Been using a Hawksmoor for about 6 months now. I purchased one for myself but I use it at work as a gardener, I've used Stihl on estates previously. I've processed a load of felled oak and fire wood, processed a ton of pallets too, felled a few small trees also. I even accidently got my fuel cans mixed up and ran a bit of petrol through it once, it still felled the small yew. It's still going strong. The body material is thinner than well known brands, the screw to tighten the chain is of an inferior quality and if it does go it'll be because of this skimping on material, but it's nothing dramatic. However, as an engine, it just keeps going with absolutely no drop in performance. I was really just playing around with a cheap chainsaw. I still get a little embarrassed turning up with this saw but I really shouldn't, this thing's already paid for itself.
33 years ago I bought an 18" saw that was always talked down as a throwaway brand. Plastic housing when any good saw was steel (back then). This year I had a good bit of storm clean up to do and it cut strong like it did back in 1989. Have used it every year for general clean up. So, I'm not surprised with the ole Hawksmoor. Oh, and my saw is green also. 👍
I have about 6 of these china chainsaws and use them all the time. I have cut about ten cord of wood over the last year and they have done very well. One thing I do mention is, most of the ones in the US come with an inferior chain, so expect to replace it right away with a better brand and you will be happy. Looks like yours comes with an Oregon bar and chain which is going to be what you need.
Interesting video! I went to forestry school some 15 years ago now so we did cut quite a bit of spruces and pines then and every now and again at home, pretty rarely these days tho, but it is fun! I'm a Husqvarna man tho, that's the way to go! Do post that update in the future, I wanna know how the Hawksmoor does!
Another great video George thanks for sharing.To be fair the cheap saw had not been started but for the price ,you could buy four for the price of the still,interesting to know how long the guarantees are on the two saws
I too thought the Hawksmoor gave the better cut by far. I have one of their self drive mowers and it is a no frills hare out of the gate. Shaved loads of mowing time off a couple of high brand mowers. I also have a BU KO chainsaw even cheaper than your Hawksmoor. Comes with a 16" and a 20" chainbar with 2 of each size of chain. Would love to have seen how that would have fared against your duo. I had to fettle the carb after a bit but it cuts great. thanks for sharing your results with us.
I had a similar experience with a cheap big heavy duty strimmer you seem to have had with that chainsaw. When she’s running, shes an absolute beats but she does have issues starting!! Long term though, for a third of the price with more power, every bit as good as a husquvarna my dad bought the same day
Thanks for this review, managed to pick up a Hawksmoor chainsaw from Toolstation for some 50-70cm fallen oak trees I've got to clear. Looking forward to your long term review but it does seem good once you'd sussed the upside down kill switch
Horses for courses so they reckon but I will say this, I bought a cheapo 3in1 strimmer with saw and trimmer attachments and for the occasional use it never fails to start or work correctly even if left for 12 months. Its bang on....👍
There is definitely a Chinese man or lady somewhere in a factory in China remembering the time they wired up those run/stop switches backwards and they're having a laugh at your expense George lol
I have owned and used both Stihl and Husqvarna saws over the years but now I’ve switched to Echo as the build quality is far better with none of the stupid electronic carbs and it’s backed up with a proper warranty. The cheap off brand stuff is fine as you say for occasional home owner use, but even once or twice a year for clearing up after a storm or similar I know I’d prefer to be picking up a proper tool for the job not worrying about if/when it’s going to give out on me because I didn’t want to spend the extra money
Liking the vid. I went down the plug in electric mode years ago.... sound posh now but electric saw and a 3 pin plug🤣. Still using it after 15 years. Better chain and bars make all the difference. I prefer also having the use of a generator for any occasion that might kill the mains power. Stay safe 🏴
@@GeorgeSaunders evening sir. The 87 is being very patient with me 😔🙄. Iv not been working on it for a while but Swinnerton tractors have shown the most interest and help in supplying me with any parts required. So it back to me to make sure I order all the right seals etc. Missing the old girls grunt. My day job is busy and eating into available time but I'm also thinking of doing some cab work sound depending before and after etc in future. ..
Good Vid George ,Only thing i would Say is Stihl Will be Able to Keep running over a Lot of years Due to Spares Availability,Cheap Saw Will be more Difficult getting Parts when its Old, But if it saves £400 And lasts a good while then Whats Not Too Like.
