Seized 1960s Chainsaw Restoration 

I was running this saw for about 2 hours at about a 30-50% duty cycle ru-vid.comUgkxfQm1wmg0ItKDLavxj1nXtQY9HP7EF504 and it did a great job. I used the lever for the built in sharpener to clear chip buildup out more than to actually sharpen the chain. It managed to cut some hardwood stumps much larger than it's size without bothering the neighbors with hours of 2 stroke noise.

Honestly, at the beginning of the video I was thinking you were a moderately handy guy with a ton of patience and an endless supply of carb cleaner. Then you MADE YOUR OWN GASKETS AND MANIFOLD SPACER! I have a huge amount of respect for your skill and patience sir.

These restoration videos without music or some boring story at the beginning are so relaxing to watch. Thanks Mr. Matthews, excellent work.

Never once in my life have I even held a chainsaw or had the need or urge to... yet I just love these restoration videos. Great job and really props on battling that piston!

TY! No LOUD music No stupid music NO music NO, trying to be funny So many could learn from you! Thanks

Thank-you for not ruining this awesome video with music...much rather hear and feel your frustration than some silly music. Great job, man!

this restoration was one of the most laborious I've ever seen, congratulations brother!!!

These pieces, restored with so much love and sweat, by hand, are absolutely priceless.

I really enjoyed watching that and thanks for not killing the video with music. The sound of tools being used is what us guys want... 👍

I took apart the shoe lace from my sneaker and couldn't figure out how it went back, yet this man dismantled and rebuilt this complex machine in under an hour. :) Awesome !

Early in the video, I was praying that when you restored it, you would take it for a test drive. It was so satisfying to hear that chainsaw roar especially since it hasn’t been used in decades.

Please come back Will... we are scared and lonely and in need of restorations.

Have you ever run into anything you could not restore? You are freaking amazing. Well worth the watch. Made my wife wait until I finished watching your vid (date night). She was not happy.

I have no interest in chainsaws but for some reason I found this video so interesting

Love these old chainsaw restoration videos bringing some of the best back. Thank you for the post really interesting and informative

Good Morning Will, I have been watching several of your restoration videos and just wanted to commend you on your skills, patience, and attention to detail. It has been a pleasure to watch your work. Peace, Lou Grossi

Thanks for the video sir, I very much enjoyed it. The Canadien was made by Power Machinery Ltd in Vancouver, BC - originally a division of Bristol Aero as far as I can understand. Industrial Engineering Chainsaws were made there too - bought out by OMC and then moved east to Ontario where they became Pioneer brand saws. Anyway its good to see the old iron working anymore so thanks again. Brings me back to a slower and simpler time.

I’m not sure what impressed me more, your love of restoration and the projects you take on, or your ability to find and/or manufacture replacement parts for these items! I had no idea one could find engine rebuild kits for ancient chainsaws!

Wow, I think that this is the most comprehensive renovation I've seen so far, respect for the enormity of the work you put into it.

At first I thought this guy was wasting his time on this junk but remembered as a kid I did the same. I learned so much doing these projects and laid the groundwork for a most extensive and detailed career. As well, these older tools were built with high quality and integrity unlike the vast majority of tools now built overseas. Excellent fun videos! Thank you.

This video came up as a suggestion and at first I thought this might be a whole bunch of "yakking"...I mean...40 minutes on a chainsaw? Quite the contrary -- what a surprise. This was so much fun to watch! Not one second wasted... This had to take forever to edit and it, like the chainsaw turned out just perfect. I love to tinker and this scratched my itch... This is probably one of the best (if not THE) best video I've seen on YT to date. Awesome work, sir.

To see a man put so much hard work and love into a project like this has restored my faith in humanity

So many gold problem solving solutions embedded in this video. Skills galore! I picked up a lot of repair skills tips watching you. Masterful!

One of your best looking resto's. Thanks for the video!

Anyone else yell YEAH! when Will fired the engine 1st time and HELL YEAH!! when he competed the cut on the 'garden retaining feature'? Awesome resto job... credit to your skills sir.

Two minutes into this video I thought, there is no way he can restore that piece of junk. It's totally corroded and can't possibly be restored. OMG am I surprised with the end result. I started watching this video at around 11:00 PM and found myself watching this video until after midnight, and happy I did. What gets me is, you don't seem to employ a lot of tools working on it, but the results are great. Thanks for sharing this great video and look forward to more....Ken Marina California

I've done what you did here for years... i don't say this to brag, but to say BRAVO SIR! you have something that very people have. keep up the great work and I look forward to future videos!

It's so satisfying to hear that chainsaw run for the first time in years! Great job on the paint too!

