onto me if it wasn't Pro durability and power. He knows I cut all kinds timber, dead rot, Logging, and Firewood on my family farm.
That’s another thing I heard a lot about on the short video I made a couple years ago. A lot of people really like Echo. Because of all those comments I was thinking about trying Echo but it looked like they were a little bit heavier. Also our echo dealer said they don’t have light bars available. I could be wrong about that. If our echo dealer was not in such an out of the way place for me I might consider trying one. I might anyway at some point.
I bought a Stihl FS66 weed eater in 1985 and still have it , its never been rebuilt. Last year I bought a Husqvarna 550xp ii and this year I bought a 572xp , so far I love them.
I still use a 044 with a 28" bar. Starts on second pull. Not sure how many bars it's been through. Always run full-synthetic redline racing 2-stroke oil. Just over the hill from you in Philomath.
My 044 has been the most long lived reliable saw I have ever had. Doesn’t quite have the power my 462 has but I do like to run it once in a while.
@@WilsonForestLands I have an 044 that I bought in 1997 and it still runs like a top. You can't kill it. I just bought a 462 and am going to have it ported in June. The guy doing the porting said I should get the 044 ported and that I would see a big difference. He is going to port my 200T which I am rebuilding as well.
Well, now that's a well thought, well spoken video. Lots of wisdom in this one. A professional logger once told me: 'You know, they all make good saws (Echo, Stihl, Husqvarna). It comes to what you buy and what you do with it. If you buy quality, you usually have some for the money.. No one is that much better than the other'. And this guy helped me undertand the truth of the matter.
Bought my first husky 238 around 1977 and it was bulletproof. Have stuck with husky and never had a bad saw or one that wouldn't start. Have dealt with 2 husky dealers over the past 50 years. Both have been great but only 1 is still in business. Never tried a stihl but have heard they are good. Both brands are expensive now.
Wise words spoken by a man with experience. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
i love both stihl and husky and my dodge lol, i got many of both saws but husky will never cut circles around a stihl.
What a voice of reason in today’s sea of loud voices and such strong opinions about so many things that don’t matter that much. Thank you!!!
I'm liking your videos more all the time. I've never worked as a faller or maintained forest lands but enjoy your sense of humor
I've never cut with a Stihl. My first saw was a husky and when I decided to replace it for a big tree job, I bought 4 5 series XP's. Didn't even consider the Stihl because I was used to, and happy with the ergonomics and controls of the Husky. Dealer gave me tremendous service and I've never regretted it. (until this past Wednesday when I needed a couple chains for the 562 and 572. The dealer was closed, and none of the hardware stores, mower shops, big box stores.... carried chains in the .058 gauge. Stihl chains were everywhere though. Still happy with my Husky's, but perhaps I should have given the Stihl a look since it's so much easier around me to find stuff for.)
They make both make great saws I feel like husky dealers are hard to find and Stihl is everywhere
I have both brands - like them equally.
I don't climb and trim/cut like 20 years ago. My saw of choice Jonsered, own several. For me it's all about the service I can get from my local dealer. He sells Stihl, Husqvarna and will order Jonsered if you want. In my case he services what he sold to me. Nothing compares to my 2094 and its been rebuilt twice. As you said it's all about maintenance, it's not difficult to pick out a well maintained unit and an owner who views their saw as an investment.
Well stated points of view and informative. Thanks
3:33 time stamp to 3:55 yup agree!!!…. Then the dealer part. Yup.
I'm not a professional but a chainsaw enthusiast, hobbyist, help my neighbors and sell some hardwood if I can get my hands on it. I've only ran one professional saw. I purchased a Husqvarna 365 from my local dealer last year. I love it. Stock, full chisel 3/8" chain with a 20'' pro tip bar. For general cutting, down blow and storm debris I like my Husqvarna 455 Rancher. We have a lot of Balsam Fir in the southern Adirondacks of upstate NY. I'm happy to have a nice small 40V Husqvarna 120i. There are literally a hundred limbs on those give or take. Its nice to have that handy without having to stop the saw or keep it idling with the chain break on to create a safer work area. Sorry got off track. I love Husqvarna, they suit me well and just feel great in the hands. I have nothing against Stihl or Echo, owned both and like them. Just Husqvarna is my preference. Great quality at an affordable price.
