STIHL CHAINSAW'S Dirty Little Secret 

Protect your round files in drinking straws so they aren't dulling one another in the plastic bag.

The whole vapor lock deal is dumb, the videos that I've seen, where the saws do this, the saw has been left in the sun thus causing gas vapor to build up. The videos show the person going to open the tank and they do it super fast which lets out all the pressure at once, which in turn sprays them. I did 4 years of non active fire, fire mitigation with a local company, and the main thing they told us about the Sthil saws was not to leave them in the sun. With some of the extreme heat we were working in (115 degrees+), plus leaving your saw in the hot sun, after running straight for an hour could cause low level fuel boiling. Which in turn, if the gas cap was open fast with out venting the pressure first, could spray in your face, with the potential to melt your skin (Yikes). If you flip up the handle and turn the cap 1/4 turn it will vent, then you can open it fully to fuel or do whatever you need to do. I got sprayed once, when a coworker used my saw. I had left mine in the shade, as co-boss of the crew, I had to step away to help someone who had hurt their ankle, and while i was gone from the site (2+ hrs), a fellow crew member had used my saw. They had left it in the sun after that, then stuck it in the shade just minutes before I returned to it. When I picked it up I realized that is was light like it needed to be refueled. So I carried it to the fueling area (near our vehicles on a tarp) and set it down across from our crew boss. I quickly opened the cap, not knowing that it had been left in the sun, and got a face full of what little gas remained in the tank. It was sure hot, but not quite face melting hot yet. My crew boss scrabbled over to me, to see if I needed to be medevac-ed to the hospital, I had pretty bad burns on my lower face (thank god for eye protection), but nothing that required a medevac, via helicopter. Any ways I have rambled quite enough, just let the tank vent first before popping it open! Oh one more thing, heres a video of some of the work we did. Enjoy! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-x4HfvTZ9Zbg.html

I've always heard the still spiked on the chainsaw are called "Dogs"

Stihl is at the mercy of the EPA, the clean air gurus don't want chainsaws to vent any hydrocarbons into the atmosphere, so this is why one way check valves are used in tank vents creating a huge fire safety issue. It's not just Stihl though. Safety gas cans also a huge problem, no vent cap. When your 2 gal. can becomes a 3 gal. can while sitting in the sun, yep huge problem.

Love it....every time I get my camera out the wind starts howling! And my rooster starts crowing!!

i've owned stihl's for years and have never had any problem with them other than regular maintenance things. one of the best chainsaws made in my opinion

I call BS we use stihls all day everyday commercially and we have absolutely no issues with vapor locking and we are at 10,000 ft above sea level.

I asked grand dad "grand dad, why did you buy an aluminum wedge?" And grand dad said "SHUT UP AND GET BACK TO WORK!!!!"

Great video! I carry about the same thing, other things I like to have are a thin file to clean up the bar just in case the chain way gets a bur in it, a small tube of grease to apply to the roller bearing at the end of the day, some fuel tank sealant in case of a tank crack, and a torx screw driver to be able to remove any screws on the saw. I love my Stihl 660.

Log Teeth or pivoting claws Thank you for covering how the western firefighter is decked out and trained. I appreciate you. From my teens I'm up into my 30's, i spent 21 years as a volunteer Rescue/Firefighter. I was raised visiting a fire-station; after school every day, so it was in my blood! I was a journeyman Machinist/Tool & Die Maker and switched professions when we wrte forced to share trade secrets abroad, and I went to Electrician, and I spent the next 30 years patching circuits. My true love, though, was fighting fire and Rescuing the helpless! I, very much, appreciate the Professional Firefighters. I never got paid for firefighting, and when my town changed-over to paid, from privately owned, they asked me to come on and I declined. Is told them I HAD A JOB...I couldn't come in just anytime because of that, but mainly, I did the Fire ans Rescue because I Loved It! I could MAKE A DIFFERRNCE, and it not been be a MONEY THING. I've missed it, a long time! I still give the thumbs-up as they sirene by! I'm too old, now...anyway. I'm close to 70. Thanks again, for all you do!

