Chainsaw chain numbers?

My saws original chain had #34 stamped on every drive link. Another chain I bought had #33, and other chains I have don't have a number. What's this number? I recently had all my chains sharpened, and the first time I used them my bar rails wore badly down on one side. Got a new bar, but wondering if there's something about the chains that caused this.

Comments

6 Responses to “Chainsaw chain numbers?”

Todd B says:

July 22, 2009 at 12:05 am

Every chain manufacturer numbers their chain differently. From what you described, it sounds like you have chain manufactured by Oregon Cutting Systems. The number in the chain tells the pitch and thickness of the drive tooth. For Oregon the first digit, 3, tells me they are both .325" pitch. Pitch is the distance between three rivets and divided by 2. Common pitches are 1/4", .325, 3/8" and .404". Now the last digit tells me where your problem is. The 3 stands for a drive tooth of .050" thick and the 4 is for a .058" thick drive tooth. So the "new" chain is .008" thinner and has more movement in the bar and will wear out one side of the bar quicker.
robert k says:

July 22, 2009 at 12:05 am

Could be. That is the chain size # Some manufacturers put the #’s on the links and some dont. Generally a 34 is a bit narrower than a 33. A thicker chain will wear the bar rail.
real one says:

July 22, 2009 at 12:05 am

You really should get the same chain with # 34 on it because that is the curf or angle of tooth and that saw works best with correct one. it sound like a smaller saw with 18" bar
renpen says:

July 22, 2009 at 12:05 am

That number is the chain gauge or thickness of the drivelinks. It has to be compatible with your bar. It is .034" so .001" probably won’t matter.
shawnd518 says:

July 22, 2009 at 12:05 am

Its the gauge of the chain. The chain should match the bar thats its being used on.
kg00029 says:

July 22, 2009 at 12:05 am

are you sure your bar is getting proper lubracation