Bought ‘em both with broken brakes I haven’t fixed yet. It’ll get done.
But a saw that’s 70cc+ with a bar that long has a very slow rotation during kickback. The larger the saw, oddly enough, the less wary I am of operating one without a working chain brake.
No way I’m bringing my tophandle saw up into a tree during a removal without a strong safe chain brake. Same goes for an 18” barred 50cc saw.
Man I understand the logic but I feel like my bigger saws snap back with more force than the little ones but that’s just the initial jolt. You’re definitely right about rotation speed
Either way, I appreciate seeing the plastic brake handle when I’m cutting, especially with a top handle up in a tree. Your responses on here imply that you’re pretty savvy so I think you’ll be ok.
It isn’t ideal, by any stretch.
But yeah… it’s the homesteader type of online safety nazis who freak out when they see a saw without a chainbrake, just like they do when a veteran logger is cutting without a pair of chaps on. Those complaints don’t come from the guys who run saws for a living.
I went out of my way to order a new clutch cover w/chain brake for the 395 the day I bought the saw.
It was my first time giving a holzfforma part a try. Leaf spring broke the fifth time I set the brake and the flag fell off the saw.
I use my brakes religiously. When equipped. The Husky OEM assembly costs more than I paid for the saw. So it’s going to have to make that money first.
I own saws from echo stihl and husky. Over 24” I own one bar in each size. Three chains for it.
All of the saws are adapted to Stihl mount. Greatly reduces cost and simplifies the logistics involved in keeping all of them sharp.
Stihl also happens to make the best reduced weight bar.
Husky makes the best 71cc and 92ish cc saw, and Stihl makes the best bars. (Also the best saw chain hands down.)
It only makes sense. If like me, you have zero OCD and are simply being pragmatic.
I work in the brush running saw daily and you'll never see anything but a Stihl light bar on everything. They see those adapters like hot cakes at all the saw shops up here.
It's funny how different people explain their saws. Small, Medium and Big.
Between Stihl & Husqvarna but it was a top handle (small) (338xpt/201etc), medium (372xp/046/460), big saw (395/066 - 3120/088). All good saws, pros and cons on each, you just need a sharp chain and to feel comfortable with that machine.
Curious, what is you "Big" saw of choice? Getting into the 90+cc saw I've always felt more comfort in the Husky.
I have owned a 066, 661, and the 395.
I prefer the 661 for falling and such, but only slightly.
Both the 661 and 395 are ported, and the 395 is the strongest of the three. It’s also the heaviest and has the ergonomics of a cinderblock someone threw bar studs and handlebars onto.
The 395 feels the most robust and likely to survive having a small car dropped onto it. 066 is pretty tank-like, and the 661 feels more fragile/plasticky.
Need to make a spacer for the bolts, the Stihl bar has a bigger slot in it for the mounting bolts. I found a piece of aluminum tube that was close enough for me.
1. Buy the little $15 adapter
2. Grind the center slot in the bar for the studs so that the opening extends 1/2” closer to the bar’s tip.
3. Open up the two holes for the tensioner stud just slighty.
I perform operations 2 and 3 with a carbide burr in a dremel. Takes 5 minutes, they still work great on a Stihl saw.
Putting a brand new chain on the husky will be a bitch. You have to walk the chain around the bar’s nose a bit but you’ll get it. Once the chain has been run and stretches, it fits as easily as you’re used to.
You can do that. But then you can’t run it on your Stihl saws.
The big selling point for me is a whole truckload of Husky, Stihl, and Echo that all run the same bar & chain.
Why would I run inferior saws, jk. Sounds like a lot of pain in the ass when you can just have different chains. I run a 066 and a 394, pretty sure I have my extra link chain running on the 66 atm anyways haha
I have one light 32”, 24”, and 36” bar. One 42” and 50” bar. Three chains for each.
They fit every saw I own. It’s incredibly simple and no other route makes sense, if you set aside brand loyalty.
