lightweight saw purchase

mccash40 · Apr 12, 2015

I see that there are several members looking for new saws this spring, so I thought I'd get some opinions as well. I have a MS290 Stihl for my general firewood cutting chores, but I'd like to pick up a lightweight saw for branch and small tree work. I can't decide between the Stihl 170 and the 180. I'm afraid the 170 is not tough enough for the long term after watching some reviews on the web, but it is $50 cheaper than the 180 and weighs less. The 180 has good reviews. Any imput for me? Thanks in advance.

yomax4 · Apr 12, 2015

I had a 180 and was pleasantly surprised by the performance. I wanted all my saws to have the same length bar so I swapped for an 026pro for limbs. Those little top handle saws are pretty good too. I had one of those once. Don't recall the stihl # but great limb saw too.

madamos · Apr 12, 2015

I have been using a 170 for a couple years and it has been very reliable and for small jobs the light weight has been very nice. The bottom line is I would replace it with another if I had to as if is my go to trim and small tree saw.

Amos

Parkanzky · Apr 12, 2015

For limbing, I don't think anything beats a nice top-handle saw.

hslogger · Apr 13, 2015

I am with Madamos. I have two of the 170's for small dink around work. I have 14 inch bars on them and full floating sprockets on the drive wheel instead of the standard star. They are light and handy and reliable. For a nice fixable small saw I say they are just right.

Sodo · Apr 13, 2015

I had a 180TC for 4 years and loved it. It was stolen. I replaced it with a MS201 which is a blessing and a curse. The 201 has a lot more power, but it takes 4 hard pulls to start every time, whereas the 180, would start as son as you looked at the pull cord. I found that very handy, almost like electric start you shut it down more often because you know it will start so effortlessly.

mccash40 · Apr 14, 2015

Thanks for all the comments. I traveled to a Stihl dealer yesterday and tried the 2 saws. Sodo, you are right. A 90 year old could make short work of starting the 180. Just pump a bit and it catches. The 170 started almost like my 290, but with less compression on the pulls. I am spending the extra $70 and getting the 180 with a 16" bar, because I'm feeling more like 90 every morning. It must be the Adirondack winters. :confused3:

semntrails · Apr 14, 2015

I bought the 180 with a 12" bar a year ago and use it all the time now. I have an 036 I use to but 9 times out of 10 I grab the 180. The easy start, easy chain adjust and light weight are great and most of the time I'm not cutting big trees so the little 12" bar is perfect. It does take a little getting used to at first, the big saw chewed through stuff where the little saw seemed like it couldn't do that. After a couple uses though I learned the differences and found I could cut more and not be tired at the end of the day with the little saw.

Creamer · Apr 14, 2015

I have an 029 which I have had for years and it is great. I have a friend that also has an 029 but he bought a 170 as well. 9 times out of 10 he will grab the little guy. He has had it for four year now and does a lot of fenceline clearing/trimming and he still loves it. He is a big guy and certainly knows how to handle a saw but that 170 with a 14" bar is his favorite by far. I keep thinking about making the jump but can never quite justify it.