I try to stick to the bigger brand when buying a saw. I've only ever owned three saws in total, and still have them all. My first was an old Jonsered from the 1970s i think, it made a hell of a good noice. Then I got a new Jonsered 2240 I think the model is. A nice little saw, but not really for full-time professional work. I do love the distinct feel in the chainbreak (or whatever you call it) on the little Jonsered. Then there is my newest, and best saw. The Stihl MS241with (I think) a 14" bar. Love it! Sure, a 16" would be nice sometimes, but 14" does most of the jobs I do with it.
Hi I got a farmerte 660 stihl copy at a fraction of the cost had I to do a one off job with a 36"bar it was spot on now use it with a 20 or 25 " bar as main saw only problem I had was starter assembly replacement with a stihl one spot had it 2 years now used daily 1 to 2 hours can't fault it. Just a bit heavy 😀
To the average home owner it makes more sence to have a cheap saw sitting in the garage most of the year so these cheap tools do have a place for the right customer , dos it say were it was made George any stamps on the engine etc, really enjoyed that great video.
I agree mate, no point having an expensive tool sat there doing nothing. The saw is Chinese made including the engine, but it does have an Oregon bar which is good 👍
Great video 👍Chain is too tight by a half turn on the stihl by the sound of it George. Years ago I had Stihl MS260’s, and they just ate crank seals working daily on that kind of timber. Went to a new MS441, 70cc, didn’t miss a beat. Now just sold it and bought a new MS500i in October, which is just pure chainsaw pornography.
the best chainsaw ive ever seen is our electric husquavarna. It has loads of power, and is light as anything, and naturally makes no noise. We still have a couple of big STIHL's for big jobs, but the electric one is ideal for any jobs short of going through a full size tree.
I have been very tempted by the electric saws, particular the DeWalt as I've already got a fair bit of there kit, they are just a fair bit of money though.
I mean, even if you treat that as a “hot spare” for when the Stihl needs fixing (chain, bar, plug, etc) it’s still a lot cheaper to have that Hawksmoor as the spare till the Stihl gets back vs 2 Stihl’s. Plus, when sending someone else off to work a job, just the assurance the good kit won’t get messed up is always peace of mind.
251 is one of Stihls "homeowner" grade saws. 261 is where it's at. This was a fun comparison to watch though. Not many guys bury 45cc saws in huge hardwood.
Cant go wrong with Stihl, All my saw's, Strimmer and hedge sheers are all Stihl, would not bother with any other as they have Never let me down. I did start with a cheap brand but it ended up like Triggers broom...
I bought a cheap petrol two handle strimmer and that would not start, took the air filter off and noticed all the instructions were opposite, choke on was off etc when I worked it out it was a great strimmer
Horses for courses, if you’re regularly using it and can justify 500+ then yep go for the good warranty and backup but if it’s an occasional use use for firewood delimbing or emergency storm clearing and can’t justify the price choose something cheaper but regardless of which you choose husbandry and maintenance will go a long way to keeping them going
I’ve had a couple of Stihl saws as I’ve got older found them too heavy and they give me back ache, went to the local dealers and bought an Echo, so much lighter and the few times a year I use it it’s fine. But it’s Japanese, so it’s built to a good standard. Tool station is though a heck of a useful shop though…..
I got to say it will come down till how long the chain lasts but that cheap saw looks like it will last a week or two...worth the money if you only use it now and then..
Just a note on starting - I have not that brand name but def the same saw with another name on and my one says apply the choke, pull the starter twice lightly, then choke off and pull to start - it starts on 2nd pull most times
Hi George, very interesting Experiment to try the two I would like to try for the cheap one for a week or two, At the moment it works ok let’s see after a week or two, You take care of yourself and stay safe.👍👍.
It appeared to me that the cheap saw cut a little better than the Stihl. I do believe that the big difference between the two will be durability. The Stihl was built to last. Some cheap saws would more than likely last a long time as long as you don't run them too hard and take good care of them. Loggers us high quality saws for a reason. They cost a lot more, but they are worth it.