I have a mix of equipment,husky ground saws, climbing saw,stihl hedge cutters,pole saw,blowers .both are great just prefer husky saws .t540 starts easy ,bigger hand grip and starts faster than my bosses 201 ...i love both manufacturers.i have no affiliation to either brand .stihl 700 back blower is a beast 👍👍👍 each to their own .thanks for posting
Interesting video. I run both Husqvarna and Stihl equipment in my business. My preference depends on the type of tool & application. I do a lot of brushcutting, grass strimming, hedge trimming, lawnmowing & chainsaw work. If I had to choose, I would say any 5 series (professional) Husqvarna products have been flawless for me. For 2 stroke machinery, I find Husqvarna has a slight edge in terms of ergonomics & serviceability. Literally, just in the past week, I've invested in a Stihl professional lawnmower and have been highly impressed with it. Both companies produce quality machinery. I'm fortunate that dealer support is equally good in my area.
Good stuff!! I own a 462 as well, with a 28" bar. I wish I'd have gone with a 32". I'm not a professional cutter, but i cut a lot of wood. I'm 6'-3", and a longer bar really helps my 71 year old back! 😅
As a Swede, I find it interesting that a 25" bar is a short one. Here we usually use much shorter bars. I would guess 13-18" bars are used in like 95% of all chainsaws here. My really big bar used to be 20", and only used two times. Now I have bigger bars for my Stihl ms 881, but that's because I use it for milling lumber.
A bigger bar on a bigger saw is for me better for bucking. I just hate laying on the ground, and all bendy and stuff. Where i can just stand there and let the saw do its thing.
A big part of the West Coast , long bar length thing is . When a faller goes to work every morning, it's as wide open a non stop , in the cut, on the ground and on the hat (if they are bushlin) dash to 6 or 6 1/2 hours . Burning any where from 1.5 to 3 gallons of saw gas (depending on the timber being cut and the saw). Very often, the ground is all broken up, tremendous amount of underbrush ect. And , when limbing and bucking on steepish slopes, when a bucked log drops it usually rolls or swings someplace . Plus, we limb usually via walking on the tree. A long bar let's us be farther away from where things are going to pop. If a cutter can do their limbing and bucking all while walking on the ground. And the ground is fairly flat then a short bar like a 28" and shorter can be nice and useful. . I tried cutting with 28" bars when I was working my career on the coast . Just too short. Less of a safety margin for me and my saws. And less production by the end of the day. A 30" bar was much much better. And was my go to length in many places. But , there is good reasons that 32, 34 and 36" bars are the norm for West coast fallers.
I've been using Stihl saws since age 14, helping my elder brother, bought my very own 044 early 1994 and is still using it. But... now at 65 I do feel it's somewhat heavy. Husqvarna is rather rare here bcos there's no distributor and service centre. Anyway, I'm using 24" bar for felling and cutting 30" bar for ripping.
I've ran both for a long time I've got a 046 mag that is my go to and a husky 372 for me just depends on what im working on that day
This was very informal video. I need to get longer bar and replace my 13” bar, since im 6,2’ tall. I did not realize how much bending is wasted with shorter bars. Thanks for sharing !
Speaking of trucks - I just saw a short video where a young man was going over a window sticker of new F350, diesel, crew, limited. Every bell and whistle. It stickers at a whopping $102,000!
Yep. Insane.
I have a good friend who works at a Ford dealership. He has been telling me about some of the prices. it’s insane.
I run a 28 inch bar on a 440 magnum, think I may try that 32 inch lite. I like the long bar too. Stihl saws seem to transmit less vibration than other X brands.
Dodge guy here, i like both saws, but currently run Huski. At work we have a stihl and it had some problems, but even a guy like me figured out how to fix em. Buy what you like, but more important, you gotta like what you bought.
It is a religion, those who believe in FORD trucks, and STIHL saws have seen the light, and will be deeply rewarded. Good on you sir
Ford lol
I admire your philosophy. That said I recently got a Stihl with the “easy pull”. I prefer the regular start. A quick logger story. Years ago I was a highway trucker and had to wait till morning to load lumber. Went into the Oregon bar and wound up arm wrestling a sawyer. Held him a while and I still remember his pals ragging him for not beating a “highway trucker “. He did win but a fun night with those guys for sure
Yup...just like a holy war. My favorite saw is the saw that has a sharp chain and runs! But some guys......want you to know they are better and smarter than you are because they have the "right and better equipment" than you have.
Sharp chain and runs, that’s my kind of saw.