I live in London, I don't know why I'm watching a video about chain saws... but I'm glad I am.

Stihl MS290 user here. I cut 10 to 15 cd wood per year, and have NEVER had any sort of problem such as fuel splashing out of the saw, or so on. No mysteries, no faults....this saw has been 100% dependable in all conditions for 5+ years. Choke it, 3 pulls to first start...flip to 'run', and first pull - every time, hot or cold out. Original spark plug. This is one hell of a piece of machinery, from my point of view.

Those spikes are called “dogs”

Thanks. I enjoy your videos. I respect your presentations. You forest firefighters are all heroes. You all put your lives on the line every time you go out. Sadly, we lost some in Ca. this year. A couple of years back, some pilots were lost when they made a pass to drop their load of retardant on a fire up near Ukiah. Terrible. These fires are living, breathing beasts that consume everything in their path and have no mercy. I still find it hard to believe what happened in Santa Rosa last year. Entire residential neighborhoods were consumed. Thank you for your service.

Love this video! Last weekend I got qualified as a Sawyer 1 with Team Rubicon. We primarily use Stihl MS261Cs but we also use the 441c and 461cs. Those saws are gigantic. They are an order of magnitude greater in power in all respects. My respect for folks that can manage those has certainly increased.

They only let you give one thumbs up. Lots of good tips here. The other day looking at my wrench set I wish I had a tool roll. That fire hose canvas would do the trick. A friend working landscaping plunged the saw into his calve, miraculously he didn't hit an artery, but chaps or that first aid kit could save your life. Spare parts save you down time and help get the job done. So much for the obvious with your experience, but to a newbie it's a game changer. Thanks for sharing

“Bucking spikes” or also I’ve heard them called “log dogs”

I have always filled the oil chamber first! on all my chainsaws and I have never had the trouble of fuel spurting out on any of my saws including all the various Stihls I have owned and used extensively over many years.

Teach these wildfire guys to read, the warning label clearly reads "don't open near open flame..."

Love how you say you have never seen a husquvarna on a fire but have a video of you near the homestead at a fire useing a husky and several other videos of huskys on fires. Including one in your own engine.

my job on fighting forest fires was running the fireplow-a 1968 john deere 350 with a home made 6' V-blade on the front and a plow on the back(that info for those that don't know about fireplow lol)

Wow. Stuff I’ll never use but found the information fascinating. The fire fighters working on a brush fire or the forest fires are a special breed of people. I’m so grateful for all the work they do here in California and around the world.

what about the filing tool that you have shown in a previous video ? didnt you say that it is working fast and great. why dont use that

Hello Cody, I agree with everything you have said but I would recommend a stump vise. It is a fancy thing I know I don’t need but it really does make sharpening in the field a lot more enjoyable. Keep up the good work

Stihl's little secret? Not hardly. The Forestry Service in letter 7100 March 21, 2018 concerning "geysering" like you mentioned are in error. For a number of years the Wildfire S-212 course which is required for all Forest Service firefighters operating chainsaws specifically addressed the issue of fuel spraying and how to very easily avoid it. Firefighters were instructed to allow the saw to cool before refueling, as with virtually all manufacturers of gas engines made today, Never fill a hot engine. For unknown reasons which no one has commented on, that part of the training in the S-212 course was dropped in 2012 and has only been re-introduced just lately. Stihl chainsaws are very well designed and compliant with ANSI chainsaw standards. ALL Stihl saws are equipped with a venting system that allows fuel to flow into the carburetor preventing leakage. Some manufacturers use two-way vents which allow the risk of uncontrolled fuel leakage. The Forest Service has relied on Stihl equipment for decades and has an approximate 7,500 chainsaws. Buy Stihl. There is no "Dirty Little Secret", just a lack of proper training and common sense.