I used to keep an off-brand cheapo chainsaw as a spare/rescue saw when doing tree work. If my Stihl broke on the job or became jammed in a trunk I'd use the off=brand saw to save the day. I did once drop my off-brand saw and damaged the pull start housing. I did some mega Googling and discovered the saw was made under the envelope of the Electrolux corporation. They did indeed keep spares and yes they were UK based spares. My off-brand saw was underpowered but as long as I kept it really sharp and didn't push it, I could always get things finished. My concern with that green saw would be spares. Not chains or bars and more things like clutches and casings. Aside from that yeah fine for now and then use.
Absolutely brilliant video George right up my street 👌🏻 that hawksmore looks exactly like my parkside one I got in lidl for 100 quid I presume they must be the same just branded differently. For what it cost Cant really complain about its performance and it starts first time every time. Still use my little stihl ms170 for most jobs tho they can certainly pack a punch for their size 😂
I always use performance petrol and the steal chain oil and the green petrol additive ,I’ve never had any brake dawns I had a brand new husqvaner which I had no end of problems with so sometimes is not always about the name
Square cut the teeth and you'll cut much quicker or round file but give the chain a good sharpen. They both need a tune up on the mixture, always love a chainsaw video
Great comparison video please do post an update after a days use of both saws would be super interesting I think. That Stihl does look handsome we have a Stihl at work older model and smaller just for pruning the trees around the premesis. Have you had any forestry or chainsaw training its something that I would like to get around to one day?
Great video very interesting wonder what the parts availability is like on the cheap saw, suppose at that price you don’t bother repairing it just throw it away and get another one.
Professionals are going to buy the Stihl, but for occasional use the Hawksmoor has got to be the way to go. Assume its got a years guarantee, so if it only lasts a couple of years. Probably buy 4 for the price of the Stihl. I personally think the quality of branded products has deteriorated considerably over the years. For example, 20 years ago I bought a Bosch corded hedgecutter. It served me brilliantly for 15 years and basically I wore it out. Replaced 4 years ago with same make and size battery powered model, now in its 5th year, not only is the battery knackered, but the cutting blades are worn worse than the one it replaced.
Nothing seems to be over engineered these days, I would be surprised if the new Stihl lasts as long as the saw it's replaced. The Hawksmoor has got 2 years of warranty so not bad, I was genuinely Impressed at its performance, time will tell if it's durable 👍
bosch stopped making stuff like that years ago they brought out qualcast used there desgins sold the qualcast brand name on ............ the green chain saw im sure is a old mcculloch model rebadged
Hello George I always buy stihl always have done yes like you say they bit more expensive but like they say u get what you pay for keep up the good work 👍👍
That Stihl will struggle with a bigger bar, I run Husqvarna xp saws, a forestry worker told me to always run a new saw in by removing the bar and chain, filling the fuel tank and letting it sit and run the full tank through.
I know why the start switch was wrong. This saw is a clone(I didn't remember the name of the saw it's drives from, there's a few) and those are resigned plastics. They make this saw with a few different plastics and other models with the switch in the upward position is "run". I have a larger version of the clone, $100 shipped to my door, 62cc and a 20" blade. It's been pretty good and starting it has been pretty easy. Mine definitely bogs less than your Stihl. My main complaint with my cheap saw is I don't have a case for it, I bought a soft case that barely fits, is like a hard case/toolbox.
need to loosen the chain off on the stihl to tight and when your adjusting it pinch the end of the bar pull up and tighten bolts got to breakem in first before taking on the heavier stuff
I was shouting timber for you the cheap one performed ok but like you say reliability and parts it may be ok for the guarantee and if not used regularly the time you go to it down the line and it won't work you are most likely stuck and may have to dispose of it
te bonjour George encore une belle vidéo , j ai eu pas de tronçonneuses mais maintenant je reste en sthil rien de mieux et dans la durée , bon courage a toi pour la suite 😍👍👍👍
It gets interesting when you work with both saws for a whole day or longer. then you can make a statement whether the cheap saw is worth the money or not.
Is the chain is a bit to tight on the Sthil seems to bog down easy. The Hawksmoor idle is a bit high I've got a cheap Chinese saw its alright for the money
I had the same trouble with my Stihl ms251 £550 quid for a toy basically it struggled with medium sized logs. I just by the 52 cc Chinese chainsaws plenty of power for a third of price. Cost me £69 quid for my last chainsaw
@@GeorgeSaunders what's the vibrations like. Most cheaper saws are jot as smooth. I agree though if you don't want to spend the money and use infrequently then cheap may be ok. Just make sure kickback handle does not break and wear chainsaw trousers 👖. All teh best stay safe.
