Chainsaw Bar and Chain

Buying guide

Matching a replacement bar and chain

Three numbers decide fit: pitch (such as .325 or 3/8), gauge (such as .050 or .063) and drive-link count. The bar also has to match the saw's mount. Find these on the bar tail or in the manual before you order.

Lightweight laminated bars suit top-handle and mid-size saws used in the tree, while solid bars hold up better on big saws in the log. A new chain on a worn bar will run crooked, so flip the bar regularly, dress the rails, and replace the sprocket every couple of chains.

Keeping the cutting system healthy

Most bar and chain trouble starts with oil and tension. Check that the oiler is putting a line of oil on a stump when you rev the saw, clean the oil hole and bar groove every time you change chains, and set tension so the chain snaps back against the bar but still pulls freely by hand.

Flip the bar each time you sharpen so both rails wear evenly, and file off any burr on the rail edges. If the chain leans to one side in the groove or the saw starts cutting in a curve, the rails are uneven or the chain is filed unevenly. Keep a couple of matched bar and chain sets on the truck so a pinched or damaged bar does not end the day.