Best Chainsaw Chain for Hardwood Cutting: Top 6 Compared
In a typical chainsaw, the “chain” does the actual woodcutting. The chain decides the kind of wood you can cut, how quickly you can finish the job, and how deeply the saw goes into the wood. It also provides some safety for the user, like reducing kickback, and a degree of comfort, as in vibration reduction. Let’s dive now in our best chainsaw chain for hardwood article.
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Occasional and professional users alike hope for smooth performance, with as little downtime as possible.
So which chain is suitable for your woodcutting needs? And how to choose the best one? Read on, and let’s find out!
Quick Comparison: Best Chainsaw Chain for Hardwood Cutting
Best Chainsaw Chain for Hardwood Cutting: Reviews and Buying Guide
The following is a list of the best chainsaw chains currently on the market. We chose them based on their performance, durability, safety features, versatility, ease of use, and frequency of needed maintenance. We hope it helps you narrow down your choice.
Oregon Poulan S62 AdvanceCut 18" Chainsaw Chain
Description
The Oregon Poulan S62 semi-chisel is a high-quality chainsaw chain, designed for precision, safety, and reliability.
It’s suitable for Homeowners and professionals alike. It can handle rough work and will stand a significant amount of wear and tear before needing to be replaced.
There’s a slight clearance between the chain and the bar to dampen the vibration. This way, the micro shocks created by the cutting don’t reach the saw itself. More importantly, they aren’t transferred to the operator, making it very comfortable to operate.
The LubriTec oiling system creates a larger surface area for the oil to spread on, and some rough etchings in the metal to retain the lubricant for longer. This keeps the chain in good shape for significantly more extended periods before it needs re-oiling and sharpening.
The cutters are electroplated with industrial hard chrome to increase their durability and hardness.
It’s user-friendly and has very low kickback, which makes it safe to operate, even for the occasional arborist.Pros
Cons
Video: How to Replace a Chainsaw Chain
2. Jeremywell 16" Semi Chisel Chainsaw Chain
Description
The Jeremywell chain is very versatile. It can be used in many chainsaw models like Husqvarna, Poulan, Homelite, Craftsman, and others.
It’s made from heat-treated (quenched) steel, and then the cutters are plated with industrial chrome, which makes it durable and very aggressive with hardwood.
The Jeremywell chain is made with the home improvement people in mind. It’s more of a Do-It-Yourself gear than a professional user’s tool. Occasional users will find it very satisfactory.
Pros
Cons
Video: Info to Save Time and Money before Buying a New Chain
3. SUNGATOR 18" Chainsaw Chain SG-S62
Description
The SUNGATOR is a high precision, very high quality, semi-chisel chain. It’s suitable for hardwood and other home improvement projects.
It’s manufactured according to the highest standards, and it can be fitted into several chainsaw models like Kobalt, Craftsman/Sears, Echo, Husqvarna, McCulloch, and Remington.
The materials used in its making and the processes implemented guarantee very high strength and accuracy. It’s UL approved and meets the ANSI standards, which reflects a high level of quality and consistently good performance.
It’s designed for comfort and safety, and the way the chain moves around the bar decreases the vibration by 20% at least.
The surface is rust-resistant, and it can handle the hardness of the wood in addition to any dirt or dust on the surface that needs cutting.
Pros
Cons
Video: Chainsaw Chain Types Explained
4. Husqvarna 20" Chainsaw Chain H80-72 531300441
Description
This chainsaw chain is designed for tough jobs and seasoned users. It’s a high-performance tool manufactured by a reputable company specialized in lawn and garden equipment. It’s very powerful and doesn’t need a lot of maintenance.
The size and compatibility with your chainsaw should be checked before you commit to this chain. Sometimes they do not match perfectly, which would either affect performance or might not work at all.
You should also be careful when you’re cutting wood on the ground, try not to hit a stone, that may damage the cutters severely. Even serious sharpening afterward can’t revive it.
As it’s an aggressive chainsaw chain, it’ll save you a lot of time. Woodcutting should feel quite easy, and you’ll cover a lot of ground in a very short time.
Pros
Cons
Video: How To Tension The Chain
5. Stihl 26RM3-81 Oilomatic Rapid Micro 3 Saw Chain, 20"
Description
The Stihlc Rapid easily handles hardwood, even after a flood. It’s a tall-profile chain, so it’s a very fast and smooth hardwood cutter.
There’s a similar chain in the Stihl Rapid line without the low-kickback option. This should give you extra flexibility, now that you know what the Micro 3 has to offer, you can get the one that best suits your needs.
It’s a semi-chisel, tall profile chain, so it gives optimal performance and resists wearing off and fracturing.
It’s designed to meet the needs of forestry, agricultural work, and construction. It’s suitable for professionals and nonprofessionals alike.