I am not a fire faller or any kind of fireman. I use a 661 stihl for Alaska sawmilling. I occasionallly will find a Holly tree and cut wedges from the the first log and stump. These wedges are natural and hard as hammered hell! The truck is no pulpwood is allowed,center hard wood is amazing. Even hard enough to split soft woods, but I have one that I use as a double wedge for splitting large oak pieces after the first steel wedge makes a crack. 10” long and 4” thick 3” wide cut on a table saw and dried one season in the area behind my TV! 😎

I am excited because I am being promoted in the Maryland Park Service. Now I get to take the Wildfire training and hopefully this time next year get to get out there and do my part. Thank you for these videos because they have helped me to be better at my job.

Be a knot bumper on a landing for a summer and you will learn how to sharpen an saw LOL.

I live in Stuttgart near Waiblingen where Stihl saws are produced. I run vegetable oil in my Stihl to keep my bar and chain oiled. Dolmar is a brand of Chainsaw. Probably call the gas/oil can a Dolmar like we say Kleenex to any tissue.

When did he talk about chain saws? all i saw was a running advert about a half a dozen other products loosely related to the topic in the description?

Put a 3-4 '' Broken piece of hack saw blade in the kit the broken end digs out the bar chain slot a clean slot is a cooler bar because more oil can flow ,some bar edges turn blue from over tightened chain /dirty slot

Good catch on the clutch springs. I didn't think about that one. Same for the wear pad too. I hope I didn't miss these if you actually said them, but in addition to your pilot bearing, carry an extra e-clip or two for if you have to take the clutch off... because, as you know, they can be easy to lose. Also, carry an extra fuel filter. I also keep an air filter in my truck box.... but not necessarily in my field box/bag.

I've been cutting with chain saws for over 40 years and have owned many brands. My very first saw was a Stihl 041G with a large bow on it. Bows were used for short wood pulpwood harvesting. That "G" on the "041G" stands for a gear saw. There was a gearbox built onto the side of the saw which reduced the chain speed but increased torque dramatically. You could lay the bow on a log at idle and give it the gas and the chain would start cutting immediately. It wouldn't hang up and bog the engine down as a non-gear. Despite being a great saw it vibrated quite a bit and would often back out screws which held the saw together. It was a constant maintenance task. To attest to the toughness of Stihl chain saws, the previous owner of the G saw had run straight gas in it and it locked up. The repair shop wanted hundreds of dollars to fix it. I bought it for $25 from the individual, took it apart, replaced the piston ring, fired it up, and began cutting. I ran it for 15 years thereafter. That saw has since been retired and I currently run two other Stihl's: a 72cc 038 Magnum and a 026. Obviously there are the Husqvarna users who tout their brand but I've always stuck with Stihls. I used to work at a distribution center for a major tool sales company. While walking by the docks one day I saw container after container of Husqvarna saws being off loaded from China. I also observed all of the Husqvarna's in the Returns department. I'll never buy a consumer grade Husqvarna simply for those observations.

Scenic Area Shout Out! Great recap on the Stihl vapor lock issue to be aware of and solid saw kit. We are lucky to have Roland.

Last items to suggest: two extra fuel filters and something to fish out the old one (filter) in the tank. A stiff wire with a hook bend in it? Depending on your air filter type, how about a stiff toothbrush for cleaning air filters?

I believe that they are called sawdogs. For maintaining the position of the cut also helps to keep the cut straight an also other safety issue.

Of all the brands of chainsaws I've used, I found Stihl to be the best.

hello i do believe it was me who gave you that tip about the oil lids on the gas / oil spouts

The best saw bar covers I've ever used were sections of old firehose with a couple of relief cuts to make them slip on and off easy. Firehose is tuff stuff but you can crease it with an old iron to make it form fit.