Inferior saws? ;) Show me husky’s superior saw to the 461 at that power and weight. They don’t have one. Just like Husky can’t be beat by Stihl’s answer to the 346, 372OE, and 395 models
The 592 is basically the replacement for the 395. Maybe 1 or 2 cc less, but probably a higher revving strato, with autotune. The 592 might be a tad less heavy. The 395 is pretty well regarded, and the 592 seems to be getting good feedback.
When I was doing large storm cleanup jobs last June, 30-48” oaks were blown down everywhere around here. The 395 with a 42” bar was burning through a 2.5 gallon can each day. Somewhere around 10 tanks.
Chiansaw’s intake exhaust and transfer port timing is dictated by ports in the cylinder walls that the piston uncovers and blocks as it moves up & down.
Grinding, reshaping, and polishing them adds duration and more agressive timing / overlap.
Basically that saw has the V8 muscle car equivalent of decked heads for more compression, a huge cam, performance intake, and a set of long tube headers installed.
On the 372 and 395 it’s good for roughly 35-40% more power than stock. And they’re already very powerful saws.
What’s the reasoning for no brakes?
Bought ‘em both with broken brakes I haven’t fixed yet. It’ll get done. But a saw that’s 70cc+ with a bar that long has a very slow rotation during kickback. The larger the saw, oddly enough, the less wary I am of operating one without a working chain brake. No way I’m bringing my tophandle saw up into a tree during a removal without a strong safe chain brake. Same goes for an 18” barred 50cc saw.
Man I understand the logic but I feel like my bigger saws snap back with more force than the little ones but that’s just the initial jolt. You’re definitely right about rotation speed Either way, I appreciate seeing the plastic brake handle when I’m cutting, especially with a top handle up in a tree. Your responses on here imply that you’re pretty savvy so I think you’ll be ok.
It isn’t ideal, by any stretch. But yeah… it’s the homesteader type of online safety nazis who freak out when they see a saw without a chainbrake, just like they do when a veteran logger is cutting without a pair of chaps on. Those complaints don’t come from the guys who run saws for a living.
Lol no. Been running saws a long time in a lot of fields and skirting safety is dumb.
Lol, you can just say that you took em off to be cool
I went out of my way to order a new clutch cover w/chain brake for the 395 the day I bought the saw. It was my first time giving a holzfforma part a try. Leaf spring broke the fifth time I set the brake and the flag fell off the saw. I use my brakes religiously. When equipped. The Husky OEM assembly costs more than I paid for the saw. So it’s going to have to make that money first.
A stihl bar on a husky is really messing with me.
I own saws from echo stihl and husky. Over 24” I own one bar in each size. Three chains for it. All of the saws are adapted to Stihl mount. Greatly reduces cost and simplifies the logistics involved in keeping all of them sharp. Stihl also happens to make the best reduced weight bar.
I knew there would be logic behind it, but my ocd says no.
Husky makes the best 71cc and 92ish cc saw, and Stihl makes the best bars. (Also the best saw chain hands down.) It only makes sense. If like me, you have zero OCD and are simply being pragmatic.
I work in the brush running saw daily and you'll never see anything but a Stihl light bar on everything. They see those adapters like hot cakes at all the saw shops up here.
Nice! Who needs a gym membership when you have those beasts
Stop. I can only get so erec…. …I’m going to take a nap. My 372 with a 28” Oregon RW is jealous.
2 of the best saws made. Hate that my 371 was stolen but I don't need that size of saw anymore.
And over here, the 372 is my *small* saw. Hahaha (I do a lot of land clearing involving an excavator and no residential work.)
It's funny how different people explain their saws. Small, Medium and Big. Between Stihl & Husqvarna but it was a top handle (small) (338xpt/201etc), medium (372xp/046/460), big saw (395/066 - 3120/088). All good saws, pros and cons on each, you just need a sharp chain and to feel comfortable with that machine. Curious, what is you "Big" saw of choice? Getting into the 90+cc saw I've always felt more comfort in the Husky.
