Having been a Stihl chain saw dealer for many years here in Berkeley Springs, Wv., I suppose I am rather close to that particular brand of saws. I started the sales and repair of them in 1978 and continued until 1991, at which time I decided it was just to much for me to continue, with all the other things on my plate. The distributor I was buying from really decided for me. They got a new promotional sales Rep. for my area and decided that my location wasn't contingent upon what he thought was good enough to do the job right, and he wasn't wrong. The way he done it was wrong but the John Deere Dealer got my dealership, that I had built from the ground up, with sales of the immediate 50 mile radius and more, and a reputable repair business of all Stihl saws plus any other make out there. I had a reputation of being one of the best chain sharpening people anywhere and after all, I did sharpen many thousands of them. Later on I'll try to discuss the fundamentals of sharpening chain.

The chain saw has proved to be one of the most labor saving tools of all tools ever. In times past, when the cross cut saw was the norm of cutting trees down and trimming them up, it was very labor intensive and very slow. As times changed to a more rapid pace of things, the chain saw proved its worth in, not only speeding things up, but causing the industry to be much more productive so that cost could be overcome. If you take notice the chain saw came along about the same time that transportation enhanced greatly and the building boom increased also in the world. As fuel cost begin to rise, it was a neccessary item for homeowners to have to meet the demand of supplying wood for fuel to heat the home.

All the different uses for the chain saw caused a demand for them and most of the operators didn't have the correct knowledge on how to use them. I remember a time when I got a call from The Coolfont Recreation facility, just the other side of the Berkeley Springs, and they needed a good chain saw. They were relying on my expertise to furnish them with the saw that would fit the particular needs. They said they had hired a person that was a qualified chain saw person and would send him over to pick up the saw. I sold them a "041AV" with 20" bar and chain, with four extra chains. He left with the saw at about 10:30 AM to start cutting in the mountian side area of CaCapon Mt. At 11:45 AM, the same day, I got a call from the saw operator, which stated, "the saw was running hot and it was smoking very badly". I couldn't imagine what would cause this and I told him to bring it back over for me to have a look. What I discovered was what I had envisioned to be wrong, however I couldn't believe that a qualified chain saw operator would have done this. The chain's teeth were ground off to where there wasn't anything to sharpen. The whole top was gone on every tooth. The smoke was caused by him sticking the "dogs" (spikes) into the log, rotating the saw into the log, trying to get it to cut. Thus the chain was forced so hard against the bar it was burning the bars lubricating oil. Not only did it burn the oil, but burned the bar itself off about a quarter inch and blackened it half way up, compeletely ruining that side of the bar. When asked if he had touched the ground with the chain, the answer was, definitely, "Not" and besides, it was a brand new saw, it should not have gotten dull that quick. I told him that there was nothing other then sticking the bar and chain into the ground that would produce that kind of damage. However, I turned the bar over, installed one of the new chains and sent him on his way. One hour later it was the same call I got before. Saw hot and smoking. I told him to bring the saw back, and bring one of the high officials with him, that I needed to discuss the matter to them. When they got there it was a repeat of the first time. He had ruined the other side of the bar, and the second chain. I told the official that I would install a new bar and chain, at their expense, and give a demonstration in proper saw use before they took it off the property. I sawed 3/4th the way through a log, turned it over and finished the cut from the top, so the chain didn't touch the ground. I commented on how well it was cutting at this time, and made a couple more cuts. I then handed it to the operator and asked him to make a cut. Grabbing the saw, he held the throttle wide open, slapped it on the log, cutting all the way through and into the ground a couple of inches. Immediately, I took the saw from him and told them both how the chain was no good to continue. His comment was, " it can't be dull". "Its a brand new chain". I then turned to the official and planely stately what was the facts and how the problem could be eliminated. Eliminate Him. The saw was put into anothers hands and I didn't hear anything from them for weeks, when the chains needed to be sharpened.

There is definitely a correct way to operate and maintain a chain saw. Saftey is the most important aspect to the operation and needs to be addressed by a competent person. Just buying a saw, and going to cut isn't very smart, for the novice. That's a good way to loose a part of your body that you need tomorrow. I've heard some horrifying stories of what happenes when the saw kicks back, slips from the hands, or the operator looses his footing and it goes where it's not supposed to. I told every saw buyer. "Remember one thing". "It cuts meat just like it cuts wood". If I was concerned about the buyers readiness to use the saw, I would give a lecture on the safety features and what they were responsible to know, concerning safety. The chain saw can be a pleasurefull tool to use when it is operated and operating correctly.

