Is bar length enough to order a chain?
It narrows the list, nothing more. A 16-inch bar can take 55, 56, 57, 64, 66 or 67 links depending on the saw. Read pitch and gauge from the stamp and count the links.
Questions we hear at the bench
Answers about KAKEI chain sizes, gauges, cutters, packs, stretching, sharpening and where orders are handled.
Sizing
What does the LP after 3/8 mean?
Low profile. The spacing matches full 3/8, but the cutters and depth gauges are smaller and the drive sprocket is different. The two never swap.
My bar says .043 but the listing I found says .050. Will it do?
No. The thicker drive links will not drop into a .043 groove. A thinner chain in a wider groove wanders in the cut. Gauge has to be exact.
Which Stihl gauge do I have on an MS 271 or MS 291?
Earlier bars were .063; many made from about 2023 are .050. The stamp near the mount tells you which. We card both.
Wear and care
Why does a new loop go slack after a few cuts?
Every chain beds in against the bar and sprocket. Retension after the first minutes and again after the first tank. Hardened rivets keep that stretch small.
When should I file instead of swapping?
When the saw starts throwing dust instead of chips or pulls to one side. A few even strokes per cutter with the right round file brings it back.
How far can a cutter be filed?
Until the top plate reaches its wear line. Take the depth gauges down every third or fourth filing.
Buying
Why three chains in most packs?
A spare on the bench means the saw keeps working while a dull loop waits for the file.
Who ships my order and handles returns?
The partner store you paid. Tracking, refunds and warranty requests are opened from the order in your account there.
Do you make guide bars too?
Yes: 14, 16 and 18 inch 3/8 LP .050 bars, sold as combos with three matching chains.