I have a spring-loaded shut off nozzle on my mix jug. Didn't like it at first but got used to perfect fillups with no spillage. Got a loop of thin power cord compression knotted to my scrench, it goes over the spout on the fuel jug, never lost it and don't have to carry it on my person but it's still very handy when filling up and tightening the chain. I'm running a smaller saw with a shorter bar so usually don't have to tighten chain between fill-ups. I have to sing the praises of replaceable tip log or pulp hooks. They are more than worth their weight in gold. Forester brand are getting hard to find and have to have their junk handles replaced before using them but what a great tool! I'm home every night to bench grinder sharpen my chains so would never even consider hand filing in the field. I don't care how good of a hand filer you think you are (you're not near as good as you think you are!) you can't compete with a bench grinder. I'll get WAY WAY more life out of my chains by bench sharpening them than someone hand filing them will. And, it's cheaper. Round files have gotten expensive!

how close are you going to be standing to a ignition source when you are going to refuel your saw i under stand that its a problem but really how if you are going to be pouring gas into the saw i cant imagine that you would be standing right next the a fire where the vapor lock would be a problem

I like the tether for the bar wrench tool. I made a holster clip for mine and keep it strapped to the oil can, never to be lost.

Dad spent many summer months fighting fire in western states. I clearly remember the smell of slurry and burnt Nomex. As a fire boss, he had a couple of guys who could run a saw like a brain surgeon. They could make a tree fall like a figure skater...up hill. He used a fire rake or a pulaski. Down South, his nickname was "Little Dozer." He raked a line around small fires in his church clothes, much to mom's displeasure.

May want to add the Stihl torx driver to your kit. I know not always needed but if a handle breaks and isn’t in alignment with the other piece then it can be loosened to align it and splint it with wood and duct tape till you get back and replace it. Love the videos, keep up the good work, and thank you.

Dad was a hotshot for 20 years, a jumper for two seasons. When he taught my how to run a saw, it was his 044 magnum. My current boss, another forest service vet, his favorite saws are his pair of 044 magnums. Just a very balanced saw, can run it all day, have enough power you need for 95% of trees in my area, and it doesn't seem to vibrate as much as the newer 461s (another great saw btw).

Thanks I'm a choke setter and limber and bucker on a logging crew very informative

I've gone thru the firefighters school and the only thing they didn't teach us was how to properly use ur chainsaw-they asked the class how many of us had at least 100 hours on using a chainsaw-all the class-and thats why they didn't teach chainsaw use-however when i was working as a forest ranger i wasn't allowed to use the chainsaw because i didn't receive that training(I've had over 1000hours on chainsaw usage

I noticed the part that fails at the worst possible time is the primer bulb so they are cheap and easy enough to change so I keep several in the saw pack.

No...your oil tank is half the size and needs filled everytime but uses half as much in volume as the fuel and the reason for a 2:1 fuel tank (Dolmar)

I made one of those aluminum ax carriers for my forest ax when working trees around the homestead and I love it. Sit, squat, bend over - it never gets in the way or falls out but is right there when I need it at a natural reach. Smartest, non-common sense thing I've ever come across.

You might consider tying a chip brush on a cord attached to your fuel/oil can so you can dust off the sawdust off before adding fuel or oil. A golf ball with a small hole drilled in it makes a fantastic file handle. They are free if you walk the edges of a golf course.

Stihl has a recall on the fuel caps. Registered Stihl repair centers know about it and will replace it at no charge. The new ones have a pressure relief, so if the vent tube is clogged, the tank won't pressurize. You can tell the difference by the alignment arrow: if the alignment arrow is orange, it's the new fuel cap. I just got mine replaced on my 460.

That watch is bothering you

Have you ever seen Labonville Faller’s Chaps? They’re awesome!! They also have a pair of green pants with interior pockets and snaps which hold removable chaps. They’re widely worn by outdoor professionals in New England and are made in New Hampshire. Also, at one time I was one of those kids right out of college with a few days of chainsaw training....all it takes is one patient dedicated mentor to turn out a professional who will, in turn, be a mentor to others! Great video!