It’s recommended to use this chain with green-labeled reduced kickback bars on all chainsaw powerheads.
Pros
Cons
Video: Semi Chisel Or Full Chisel Chain
6. WoodlandPRO Chainsaw Chain Loop
Description
This is a workman’s tool, considering that It’s powerful, swift, and has limited kickback reduction. A homeowner trimming his trees might find that it exceeds his requirements, and doesn’t feel as comfortable as other chains designed for DIYs.
The chain is made with strength and resilience as its main focus. The chassis is a patented steel alloy that keeps the metal from deforming at the point of highest resistance, which is the break-in point.
The cutters are plated with chrome to keep them sharp for a reasonable duration. Professionals do not enjoy the downtime needed for sharpening, replacing parts, or similar maintenance. This chain minimizes this hassle and offers uninterrupted smooth performance.
Care should be taken that this chain is optimal when the wood is dirt free. Any abrasive or foreign material could easily interfere with its proper operation.
Pros
Cons
How to Choose a Chainsaw Chain
It’s not easy to buy a product that comes in different models and a multitude of features. Moreover, each one of these products claims that it’s the best there is!
To simplify the buying process, here are some points to take into consideration before making a final decision.
Compatibility
Some chainsaw chains are great, and they even have the right measurements, but when you try to mount them on your chainsaw bar, they are either too snug or too wide. In both cases, the chainsaw could underperform, or it may not work at all.
It’s always best to check the chain’s fit with your device. Read the label of your chain if it’s available, or visit the manufacturer’s website. They usually list all the chainsaw types that work well with the chain.
Bar Length
The chain is fitted on the bar, so it’s essential to have a suitable match between the two. Chain lengths vary from 10” to 24”. Not being accurate here, can actually cause severe injuries, so choose the length that can be safely mounted on your device.
Gauge Size
This refers to how thick or thin your chain is. Mismatches are troublesome, and they either cause the chain to slip or to be dysfunctional. Gauge ranges for chainsaw chains lie between 0.050” to 0.063”. You can read the recommended gauge value on the guide bar of your chainsaw.
Cutting Tooth Type
These vary in a manner very similar to regular handheld saws. Each one has a specific shape, sharpness, and application. In the case of chainsaw chains, there are three kinds of cutting teeth.
Chirper
This is the mildest. It’s used for pruning thin branches, or for carrying out simple woodwork tasks.
Semi Chisel
It’s a very versatile chain and can be used for soft and hardwood. It might not be very swift or aggressive, but it offers dependable performance and stays sharp for a long time.
Full Chisel
These are designed for hardwood and tough cutting. They go through the wood very quickly and easily. The thing is that its teeth lose their sharpness just as quickly, and that’s why many users choose the Semi Chisel.
Maintenance Needed
Low maintenance devices are always better than the ones needing constant care. The downtime alone is a headache one can do without, especially if you have a demanding job that would take a while to finish.
Chainsaw chains need regular oiling and sharpening to keep on performing well. Some types are made from chrome-plated steel, and this keeps the sharpness of the cutting teeth for a fair amount of time.
Lubricating metallic moving parts is a rule of thumb. From experience, we know that having a large surface area and a bit of roughness will retain the oil for longer.
Few manufacturers include this feature in their chains, and if you have one of them, you’ll spot the difference right away. Cutting hardwood is much easier, and the chain lasts longer.
Vibration Reduction
If you’ve worked with a power tool before, you’d appreciate the degree of comfort offered by a vibration-free machine.
A good chainsaw chain is designed with a little clearance between the bar and the chain. This keeps the chain in place and acts as a shock absorber to dampen the vibration caused by the cutting.
Most of the vibration is directed towards the bar, and very little reach the handle of the chainsaw. This means that only a fraction of that tugging force affects the arm of the operator. This is especially helpful if you’re working on a massive task.
Kickback Reduction
Sudden stops of the chainsaw cause jerk reaction that is instantly transferred to the user. This kickback can easily cause an injury or blotch the wood cutting job.
It’s a matter of safety to reduce kickback in the chain. Almost all of the non-professional chainsaw chains have that feature, and some of the professional ones too. However, with the extra robust chains, it’s normal to see limited kickback types.
Conclusion & Best Offer
A homeowner cutting hardwood occasionally needs a chain that is safe, easy to use, and at the same time robust enough to handle a thick tree.
I believe that the Oregon Poulan S62 AdvanceCut Chainsaw Chain is the most suitable. It’s safe, comfortable, and very reliable.
The Alternative
Professional workers, on the other hand, need a much more powerful and fast cutting chainsaw chain.
WoodlandPRO Chainsaw Chain Loop
For them, the WoodlandPRO Chainsaw Chain would be the right choice. It’s sturdy, robust, and it’ll get the job done in no time at all.