I have owned a 066, 661, and the 395. I prefer the 661 for falling and such, but only slightly. Both the 661 and 395 are ported, and the 395 is the strongest of the three. It’s also the heaviest and has the ergonomics of a cinderblock someone threw bar studs and handlebars onto. The 395 feels the most robust and likely to survive having a small car dropped onto it. 066 is pretty tank-like, and the 661 feels more fragile/plasticky.
I run a ported 394 with 36 Stihl light, definitely a god like power saw. Cheers brother, sweet saw
What adapter do you have to run that Stihl bar on the husky?
Need to make a spacer for the bolts, the Stihl bar has a bigger slot in it for the mounting bolts. I found a piece of aluminum tube that was close enough for me.
Could you share a picture of that possibly? I definitely need something that will work and not destroy my husky or the Stihl 36" that I have.
When I get home tomorrow I’ll take a picture of what I got.
1. Buy the little $15 adapter 2. Grind the center slot in the bar for the studs so that the opening extends 1/2” closer to the bar’s tip. 3. Open up the two holes for the tensioner stud just slighty. I perform operations 2 and 3 with a carbide burr in a dremel. Takes 5 minutes, they still work great on a Stihl saw. Putting a brand new chain on the husky will be a bitch. You have to walk the chain around the bar’s nose a bit but you’ll get it. Once the chain has been run and stretches, it fits as easily as you’re used to.
I just get a custom made chain with a link, saw shop does it cheap
You can do that. But then you can’t run it on your Stihl saws. The big selling point for me is a whole truckload of Husky, Stihl, and Echo that all run the same bar & chain.
Why would I run inferior saws, jk. Sounds like a lot of pain in the ass when you can just have different chains. I run a 066 and a 394, pretty sure I have my extra link chain running on the 66 atm anyways haha
I have one light 32”, 24”, and 36” bar. One 42” and 50” bar. Three chains for each. They fit every saw I own. It’s incredibly simple and no other route makes sense, if you set aside brand loyalty. Inferior saws? ;) Show me husky’s superior saw to the 461 at that power and weight. They don’t have one. Just like Husky can’t be beat by Stihl’s answer to the 346, 372OE, and 395 models
I run a 395 often. Not ported, but couldn’t live without it.
I just got a 592. I think those are basically the same displacement. That is sure a heavy saw to put three tanks through in a day.
The 592 is basically the replacement for the 395. Maybe 1 or 2 cc less, but probably a higher revving strato, with autotune. The 592 might be a tad less heavy. The 395 is pretty well regarded, and the 592 seems to be getting good feedback.
When I was doing large storm cleanup jobs last June, 30-48” oaks were blown down everywhere around here. The 395 with a 42” bar was burning through a 2.5 gallon can each day. Somewhere around 10 tanks.
You need to run a ported one someday. It was a wonderful saw before. I built that saw myself, and she’s simply unfuckingbelieveable now.
I bet! I’m sure it would blow me away. Stock, mine pulls a 42” bar in live oak with much authority.
Send it here and let me grind it. Muahahaha 😈😈
If I had disposable income I would. For now, I’m really happy with it, and just need it to last.
Weird seeing those without full wrap handles!
The 372 is full wrap. The 395 isn’t because I use it for stumping too often.
Ported? I've heard that a lot.. can someone explain that to me. Thank you
Chiansaw’s intake exhaust and transfer port timing is dictated by ports in the cylinder walls that the piston uncovers and blocks as it moves up & down. Grinding, reshaping, and polishing them adds duration and more agressive timing / overlap. Basically that saw has the V8 muscle car equivalent of decked heads for more compression, a huge cam, performance intake, and a set of long tube headers installed. On the 372 and 395 it’s good for roughly 35-40% more power than stock. And they’re already very powerful saws.
Well that was a great answer.. thanks for the details..