The last Dodge I bought was because of the 12v Cummins and Dana rears. Had no control over the Dodge truck wrapped around it. Occasionally buy used Stihl's when I see a screaming deal and have enough for the rest of my days. I bought a Husky Rancher 55 for cheap and it works fine. It practically lives in the back of my truck and I don't worry if it gets stolen.
That's what she said..."I like the long one!" haha Great vid.
The moment after I said it I knew I was going to get a comment like this. 😂
Back when I was doing smallwood logging the Huskies were more powerful for their weight. These days I have a Stihl for home duties as it was cheaper and a bit less complicated. Having read some of the comments I think I would go for an Echo as I have a blower and a a trimmer from Echo that i have found to be reliable and simple for maintenance. As far as bar length goes, I had some training from Scandinavian loggers that promoted shorter bars and ergonomic techniques that were desirable in smallwood pine logging and that has stuck with me long after I was young and fit enough to make it worthwhile 🙃. Also I was given a Makita saw that was super reliable and low tech but I broke the throttle mechanism and had to throw it away ☹
Our Boy Scout Camp is having a yard sale later this year to get rid of everything except the Stihl saws, we have a couple Huskies and a bunch of echos that just don’t get used, the 044 I grab the most has 10/99 written on it, 25 years and going strong but I’d bet these saws only see 25 days and 100 hours a year on average so it’ll probably last for another 25 as they are professionally maintained each winter
It come down to personal choice l have Stijl family one for all uses. I have used both but for me the difference the weight and balance.The latest saw professional light weight about 5.7kg and 59 cc for cutting large hardwood eucalyptus for firewood. I used to do it with a ms 250 with a 18 inch bar.The pro saw can do logs in one go and the power makes it less tiring and the best it only weighs about 700 grams more perfect.Each to their own.
I too have a long weed whacker.
Love my lil stihl 170, relaible 10 pulls to start, 8 full choke 2 no choke and it always fires. Everyone says the 14" is better than the 16" bar but i work the saw pretty hard and honeatly a 18" would be even better for myself
I do have both saws 034 stihl and a husqvarna 455 rancher. Have a lot of trouble with the husqvarna 455 rancher
I own both. I completely agree with you. I have a Stihl that’s been a little bit finicky. However it is a heck of a saw when it runs. Personally we have a good Stihl dealer and a great Husky dealer that’s very close to me. The dealer is over 50 percent of the equation. Everything breaks, it’s the service you receive when you’re down. Good video
I like the saw that starts and runs whoever makes it !
I’ve got two ported dolmar 7900s that are as light or maybe a fuzz lighter than a 500i and make more horsepower than a stock 661. Those quickly became my favorite “big” saws and I don’t really run anything else other than my top handles these days. I’ve had plenty of stihls and a few husqvarnas, always preferred the stihls but don’t have any real issues with either brand. All mechanical things fail eventually, doesn’t matter who makes it.
I don't have a professional husky dealer near me now. So it just kind of defaulted to stihl. I like echo as well. But no pro dealers near me. So my big saw is a Stihl. My first was a husky and still have it. But when it came time to buy again, the husky dealer was gone. I think they all make good saws these days. And I would own whichever of the 3. But when I got in the mood to buy. Stihl was the easiest thing to go look at, hold and buy.
Best to use what works with your budget and need. But heavy use needs reliable equipment. Still you have to service the equipment too to maintain its health.
When it comes down to it, the best chainsaw is the one runs good and has a sharp chain. Everything else is a matter of preference.
Well said.
In chainsaws brand doesn't matter in speed term, for me is just the looks or so, i worked with both stihl and husqvarna brands and i like them both, but my all time favourite is the Stihl ms 440 i can do everything with this saw. I even milled logs (not that big actually). Husky's just has a little bit more engine speed but not enormous difference very little
Thanks for going over this details. Its hard to tell what saw model you are using in the videos.
Nice topic Michael, see I don't always call you Mike! I have cut timber now for about 38 yrs and started using an 090 Sthil, when I was 16 yrs old, after that I switched to a 3120 Husky only coz the 090 Sthil was heavy and anti-vibration was non existent, but I found the 3120's engine wore out sooner then the Sthil's. I did have a total of 4 x 3120's before I switched back to the 880 Sthils and been using those ever since. Really it gets back to which model you are referring to, but both brands are good, overall on average I think the Sthil does take longer to wear the engine out but the oiler usually is always better on the Husky apart from the oiler on the 880 which is in my opinion the best automatic oiler on any chainsaw made.