I prefer Stihl to any other brand, a friend of mine (chain saw expert) recommend not the genuine chains, he reckons the after market ones are better, any thoughts? How about a chain sharpening session?
We use a lot of stihl equipment in our landscaping business more than 10 of each blowers,strimmers,combi units,strimmers,saws etc.The new stihl gear is garbage .There is constantly stihl stuff in the workshop with carb or ignition coil issues.The blowers are bulletproof but we will not be going with stihl for that stuff in the future.Battery stuff from eco and and husqi for consaws etc. We bought a new stihl auger last week for planting.Its in the workshop as of yesterday refusing to start.
Lots of folk have been saying the new gear is poor, it had been a long time since we bought a new Stihl, the old stuff we've got has been bullet proof, we'll have to cross our fingers with the new one👍
Hi George, just found this video. very interesting piece of kit. Days gone buy you had no choice but to buy expensive, now you have a choice. Any update on the Hawksmoor?.
I’ve always been a stihl man from college and through my working life, I’ve seen cheap saws last and fall apart after 10hrs but on the flip side, worked a 441c which let the wrist pin (apparently) go and seized the engine up within 10hrs of new, so the diagnostics said. A lot of the stihl are now Chinese components anyway and the small equipment 🙄😩. I might be moving to the dark side for my next saw 😈
@@GeorgeSaunders I’d agree unfortunately. I’ve not had a new stihl that was better than it’s predecessor 😩. The shall to medium saw a are always over sold… I’ve always stuck by “put the next bar size down from the Max the manufacturer states” saying that, the 440 is on an 18inch bar😁. I honestly think for domestic jobs, battery is the way. We’ve talked about one for next to the chipper
We had a stihl saw we used to cut rebar etc and it was nice an light but getting it started was a pill compared to the old cheap saw we had i forget the name of it
You'll wreck the easy start mechanism starting it like that, lay it on the ground and just pull the start cord. I have seen a few people breaking the easy start setup thinking you can start it like a standard pullstart
Cheap one looks like the one I got from lidl it was bit of a bugger to start at first but it's OK now. I don't use it often so can't justify a premium saw and for that reason I also run it on Aspen stabilised fuel
The Chinese saw's what ever name they go by, have good engines, plastics are bad and the on switch is always up, just put on a good quality chain and you got a good chainsaw.
Hate them stihls always got into a sweat trying to start them and tended to have a fuel pipe collapse from tank to carb.needed changin every couple of years. Pro husky only option.
I think the largest difference was a significant measure of the operator. It is extremely important to maintain the rpm's at a high level while cutting for good cutting performance. You need to manage the rate of feed to keep the saw cutting. While operating the Stihl you continually bogged the saw down, which is quite easy to do in smaller power saws. The feed rate is in the hands of the operator. If the operator doesn't control the feed rate, the saw will bog. On chainsaws the chain plays a major role in the load placed on the saw. If the chains a sharpened differently, especially regarding the raker depth of cut setting, it will make a major difference in the load placed on the saw. Simply stated, it is up to the operator to control the smooth cutting of the saw. If one saw is allowed to bog down the cutting rate is highly affected. When operating the Stihl you continually allowed the saw to bog down, an easy thing to do in lower powered saws if the chains are sharpened differently. It appeared the Stihl saw was attempting to cut more aggressively and you continued to over power the saw by not controlling the feed rate. For this comparison you need to be sure the same bar and chain are utilized to evaluate the power output of the different brands.
Hawksmen is a new brand and their really good because all their products are good they do lawnmowers multi tool Leaf bowers and more and the ones I have still work in mite conditions
If you are the occasional user I would go with the battery powered Stihl or Husqvarna instead of the Chinese gas powered saw. Yes it’s inexpensive but when it sits on your shelf for 6 months and will not start and the repair shop tells you good luck with that your back to the beginning.
Hawksmoor cuts better than the Stihl..it didn't bog down as much.. poss the Stihl chain was to tight and chain needed sharpening. Definitely think Hawksmoor did a better job
Hi George, the chain on the stihl is toooo tight,that's why your slipping the clutch all the time....I personally would have put your £130 into a 500i or a husky 560xp or something like. Come on the start/stop wrong way round for starters and no spare parts backup.....scrap, with no pleasure cutting...sorry!!