I recommend an extra circlip for the clutch drum. Ive seen it many times where it flies off into the bush never to be seen again

We use 362s on fires. 16-20” bars max. Once in a while we have a 440 with a 28” for the bigger trees in Cali but 360s do the job

You should carry extra starter pawls and a spring clip. They break and the saw won't start without them. I usually just carried a complete starter in my pack for speed and simplicity. You also need a torx driver in your kit to work on the saw and keep the screws tight. You should check all the screws you can see every time you do maintenance.

Just bought my 1st chainsaw, I am glad I ran into your videos. I have learned a lot and I am fortunate not to have started cutting until I watch what's needed before cutting. There is much more to this then I ever thought. Thank you.

"Dolmar" is the style of gas can made by "Dolmar", as in "Sachs Dolmar", a German chainsaw manufacturer. In 1927, Emil Lerp, the founder of Dolmar, developed the world's first gasoline-powered chainsaw and mass-produced them. The Sachs Dolmar company was sold to Japanese tool manufacturer Makita in 1991.

I was going to tell you the pikes are called "Dogs", but John already did! An why a 32" bar, wouldn't it be more awkward/movability limiting with more fatigue from much heavier bar? When shorter, more maneuverability, less fatigue with lighter weight bar? I carry a little plastic bar cleaner an extra air filter with brush. I could relate losing a bar nut, last time in woods I lost mine an couldn't find it, so glad of spare! Thanks, Tim

"DAWGS"

I really enjoyed this . I am what you could call an amateur feller and a seasond chainsaw Miller

@ 15:30 Leave the file handle at home and take a golf ball with you. Just drill the proper sized hole for the tang. Half the size and weight and you may learn to prefer the shape.

I have the same issue of pressure build up in my trimmer and blower

I just started checking out your videos. I like them, I laugh sometimes when you say things like a real man. My Grandpa who taught me to fall trees and work in the woods. Responsible foresting trees for lumber and pulp for the paper mills. He would always say when I would ask him about using the safety things out there for cutting, real men don't need those things. Later on in life I noticed these real men would be half death, missing toes or other things would be wrong. I'm glad to see you are actually using the proper gear. It took me going in the army to see safety gear is a good thing. I also like how your teaching your boy and you showing it here helps me to see how I can teach my boys. Good job thanks for the videos.

Big Dogs! Scotland!!! We call it a Combi can . The tool for chain adjustment etc is a combi key. ( combination)??.

My family has owned and use older and newer stihl saws and love them-NEVER a problem outside of regular maintenance. This vid is BS

Your channel is awesome, I get a lot of good advice from you from boots to equipment to advice. Thank you

you're a good man, you and me had words over something a while back...I thought you were just blowing smoke and this video proves me wrong...I apologize and appreciate the fact that you put out quality content

You should have a small brush to clean inside your saw cover and also Emery papper to clean plugs .and ear protection

This guy has told me so much stuff in a very short space of time. If it was my first day on the job, I would love to be trained by this guy!

suggestion, take off watch; or. go to a smaller face watch model. ie; 30mm vs 52 or what you currently wear.

MAybe chain saw guys that have goggles for 5 days a year put them around their necks but Ironworkers that use their burning goggles every day for years on end put then on their hard hat. . When you need them, you need them right now. ot after taking off your hard hat and fiddeling with them. (Been on the steel since 1965)

You did not mention your depth gauge.. I would have liked to see your First Aid Turnacit or whatever it was ..

As usual, Cody appears to be really impressed with himself. :-)

Being that far from anything, do you consider carrying an extra handle to replace your cruising axe handle, or possibly the tools to make one on the fly?

Wearing the goggles on the hard hat also stretches the elastic out. Becomes less effective over time.

Though I understand the convenience of the wedges. Why not just batch out a bunch of wood wedges(as you do woodworking) rather than pay for wedges? They would then be made of wood which the saw could eat up, and easily replaced once chewed up too much.

Could you do a video talking about ticks? Your experiences with them, etc? You must've come in contact with quite a few.

I have a Stihl 029 Super I bought back in 1999. I've cut hundreds of cord of hardwood with that sweetheart. It's never let me down. Not even once. I love that saw like an old friend!

