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Small Cabin Forum / General Forum / Stihl or Husqvrna, or...???
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holyoak2
Member
# Posted: 15 Jun 2011 18:42
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I went down to the local chainsaw place to buy a saw about 15 years ago, and I had it in mind to buy a stihl. I let the saw guy talk me into buying a Jonsered ( made in Sweden). Best saw I have ever owned, no problems at all, and it cost less than a Stihl.

Anonymous
# Posted: 3 Dec 2011 21:33
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Jonsered and husky are made by same people.
Stihl has more fliers in many hardware stores, and are popular. I think they are junky, the toy plastic switch gets in way and turns saw off all the time while cutting. Also stihl uses odd ball size chain, so YOU HAVE TO BUY THEIR CHAIN ONLY FOR TWICE THE PRICE. Also if you have a 16 inch stihl saw and want to add a 20 inch bar, you have to dismantle engine and upgrade oil pump. Jonsered or husky you just turn screw driver head to max, for more oil.
People who make money with chain saws like loggers and tree service people all use Jonsered or husky. Stihl also lock up in high temps. In texas summers get 100 degrees a lot. i have seen stihl lock up several times.
Just because every ace hardware sells stihl, that does not make them good. If you like stihl fine, just get ready to buy over priced bars and chains.
Also husky will uses other makes of bars and chain. Stihl only uses high priced stihl pars.

fthurber
Member
# Posted: 3 Dec 2011 21:37
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Go Stihl all the way. Husky sold their souls to the Big Box stores so you can expect crappy service and declining quality;--let the yuppie lemmings buy them at the Home Depot and Lowes; get quality instead.

Stih's are still sold by family-owned stores when you can expert quality and service.

MtnDon
Member
# Posted: 4 Dec 2011 00:54 - Edited by: MtnDon
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Jonsered and Husqvarna are like Chevy and GMC; basically the same thing with a few differences like handle angle and color. I have used Husqvarna for many years and have been completely satisfied. I own two of them. I use them a lot; this past year I used seven gallons of chain and bar oil and the eighth is about half gone. No problems; one is 4 years old, the other new this year. Why two; it beats packing one in on snowshoes in the winter and leaves me the other in the Jeep to clear fallen trees along the road in/out. The four year old saw replaced another Husqvarna from the early 90's. It had seen a lot of use but mainly was a little bigger and heavier than I now needed, so I traded it in to make life a tad easier and to have a new toy.

Box stores may sell some of the Husqvarna models; not a big deal; Husqvarna still makes a great saw and sells a ton through smaller dealers and forestry supply stores. Where I live I also have two very good independent locally owned shops that sell and service them. Similar pricing to the box stores but with good service. Within $10 or so and they will wheel and deal a little by tossing in a spare chain if you go to the trouble of asking.

Anyhow that's what I think.

The 10 man crew that was thinning the national forest near our mountain property all used Husky's. Some other crews I've seen used Stihl. Both swear by the ones they use. I've never heard anyone denigrate either when they've been using a saw properly sized for the task at hand.

Scott_T
Member
# Posted: 5 Dec 2011 17:07
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Quoting: MtnDon
Husqvarna still makes a great saw and sells a ton through smaller dealers and forestry supply stores


I noticed that Northern Tool + Equipment now sells Husqvarna saw at a reasonable price (also Honda generators too). So Husqvarna must have some faith in some of the "chain" retailers to support their product and brand.

I own a Husqvarna brush cutter and I can feel and experience the excellent quality of this piece of equipment with every use. I was not surprised then when I opened it up to do some routine cleaning that I noticed a part stamped "Made in Sweden". How often do we see that nowadays?

I own an Echo saw and have come to figure out what makes it "tick". Key is to keep these things clean, fueled with properly mixed gas-oil ratio and always a sharp chain.

PA_Bound
Member
# Posted: 5 Dec 2011 17:32 - Edited by: PA_Bound
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Sorry to contradict you Squid,... but I must take exception. I bought my Husqvarna Rancher 455 from my local, down-the-road, outdoor power equipment dealer. Great dealer, great service, great saw! Yes, they sell it at Lowes- and that's Husky's right to do that. You, like me, may choose not to buy it there. But just because Lowes sells it in no way denegrates the quality of the product.

MtnDon
Member
# Posted: 5 Dec 2011 18:45
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Quoting: Scott_T
Key is to keep these things clean, fueled with properly mixed gas-oil ratio...


And also important; the gasoline portion of the mix should be fresh. I add Sta-Bil to all the fuel I buy for small engine use at the time I buy it.

fthurber
Member
# Posted: 5 Dec 2011 20:20
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I have heard rumors that the Big Box stores forces name brands such as Stanley to sell them a cheaper model with so that a Stanley tool bought at Home Depot is not same as you would buy at a hardware store. I no idea if this is true but it would not surprise me if it was; everything I get from the Big Box's seems to break. Why take a chance when there is a reliable alternative; Stihl.

If you get a Husky from a local equipment dealer you are almost certainly getting a good saw. But not for me; even if the quality is the same I will never buy a Husky on general principle. They sold out.

When I bring my saw or weeders in for service at my local Stihl shop they welcome the work unlike the pimply-faced minimum wage slaves at the Big Box stores.

dstraate
Member
# Posted: 7 Dec 2011 10:56
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I've got a small Husqvarna. So far, so good.

Swamphunter
Member
# Posted: 8 Dec 2011 12:27
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I've had a Stihl for years... would never own anything else... never failed to start, nor has it ever needed adjustment...

Retired
# Posted: 11 Dec 2011 15:22
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JONSERED CHAINSAW I have had mine over 20 years its still going strong. Never failed to start, broke a few ropes over the years.

Mtnviewer
Member
# Posted: 11 Dec 2011 15:27 - Edited by: Mtnviewer
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I've had a Husqvarna for years.. . would never own anything else.. . never failed to start, nor has it ever needed adjustment...

... you took the words right out of my ..... except for the Stihl part ....

45north
Member
# Posted: 28 Dec 2011 05:23
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I am a stihl guy but I do have the 235E husky, cheapest they make.
I have a 036 pro, 034 AV super, and a ms 361 all stihls. The 036 pro has been going strong for more than 12 years. I don't like to be without a good saw. I also have a stihl mdl. 85 leaf blower just as good as thier saws. I prefer the stihl brand name.

larry
Member
# Posted: 28 Dec 2011 20:27
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i have repaired my fair share of each. and like all machinery something eventually fails. most of the saws i have repaired were broken by stupidity, ie; wrong gas/oil mix, no/plugged air filter,oil reservoir going empty and my favorite...powering through the chain brake, any of which will destroy the best saw. choose a quality tool and use it for what it was intended.

wakeslayer
Member
# Posted: 30 Dec 2011 16:55
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Have a Husky 455 Rancher and love it. I keep a Homelite Old Blue SXL I have had for 20 years at the cabin. It is my Harley of chainsaws. Starts everytime regardless of temp, old gas, old plug, never ever failed me. That said, my Husky will kick its butt. It is my crotch rocket saw.

225digger
Member
# Posted: 2 Jan 2012 21:58
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i liked stihl growing up becuase thats what my father had , always worked good , but about 4 yrs ago when it came time to buy myself a saw i looked at husky ... my best friend had a 460 rancher ,i loved how well balanced it was compaired to the stihl . maybe it had alittle more power than my dads saw , im not sure . but for the past 4 yrs my husky 460 has been doing real well .

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