6 Best Lightweight Chainsaw Wedges For Beginners That Prevent Bar Pinch

There’s nothing quite like the sound of your chainsaw bogging down, the engine whining as the bar gets squeezed tight in the cut. It’s a frustrating and dangerous moment that every new saw owner experiences. A simple felling wedge is the difference between a clean, safe cut and a stuck saw that puts you in a bad spot.

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, this site earns from qualifying purchases. Thank you!

Preventing Bar Pinch: A Beginner’s Wedge Guide

A felling wedge is a simple, tapered tool, usually made of high-impact plastic. Its job is to hold the saw kerf (the cut) open as you work. This prevents the weight of the tree or log from pinching your chainsaw bar, which is the most common cause of a stuck saw.

Think of it this way: as you make your back cut, you’re creating a hinge. The tree wants to sit back on that cut, closing the gap. By tapping a wedge into the cut behind your bar, you manually keep that space open, giving your saw the freedom it needs to finish the job.

Beyond just preventing a pinch, a wedge gives you control. Driving it in further can actually help lift the tree, encouraging it to fall in the direction you intended with your notch. For a beginner, this added directional control is a massive confidence booster and a critical safety feature. It turns a hopeful cut into a deliberate action.

Felled 5.5-Inch Wedge: Top Pick for Small Trees

The Felled 5.5-inch wedge is exactly what a beginner needs to get started. It’s small, lightweight, and easy to toss into a pocket or tool belt. You won’t even notice it’s there until you need it.

Its design includes aggressive barbs on one side. These little teeth do a fantastic job of gripping the wood, preventing the wedge from backing out under pressure. This is especially helpful when you’re dealing with smaller trees, around 8-12 inches in diameter, that don’t have immense weight but can still easily pinch a bar.

This wedge is a perfect match for the kind of work most hobby farmers do: clearing saplings for a new garden bed, felling small trees for firewood, or cleaning up a fallen limb. It’s an inexpensive, high-value tool that solves a very common problem. For your first wedge, this is a hard one to beat.

Oregon 5.5-Inch Wedge: Durable and Reliable

Oregon is a name you can trust in the chainsaw world, and their wedges are no exception. The 5.5-inch model is a workhorse, made from a tough polymer that can take a beating from a small sledge or the back of an axe without shattering. It’s built for repeated, reliable use.

While similar in size to other entry-level wedges, the Oregon feels substantial. The plastic compound is designed to be durable yet soft enough that it won’t damage your chain if you accidentally make contact. This is a crucial safety feature that makes plastic wedges the standard for felling.

This wedge is for the person who wants a no-nonsense tool from a reputable brand. It may not have the most aggressive texturing, but its smooth, gradual taper and robust construction make it incredibly effective. It’s a dependable choice for anyone regularly clearing brush or processing firewood.

Cold Creek Outfitters Set: Versatility for Jobs

Sometimes one wedge just isn’t enough. The Cold Creek Outfitters set, which typically includes 5.5-inch, 8-inch, and 10-inch wedges, gives you options. This is perfect for the beginner who knows they’ll be facing a variety of situations on their property.

Having multiple sizes is invaluable. You might use the small 5.5-inch wedge for most of your limbing and small tree work. But when you need to buck up a larger log that’s already on the ground, the 8-inch wedge provides the extra lift needed to keep your bar out of the dirt.

You can also "stack" wedges by driving two into the same cut side-by-side. This provides significantly more lifting power than a single wedge, which can be the key to tipping a stubborn tree that has a slight back-lean. Buying a set is often more economical and prepares you for jobs you haven’t even thought of yet.

Husqvarna 5.5-Inch Felling Wedge: Pro Quality

If you believe in the "buy once, cry once" philosophy, the Husqvarna wedge is for you. While still affordable, it brings a level of professional quality and design that’s immediately noticeable. The material feels dense and resilient, ready for serious work.

Husqvarna wedges are known for their excellent taper and textured surfaces that provide a solid grip inside the cut. They are designed to be driven hard and hold their ground. This is the kind of tool that will live in your chainsaw kit for years without complaint.

For a beginner, starting with a pro-quality tool like this builds good habits. You learn to trust your gear and focus on your technique. It’s a small investment that pays dividends in performance and longevity, making it a smart choice for anyone serious about managing their woodlot.

Timber Savage 8-Inch Wedge for Medium Diameter Logs

As you gain confidence, you’ll eventually face a tree that makes a 5.5-inch wedge look a little small. The Timber Savage 8-inch wedge is the perfect step up. It’s designed for those medium-sized trees, typically in the 14 to 20-inch diameter range.

The extra length provides more lift. The deeper you can drive the wedge, the more you can open the cut and influence the tree’s fall. An 8-inch wedge gives you that extra mechanical advantage needed to safely fell a tree that has more weight and a wider trunk.

This wedge is also fantastic for bucking larger logs into firewood rounds. When a heavy log settles, it can easily pinch your bar halfway through the cut. Driving an 8-inch wedge into the top of the log as you cut from above keeps the kerf open and lets you work without interruption.

Gartol 5.5-Inch Wedge: Great Value for the Price

Let’s be practical: sometimes you just need a tool that works without breaking the bank. The Gartol 5.5-inch wedge is a fantastic value proposition. It does the fundamental job of preventing bar pinch at a price that’s hard to argue with.

These are often sold in multi-packs, making it easy to have a few on hand. You can keep one with your saw, one in the tractor, and another in the workshop. For the price, losing one isn’t a catastrophe, which can’t be said for more expensive gear.

Is it the most durable wedge on the market? Probably not. But for occasional use—clearing a few fallen branches after a storm or cutting your annual firewood supply—it is more than adequate. It proves that you don’t need to spend a lot of money to be safe and effective.

Wedge Material and Size: What a Beginner Needs

When you’re starting out, keep it simple. The two most important factors are material and size, and the right choices are straightforward.

First, always choose plastic wedges. High-impact polymer is the standard for a reason. If your moving chain accidentally hits a plastic wedge, it will chew up the wedge, not destroy your chain or cause dangerous kickback. A metal wedge, on the other hand, can shatter a chain on contact, sending shrapnel flying. There is no debate here for felling; stick with plastic.

Second, match the wedge size to your work. A 5.5-inch wedge is perfect for most tasks a beginner will face with a standard 16- or 18-inch chainsaw bar. The general rule is that the wedge should be long enough to stick out from the cut so you have something to hit. For a small tree, a small wedge is all you need.

• For trees under 15 inches in diameter: A 5.5-inch wedge is ideal.
• For trees 15-24 inches in diameter: An 8-inch wedge provides better lift.
• Texture: Look for wedges with barbs or a textured surface. A smooth wedge can slip out of the cut, especially in winter.

Don’t overthink it. A basic, 5.5-inch barbed plastic wedge will handle 90% of the jobs on a small farm or homestead. Start there, and only buy larger or more specialized wedges when you have a specific need.

A felling wedge isn’t an accessory; it’s a piece of essential safety equipment, just like chaps and a helmet. It’s one of the cheapest, simplest tools you can own, but it has an outsized impact on your safety and effectiveness. Before you start your chainsaw again, make sure you have one within arm’s reach.