Great video! I don’t need a big saw, love my Stihl 028 & 028 Super. My friend who owned an old time hardware store steered me that direction 30 years ago & never regretted it. I’ve cut down 36” diameter oaks with these saws. Both are still going strong. I believe their among the best medium saws Stihl ever made.

1 of the Stihl family came up with that gas cap design & of course, it went viral on their products. 1 way to fix that would be to install the older style vent that was used for many years.

What happened to the Stihl Chainsaw chain sharpener?

Looks like you need a small crescent wrench and small pair of needle-nose pliers always help out

Unless that combo can was manufactured by Dolmar, then all I can say is that some of the more knowledgeable people on the fireline are playing a cruel joke on you. Don't let them send you back to the truck for a hose streacher. Dolmar was the first gasoline powered chainsaw ever manufactured,approximately a year before stihl. Also used by many wildland firefighters and some smoke jumper crews. Branded Makita now after being purchased in 1991and until last year was producing and selling both brands(identical except for color and name ) in US. The pro models are as good or better than any brand. Dolmars only downfall was lack of extensive dealer network. I have all 3 major brands (Dolmar,Husqvarna and Stihl and others not worth mentioning ) And I would choose the Dolmar hands down any day! Best ergonomics, equal power to weight ratio and bullit proof. As far as that fuel/oil can goes I bet if you Google Dolmar, a can will not show up, and if it did I'd buy one and anything else with the name on it, that's how much I trust their products...

you can get new ordian filler necks either at tractor supply or rural king for just two places to get em for gas/desil/kero cans:)

The name of the "Dollmar" gas can comes from the German Dollmar Company (now a part of Makita), a producer of chainsaws. They were the first ones to sell a double can like the one you use. Great Video!

Ounces equal pounds and pounds equal pain. I like to see the smaller axe. I would say, however, that if you are packing around all those files, spark plugs and chains, you aren't doing yourself any favors. Now I've never been on a fire crew, but from what you've described there would either be a camp, engine, truck or somewhere that you could stash the extras. Only carrying one of each on your person.

I am a professional arborist and use various Stihls both pro and consumer models and have never experienced this., I have just purchased 2 new trimming saws and don't experience vapor lock. The saws work great, cut well and are reliable. leave it to the government to cry wolf when experiencing any problem.

Extra e clips are nice to have in your kit too

BUCKIN BILLY RAY check him out he is old school! This guy is ok but Billy he is the advanced he was talking about.

thank you for sharing your experience

in the11.5 months i worked for Arkansas Forestry Serv i fought 28 fires 18 were arson fires and one of those fires ran over me and my plow-luckily i was only scorched a little-because i drove mt plow thru the fire and out lnto the burnt over area- thus saving me and my. $100k plow-

Here is a trick for the vapor lock issue in the fuel tank... Do like EVERY old saw used to. Drill a 1/8" hole in the top neck of the fuel tank and insert a duck bill valve. Done.

why got chainsaw not chainsaw helmet whit ear and visor

Not only will those accept the caps from a quart of oil but they're all exchangeable for a 20 oz bottle. If you get a 20 oz bottle of water or sports drink with the squirt cap you can use that squirt cap on this can or on a quart of oil. Perfect for keeping a quart of oil in your truck, etc if your engine burns a quart in between oil changes.

Did anyone else notice he makes a video about his saw kit every fire season, like pretty much the same video every year.

I carry in my tool box a large size nut like 1/2 inch that will slip over the bar nut studs holding the cover on that you have to remove to change chains. I take the cover off and immediately slip the larger nut on a stud and then tighten down the bar with a regular bar nut. The reason you need to do that to keep the bar firmly in place is because the threads do not go all the way down to the bar. Now you can remove and install the chain quickly because the bar will not slip off the tightening tang.

Dude you just did a video on how this is the end of your RU-vid career until you finish your projects around the property?

I saw you working a forest fire with a ms311 with a fullwrap bar. Where did you find the full wrap for the 311?