Very much appreciated that video. Thanks a lot.Stihl man here😜
I have 2ms 180s a 034, and a ms460, all good saws, aShindaiwa 488, and a husky clone 288,
Huskey in my hands since 1979 , they have been my bread and butter, the oil and fuel caps on stihls is enough to run worker crazy 😅 enough said .
Good points. I love my Husky's and even my Echo but doesn't matter to me as long as they cut well 😉
One of the things I heard a lot of on that short I made a couple years ago, people love their Echo saws. I haven’t used one, I may have to try one sometime.
@WilsonForestLands I only have the electric but it's a great little saw.
The cs2511 is an awesome top handle saw. Out of the box it’s good but with a muffler mod and port it’s great
I wonder how much elevation , available fuel blends, and proper upkeep plays into starting on any saw. East coast intake are is a lot different than west coast intake air. Just a thought.
Very interesting questions. Our air is also a lot more dry in the summer. Sometimes more damp in the winter. Great questions, it would be interesting to hear some answers if anyone was to ever study that.
Love your attitude man!!! Great video as always!!!
I really like your viewpoint. I have watched husky vs. stihl vids for years. Time is better spent sharpening your chain and doing proper maintenance. There is no other profession that has this many experts who know so little about their profession. LOL
You're like the Paul Harrell of the Forest! Nicely done Mr Wilson
I've run a 562xp that was muffler modded, sold it when I converted a Makita 6401 into a 7910 with a mild port job. Bought another 7900 and ported it the same way. Ran those for a couple years and decided they were too big for my needs, so sold them both and got an MS400. Gonna do a port job on it and see how I like it. Also run an Echo CS271 and Stihl MS201 top handles, Echo CS4510, and Makita EA5000. The EA5000 is much better than new after I swapped to a non-cat muffler and the older Dolmar 5100 carburetor. The 562xp was great as far as being light weight for its size class. I had an early one, so didn't trust it to make it long term. I have high hopes for the MS400 once I mod it. I've ran it a bit since getting it and you can tell it's got a lot of potential to wake up with some mods. The stock clutch cover is way too small for the amount of chips it can clear.
I had an echo I really liked years ago, but it ran away from home 😢 a long with other stuff I had in my pole barn 🤔😮💨
This video is INCREDIBLE!! I have 3 Stihl machines. Chainsaws: MS230 and MS311 Brushcutter: FS120 LOVE THEM!!
We ran 4 550s for the last ten years. Definitely they have issues, some won't start hot some won't start cold but they all like to be primed more than you'd think. The 572 we have is much more reliable 4 pulls when cold and one or two when hot. We just got a 550mk2 and I think the starting issues have been fixed. Our stihl 020 200 and 201s all start well, but tend to come out of tune after a while and it's important to keep a screw driver around. Our power pruner (stihl) sometimes will just not start for hours at a time, hot or cold. We did drop a 130 ish foot pine right on an old 550 last year by accident, but the thing was fine miraculously.
Thanks for the video Michael much respect from the uk
I started with a Mac 10-10. Then a husky 2100. Now I have a Stihl 034, 044 and a 461. I was in the logging industry for 20 years and for the most part the Stihl saws would hold up better. Husky saws had a problem with the screws coming loose and stripping.
I just switched from S to H, when my S died, after 30 yrs. After much research, I was going to buy S, but I looked at both companies websites. The number of poor reviews on S website was unbelievable for the high end saw I was looking at. H had just a couple. People were complaining about hard starting or no starting, bad performance and terrible customer support. That made up my mind.
I always like to grab the saw with the sharpest chain don’t matter which one has more rpm or torque lol can’t cut butter with either one of the chain is dull
Last time I had a job where I was running a chainsaw a lot, my go to was the Stihl MS250. It was just powerful enough to do most of the work I had to do with it, but light enough that I could carry it around and work without getting too worn out, so that I was able to go all day long. It was way more powerful than the 210 we had, which was only a little lighter. Every very so often I'd need to put it down to get one of the bigger saws for a bigger cut. When that job ended, I got myself a 250 with an extra bar, and it was great. Unfortunately, after having it for a number of years, someone broke the latch off my shed and took it. I bought a new 250 and have been much less happy with the new one. Idk if quality in their small saws declined overall or I just got a not very good one. I've had to replace the carb multiple times after it sat unused for too long, even after I got all the fuel out of it and ran it till it was dry. I also had some problems with some part under the side plate not seating right until one day it got hot enough that it melted that part flat. I don't think that's how it's supposed to work, but somehow it did. Anyway, I've been buying that way overpriced canned 2-stroke mix lately and haven't needed any new carburetors since then, but it still takes some work to get it running again after sitting. I have had a lot of trouble over the years with it bogging down and stalling when I pull the trigger, or not getting to full RPMs.