So glad to see another video from you. I’m convinced you could rebuild a space shuttle given enough time and WD-40. Awesome.

There are lot of "restoration" videos on youtube where people destroy old tools by removing beautiful patina and take away the history of that tool. But this was restoration done right and to a right subject. You really brought back that old dead machine and gave it a new life. Well done!

A very difficult and technical rehab. Everything was cleaned and rebuilt. You stuck with it to the end. Nice work.

Amazing! It's special to use your own resurrected tools. You have got a treasure. Thank you for the great video.

Next up... WWII tank restoration. Can't wait. 😂 Seriously though, you have mad restoration skills and the patience of a busload of Saints. Great work!! 👍👍👍

Side note, i'm extremely impressed and jealous of how you're able to keep all those small bits together and remember where each nut and bolt go

I am absolutely in awe. Even with the curveballs, you came out shining like a new penny! Fantastic Work!

I was deeply impressed when you noticed the spring was broken and you just uncoiled it and snipped off and re-bent the broken part. That is on another level.

Daaang, you took that saw from a dead spare parts unit to a beautiful, and more importantly, functional machine! Most folks would've junked it after all that corrosion/dried muck came pouring out, but you cleaned it up and brought it back to life! Seems painting sets off the alarm-birds, eh? Love that bottle-jack press, may have to make my own at some point! I've heard zip-ties work as single-use ring-compressors, so you don't have to fiddle with each ring as it goes in. Love the attention to detail, getting the new piston and air-filter to fit and work properly. Nice paint-work on the top cover too!

Finally, someone who knows how to install bearings properly. Subscribed!

Dude has got to be the most patient dude on earth. I couldn't even watch him do the entire project never mind doing a project like this. Thank God for fast forward. Awesome stuff, man.

I know nothing about restoration, mechanics or chainsaws and I found this to be so incredibly satisfying to watch! Thanks for posting!

I've decided it is humanly impossible for someone to disassemble this and put it back together. You are either the inventor of this chainsaw, the most organized human in the existence of the world, or the more likely explanation, an alien.

This was one of the BEST restoration videos I have seen. I felt your frustration and worked along with you. Excellent Job.

Great job dude! Thanks for taking us along for the fun.

I'm from a long line of lumberjacks/loggers. My father and grandfather told me tons of stories about the old days, when they sawed by hand and used horses to move logs. The biggest pain in the ass in the morning when you got up was, their hands were seized up because they hadn't invented shock absorbers in the chainsaw handles so ALL the vibrations of the saw went straight into your hands. I only worked in the woods for a few years as a teenager. I was 17 when they started using the first tree harvester machines. Everyone knew right away that our job was done. The tree harvester could cut 10 times the wood per day than 5 of us could on a good day and it only took one operator. It was alot safer than having guys on the ground too. It was the end of a long era. I'm glad I did get to experience I did though. Not too many guys who did it the old way are still around now. Thanks for this awesome video.

Hard to believe that was possible. Stumbled upon the video and took in the whole thing. Many hours there . Amazing and incredible.

My golly, you actually found replacement parts, great persistence and vid, thanks.

That was 10 kinds of cool. I wish I were as detail oriented and had your attention span. Thanks for posting this. I really enjoyed it.

Wow.. This is the best restoration I've seen.. you've replaced new parts wherever necessary.. great job keep it up

WTF, who on earth disliked this video?! Amazing restoration work, I couldn't believe it looking at that chunk of rust you started with, such patience, and great memory for putting it back together! and those custom gaskets and modified air filter, very sharp!

I had no idea a chainsaw was so intricate in design. That's amazing!

I think these fast movin , no talk , no cheesy music resto videos very groovy man . You kill it man! Keep it up .

I love working on old saws and what you did here is nothing short of necromancy!

I'm amazed you did all of this in 38 minutes. Great work!

I think that might've been the most satisfying thing I've ever watched. Great job.

You did an awesome job. With both the restoration and the video. And holy hell that thing was beyond seized!

I restore vintage watches. The two things I understand intimately and share with this amazing chainsaw restoration are the frustration of getting a stubborn spring to cooperate and that feeling of joy mixed with relief when the machine fires up (or starts ticking) after all the work that went into it.

1.000.000 pieces of dismantling and assembling...RESPECT👌!

After watching a number of your videos Will, I’m always curious and have questions about that project. But the one question I’ll bet everyone wants to ask is - “Is there anything you don’t know about ?? Woodworking, no problem. Metal work, easy. Wiring and electrical circuits, simple. Making gaskets and obscure parts from the 1800s, fine. Making leather knife handles, sure. Fabrication, welding, design.. piece of cake. I could go on and on. Keep up the great work ! 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

The level of knowledge and skill you posses is beyond amazing. I enjoyed watching this every second. Thank you very much for sharing and keep up the good work.