I went into a garage in Great CaCapon one day and Mr. Kidwell, the garageman, said to me. You are a chain saw mechanic. Tell me why that saw ( homelite XL ) won't run. Thay always told me if it had gas and spark it would run. It has to have one more thing, I replied. "Compression". I reached down to the floor, where it was setting, grabbed the pull rope and lifted. The saw raised from the floor but decended back down very quickly. Their's no hope for this one, I told Him. She's a throw-a-way anyhow. When the chain gets dull, throw her away. That's what I always told the Homelite users and owners. However, the cause of this saws demise was very evident. Just looking at it, I told him I could see the reason it was burned up. He said it was a brand new saw, and I could tell it was, by its appearance. The saws owner had brought it up from the city, to cut wood on their lot, out on the mountian, and they dropped it off and left with a half load of wood on their pickup. I asked Mr. Kidwell if he could visually see anything wrong with it, which he replied he didn't. The chain was installed on the bar backwards. I couldn't believe it, but they had somehow cut a half load of wood with the chain on backwards. The demand was just to much for that little throw-a-way and it burned the cylinder out, in cutting the first half load of wood.

Proper gas mixture is the most important thing you need to know when using a chain saw. Always, and I repeat, always use the manufactures recomendation when it comes to mixing oil with the gas. They have tested to make sure their saw will have the proper lubrication to make it run the best and last the longest. Never use more or less then they recommend. Using more oil will only carbon up the clyinder and cause poor performance and premature cylinder ware. Always use Stihl mixing oil in a Stihl chain saw.

When the 064 Stihl came out, it was a popular model with the timber cutters in this area. But. it had a tendency to use up a piston very quickly. They would bring it back with a funny noise in it and low compression, making it hard to start. I sometimes think if it had not been for the hard starting, they would have run it till it flew clean apart. This happened to be one of those particular saws where the carburetor couldn't be leaned out to wind up the RPM's, or trouble was iminate. Usually the cylinder was worn as much as the piston and both had to be replaced. I contacted the Stihl Company and related this information. They stated to me that they were having the same problem everywhere and were glad to have the advise. Their answer to the problem was to install a different carburetor on all models henceforth. This carburetor was made so it could not be leaned out with the high speed adjustment screw, at least not without some special talent. The richer mixture gave the saw enough lubercation to solve the problem. I am giving you this story to let you see what can happen if you lean out the carburetor to much.

By the same token, the same goes for to rich a mixture. That is, putting to much oil in the gas. As the rich oil mixture is burned in the cylinder, it leaves a carbon residue. As it builds up, the carbon sticks to the piston and with the up and down motion, it scratches the cylinder wall. Pretty soon compression is leaking past the rings and the assembly is burned up.

As for the bar and chain. You use the bar oil that you want. Use the chain you want. It is your saw and you are buying the repairs and parts. However, my advise is to always follow the manufacture's recomendation's. It is all to easy to get into trouble without even trying. You want a saw that is going to do a good job for you when you travel several miles away from your base. It is very exasperating for the saw to give trouble in these conditions. Make sure the saw is in good repair before leaving base, and have proper bar and chain oil and gas mixture as well as a spare chain that is sharp.

It is also a good idea to purchase a pair of chapps and a face schield. The face schield comes on a safty helmet as well as ear protection, if you wish to go that way and can be purchased at your local chain saw dealer. One of the most dangerous places on the whole body is the part of the leg just above the knee. When limbing and cutting throught the tree top you are throwing the saw in many different angles that are very close to the knee area. Just maneuvering through the limbs and brush, climbing over stuff, puts you in a precarious position which in many cases is not stable footing, therefore causing the saw to be in a position which could drop on ones leg if they slip, fall or drop through the limbs with one foot. Now don't forget about your feet. It is very easy to swing the saws blade to close the toes and loose a couple. It is advisable to always wear steel toed shoes when using a chain saw. The chapps will provide protection for the legs and the helmet will cover the head, the face shield the eyes and the ear protectors the ears. The helmet comes with the face schield and ear protectors. Just be careful and have fun cutting wood.

How to sharpen chain saw chain