I do wear a Husqy helmet. I have never been able to get a Stihl helmet to fit on my small head. The earmuffs slide down to my neck and it's just a mess. The Husqy helmets have been great.
No local dealers here. Best luck with Stihl, easy to work on. My first saw was a Husky 298 back in the late 80's. Wish I still had it...
Easy to work on? There is not a chainsaw that is easier to work on than a 298 or any 200 series
@@thomaslindroos1667 I just gradually became more familiar with Stihl, that's why I said that. They have been more available to me. And I prefer my Stihl and Husky saws to be at least 20 years old for that reason.
Indeed, there are many variables. Manufacturing process, shipping/handling conditions, etc. Either way, there are no winners here, both great companies with solid engineering.
I was a Huskvarna for fifty years. I was a dealer. I never had a Husky fail me. But they are both good saws. Either saw will perform, if maintained. To tell the truth, I think the major feature of any saw is the "holder." Shalom/gw. PS. A thing that saves your back is a winner.
I like how the stihl chain tightener works better much easier to work with
I always used to buy Husky but last year bought two Stihls, I wanted a Top handle saw and a 70cc saw. The MS194 and the MS462 were better than the Husky equivalent. Dealers do play a big part in choice and unless a new dealer that sold both opened locally I may never have had the chance to handle the Stihls. If Husky releases a 500i competitor I would definitely look at that I think Husky is missing out.
I had a bad experience with still so I switched to husky and I'm glad I did I have a great saw starts it's reliable and a lot of all day long cuts like a bear I love it
You’re right, all major brands with a decent reputation build pretty good products no matter what your in the market of buying. And you definitely made a good parable when you spoke on weedeaters. There’s a valid reason why most weedeaters sold are straight shafts as compared to curved shafts. We all have our preferences in products, and that’s not saying their competition is garbage. There’s lemons found in all products. I grew up hearing that lemons were the ones that got finished or built on Fridays. lol In my experience, many of the problematic or complaints being tossed around was actually from operator error and not truly the equipment. Even though that’s not necessarily true in every case, it does happen but as humans, we don’t usually like showing everyone else our faults.
Good video. Yes, all about the local dealer. My local Husky guy is sort of a jerk. But I own both.
you hit the nail on the head!-Dont cut into it.From Norway.have a nice weekend1
Back in the day Stihl was the way to go mainly cuz it was easier to adjust the bar. Both makes have that same adjuster now. I've owned both brands and like them both equally. I got rid of my 090 way back when I moved to a small tree area. Now I only have Huskies. Never had a problem with either brand though. What matters is what size saw you are needing, what you are doing with it, and how much you will use it. All brands may have a better saw for your needs. When I buy a saw I look at the HP per weight of the saw and also it's chain speed for the size of saw I am after. Sometimes it's a Stihl that comes out the winner and sometimes it's a Husky. People also forget about Echo being a good saw for some needs too. Personally I always go with a pro type model no matter what. You get much more performance and a lighter saw that is made to last much longer. But some don't need that. It's about what works best for you. Every brand has their hit for the decade that beats the rest. And that can change through time. Just like the Ford/Chevy/Dodge thing. As a old school hot rod guy.... I've always been a Chevy guy. But if I were buying a new car in the 80's... It would have been a 5.0 instead of a Camaro. But I have a Second Gen Dodge 12 Valve also. It's about that 12 Valve though. The rest of the truck is a POS from factory. What I'm saying is that all manufactures have that one model that really shins above all and the rest were far behind until they caught up. Keep an open mind and look at everything before you drop your hard earned cash down. And YES!!! Make sure your local dealer for anything you buy is good to deal with!!! You can have the best saw made and it's useless if you don't have good product support.
I'm just a weekend warrior, cut and split my 4 cords of firewood each year. I never used anything but Stihl - I purchased that commercial 462 Stihl last year and love it - it's an animal.