Wow, awesome, in-depth tear-down and restoration.

After watching this video for 35 minutes, when it started I was feeling that I was working with you for the whole time and I said to me "feew". Keep going what you are doing, because you are good at it!

Я поставил лайк с самого начала видео, потому что взяться реставрировать такое сложное устройство уже достойно похвалы!

Awesome! Well done. I enjoy fixing lawn equipment too. My least favorite part is the recoil spring. Thanks for posting.

Beautiful! I hope that one day I will be able to acquire the skill and the tools that I would need to persue such an amazing project. Well done!

Only someone who really likes old power tools would put in the work... bravo for saving a chainsaw unlike any I've ever seen.

Damn mate, what a beaut!!! Must have been so satisfying to see and hear it running again...Hugh undertaking making this beast run again, awesome job dude!

I live in Ontario Canada and my dad had a 270 Canadian which i used quite a lot when i was young. Sure was a good saw and had a lot of power. Cut many cords of firewood with it. Loved watching you rebuild that one. Nice job.

Thanks for the memories. Had the same exact saw back in the 60's.

Awesome video. I was so surprised you were able to find a gasket kit for that little tiny carburetor.

anyone else find these therapeutic?

That was one of the best attention to detail restorations I have seen! DO another !

Absolutely brilliant, so interesting to watch. You have done a tip top job.

Hi,this is without doubt one of the most comprehensive refurbishment I have seen to date,it is a 35 minute vidio but no doubt took you a few week's, am I correct? however you did a first rate job on a very badly abused machine,and gets a 5 star thumbs up from me,

I can’t believe that you had the patience to finish this project. Great work! I’m truly impressed.

It's a shame people would rather throw something out than to repair, or even restore just for the experience. Props to you who refurbish and restore.

Great video! I used to fix those, hundreds- in a logging camp on Vancouver Island!

Legend says after the making of this video the spring broke again

Мужик, ты меня не поймешь, но я тебе все равно скажу. Руки у тебя растут от куда надо! красавчик

The part count and complexity of this device is amazing compared to what we see today. Imagine all the labor hours required to assemble this device. However, I'm fairly certain you won't see anything made today being fired up in 50 years. My favorite fabrication was both the carburetor spacer, and head gasket.

...can't stop watching, so good! You're very professional! :)

Why did I watch this? Incredibly satisfying.

wow, I thought that piston was welded in there.... You repaired rather than replaced the chain and pull - starter. Awesome!

I love these videos without disturbing background music! Amazing work.

That was 38 minutes and twenty five seconds of my life that was well worth spending. Amazing. Well done.

Absolutely amazing, excellent. I love to see old tools restored. But my hands do start to ache as I watch you use solvents without some nitrile gloves. I did the same for years until I learned better. You definitely have some serious talent for the restoration work you do. Nowadays, most of those tools would just go into the junk heap. Glad your saving them.

God damn it sir! I don't think i have seen something this satisfying on youtube!!! You are a true artist! All the best to you and family, Cristian

Awesome labor of love. I couldn't take my eyes off your video it was so cool!!

Seriously man you're so focused and have a cool head to work on this piece. I'm totally freaked out when I saw this thing. Kudos for sharing ...

WOW! Exceptional job with great patience. I love old chainsaws. I had a Jonsered 621 and man it was a powerhouse until the bearings went. So I turned her over to a guy like you to bring her back. One day.....

That is one of the most satisfying videos that I have ever seen!

Who could imagine this machine over 50 years could start abd work again. Awsome job.

Absolutely fabulous work to a great standard really looks great thank you for sharing the video

One of the best restoration videos on RU-vid!

This video has cured my hair loss.

I love doing these kind of restorations! Its fun, when you take something old and ragged and bring it back to life. Just like new.

What an awesome piece you made there... Great work! Very inspiring

I really wonder what leads people to dislike a video like this...

Another great video. Very satisfying to watch. These old tools are a nice reminder of the prominence of real metal parts used decades ago. Imagine restoring a modern chainsaw with extensive use of plastic parts. You'd need a 3-D printer to replicate them.

Awesome Job . I bought a Mac 10-10 in the mid 80 s that was at least 15 years old and tossed it in the scrap pile in 2003 when i bought my first Sthil , wish i had kept the old beater after watching your video . Great job your attention to detail is perfect .

Appreciate the video! I’m using your video to restore my chainsaw. It’s a challenge for sure but it’s a lot of fun. Thanks for this :)