6 Best Chain Saw Bars For Small Diameter Trees Old Woodsmen Swear By
For small trees, the right bar is key. Explore 6 top-rated chainsaw bars praised by old woodsmen for their balance, control, and proven longevity.
Most of the cutting on a small farm isn’t felling ancient oaks; it’s clearing fencelines, bucking up fallen limbs for firewood, or pruning the orchard. For this kind of work, the giant bar that came with your saw is often more of a liability than an asset. The right bar makes your saw lighter, safer, and much more nimble for the tasks you actually do day-to-day.
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Key Features of Bars for Small Diameter Trees
When you’re working with wood under 12-14 inches in diameter, your priorities for a chainsaw bar change completely. Forget about raw length and brute force. Instead, focus on features that make the saw an extension of your body, not an anchor you have to drag around.
The most important features are weight, balance, and a narrow nose profile. A lighter bar, typically a laminated design instead of solid steel, means less fatigue at the end of the day. A shorter bar (14 to 18 inches is the sweet spot) improves the saw’s balance, making it feel less nose-heavy and far easier to control for precise cuts like limbing.
Finally, a narrow-kerf bar paired with a narrow nose sprocket is a game-changer. The narrow cutting path requires less power from your saw, letting a smaller engine work more efficiently. That narrow nose, often called a "dime tip," also significantly reduces the chances of rotational kickback, one of the most common causes of serious chainsaw injuries.
Oregon ControlCut: The All-Around Farm Favorite
There’s a reason you see Oregon bars on so many different saws right from the factory. They represent a fantastic balance of performance, durability, and cost. The ControlCut series, in particular, is perfectly suited for the kind of work we do around a homestead.
This is a laminated bar, which keeps the weight down. It’s designed with a slim, symmetrical contour that makes it highly maneuverable in tight spots, like when you’re clearing invasive buckthorn or reaching into a brush pile. It’s not the toughest bar on the market, but its durability is more than enough for regular firewood cutting and storm cleanup.
Think of the ControlCut as the reliable pickup truck of chainsaw bars. It’s not the fastest or the fanciest, but it’s widely available, parts are easy to find, and it consistently gets the job done without any fuss. For a primary bar on a farm saw up to 50cc, it’s tough to find a better all-around value.
Stihl Rollomatic E: Lightweight and Maneuverable
If you run a Stihl saw, sticking with their Rollomatic E bar is often the smartest move. Stihl designs their bars, chains, and powerheads to work together as a system, and you can feel that synergy. The "E" model is a laminated bar made of three electrically welded plates, making it both light and stable.
The real advantage here is its stiffness combined with low weight. It resists bending and twisting when you’re making an awkward cut, giving you a level of precision that builds confidence. This is especially noticeable when you’re making careful pruning cuts on fruit trees or trying to buck a log without hitting the dirt.
Paired with a Stihl low-kickback chain, this setup is exceptionally safe and smooth. The bar’s internal oiling channels are also designed to work with the saw’s oiler to deliver lubrication exactly where it’s needed, extending the life of both the bar and chain. It’s a premium OEM option that delivers on its promises.
Husqvarna X-Tough Light Bar for Reduced Fatigue
Husqvarna’s entry into the lightweight professional bar market is a serious contender. The X-Tough Light (RSLF – Replaceable Sprocket, Laminated, Narrow) is a fantastic upgrade for anyone who spends more than an hour at a time with their saw. The weight savings are immediately noticeable and translate directly to less strain on your back and arms.
This isn’t just a standard laminated bar; it’s engineered for professional use, meaning it can handle the daily grind. The construction provides excellent rigidity, so you don’t get that "whippy" feeling that some lighter bars can have. This makes it ideal for felling smaller trees or making long, straight cuts when milling small logs for projects.
While it costs more than a standard bar, the investment pays off in productivity and comfort. If you find yourself putting off a clearing project because you dread hauling the saw around, switching to a lighter bar like this can completely change your attitude toward the work. Less fatigue means you can work longer, and more importantly, work safer.
Sugihara Light Type Pro: A Premium Pro-Grade Bar
For the person who appreciates top-tier tools, a Sugihara bar is the pinnacle. These Japanese-made bars are legendary among professional arborists for their incredible durability-to-weight ratio. They are laminated bars, but the steel quality and hardening process are in a class of their own.
A Sugihara Light Type Pro will often outlast two or three standard bars under the same working conditions. The rails are exceptionally hard, resisting wear and spreading far more slowly than cheaper alternatives. This means your chain tracks truer for longer, resulting in straighter cuts and less maintenance.
This is an investment, not a casual purchase. It’s overkill for someone who cuts a cord of wood a year. But for the serious hobby farmer who relies on their saw for everything from firewood to fencing to building projects, the longevity and superior performance can absolutely justify the premium price.
Cannon SuperBar: Unmatched Durability for Tough Jobs
Sometimes, finesse takes a backseat to sheer toughness. The Cannon SuperBar is for those times. This is not a lightweight bar; it’s a solid, single-piece bar made from custom-formulated steel and flame-hardened for extreme durability.
If your work involves a lot of dirty wood, stump cutting, or clearing land where you’re likely to hit rocks and soil, this is your bar. It’s designed to take abuse that would bend or destroy a laminated bar. The solid construction means it’s heavier and puts more strain on your saw’s engine, but it’s practically indestructible.
Consider this a specialized tool. It’s the wrong choice for limbing or all-day use where fatigue is a factor. But if you have a specific, brutal job to do—like cutting roots or clearing a collapsed barn full of debris—the Cannon bar provides the confidence that your equipment won’t be the weak link.
Forester Laminated Bar: A Reliable, Value Option
Not every tool needs to be the best of the best. Sometimes, you just need something that works reliably at a fair price. Forester bars fill that niche perfectly. They are a go-to for landowners who need a dependable bar for occasional use without the brand-name price tag.
These are laminated bars that perform surprisingly well for their cost. While they may not have the longevity or precision finish of an Oregon or Stihl, they cut well and hold up to the demands of seasonal firewood cutting and property maintenance. They are an excellent choice for a backup saw or for a size you don’t use very often.
Think of it this way: if you damage a premium bar by hitting a hidden nail in a log, you’ll be upset. If you damage a Forester bar, you can replace it for the cost of a few new chains and not think twice. Sometimes, the best tool is the one you’re not afraid to use hard.
Matching Your New Bar to the Right Saw and Chain
Buying a great bar is useless if it doesn’t fit your saw or work with your chain. Getting this wrong isn’t just a waste of money; it can be incredibly dangerous. You must match four key specifications:
- Bar Mount: The tail of the bar must match your saw’s mounting studs and oiler hole. This is brand and model-specific (e.g., a Stihl mount won’t fit a Husqvarna).
- Pitch: This is the distance between three consecutive rivets on the chain, divided by two. The saw’s drive sprocket, the bar’s nose sprocket, and the chain must all have the same pitch (common sizes are 3/8" LP, .325", and 3/8").
- Gauge: This is the thickness of the chain’s drive links, which must fit snugly into the groove of the bar. Common gauges are .043", .050", and .063". A mismatch will either bind up or slop around, causing poor cutting and rapid wear.
- Drive Link Count: This determines the chain’s length. Your new bar will specify the exact number of drive links required for the chain to fit correctly.
All this information is usually stamped on the tail of your old bar. When in doubt, take your old bar and chain to a knowledgeable dealer to ensure you get a perfect match. Mixing and matching these specifications is a recipe for failure and a serious safety risk.
Ultimately, the best bar for your small-farm saw is one that makes the tool feel balanced and efficient for the work you do most often. Don’t get fixated on having the longest or toughest bar. Focus on a lightweight, maneuverable setup, and you’ll find your work gets done faster, with less effort, and a whole lot more safely.
