This is a fantastic saw. I have had a large sthil saw for years. I have had it serviced once by sthil agent, rest of the time I sort it myself. I bought this little chap about 4 years ago mainly for using up in the tree as its so light and easy to start (although it has a kick with the compression). So far I have replaced two chains and thats all. Starting only requires a couple of pulls with the choke on--- then if you shut off the choke it starts next pull. Once you have had it running it restarts without choke all day long. I keep it sharp using small stone cylindrical bit for chainsaws in a dremmel tool thats really easy to use much better than round files. Some reviews have said it lacks power but mine is just the opposite its a really beautifull vicious little saw!

Been using this saw for 9 months, cutting logs and pruning branches. The chain continually loses tension. The saw clogs up with sawdust, so I have to strip it down and clear it every few minutes. It runs very smokey despite having been serviced recently. The chain doesn't stay sharp for long, so cutting anything beyond a twig feels like hard labour. I mostly resort to using my electric chainsaw and I am now going through reviews of petrol chainsaws with a view to buying something more reliable.

had this chainsaw a couple of days and it's very hard to start up,floods really easily.I use premix aspen fuel so it's not the mix.I think if you try starting it initially on full choke and as soon as it won't start try starting it on no choke and then it will start.cutting wise it is excellent cuts through anything very well and once it's started and warmed up it runs very well,just the initial starting that's a b******

This is one of the best saws on the market for small jobs. People leaving poor comments are unknowable and need to know the saw’s capabilities. This is a saw for limbing and anything smaller than 4” in diameter. It’s not for felling trees. I have had this saw for 4 years and it has never let me down and starts on the first pull. Also, I always thoroughly clean my saws after each use and never use the ethanol blended fuels. I also have a Stihl Farm Boss and have never had any problems. Stihl makes great products. The products may cost a little more, but well worth it over the long run.

I've used a Farm Boss 029 for 15 years, and it can do some amazing things - but no saw is perfect. Todays alcohol adulterated fuels are wreaking havoc on quality saws, as it sours in just a few weeks and can disable ANY 2stroke motor. Fuel additives like Seafoam or Stabil are now mandatory, all because we allow our politicians to underwrite the subsidies of agribusiness and mandate gasahol. Since the fuel line on the 029 - made in 1995 - swelled and required repair, I accepted the situation and admitted it was an opportunity to purchase a smaller saw. They are certainly capable of doing most of the work, without having to carry excess fuel powering a saw five pounds heavier. My back would be better off. I visited the local store with some preconceptions, talked to the front salesman and the retired owner of the shop that sold me the first Stihl. They steered me to the MS170 specifically because it uses the bigger saw control layout, making that easy and familiar. NO priming bulb that would eventually fail and leak, causing the carburetor to require a rebuild. That has been a bane with import weedcutters of late, and seeing them stick out of trash cans in a variety of cheap big box colors was something I was already trying to avoid. No junk import saw with no local service, please. The saw was equipped at my request with the new carbide Duro chain. It's amazing: there's a lot of controversy over carbide chain, when in reality it's no different than getting a carbide saw blade for a table or circular saw. The take abuse and last, far longer than carbon, and pay their way. I worked 6 hours today cutting out broken trees and limb tangles in a intermittent stream bed. The wood has been down since 2003, when a local tornado dropped 12 major trees in my yard, and the two ice storms subsequent to that have added more. When it rains, the whole mess would flood the lower back yard, and the damming was getting worse. The O29 Farm Boss started the job last week before acting up(alcohol based fuels, and as an auto parts salesman, I'm very aware of the problem.)The MS170 picked up from there, a 14" Duro equipped bar easily turning the 6 to 9 year old mud covered wood into nice fireplace sized lengths. More than once I hit rocks - bad enough I know by experience a regular chain would have needed resharpening. The Duro chain not only kept cutting, I saw no change in chip size, or needing to add pressure to help. That's a bad habit I picked up using the 029, this saw will bog down if you lean on it. Just Say No. Lighten up and let it do the cutting, it can and will do the job. It handled 14" cuts the full length of the bar, plunge cuts, undercuts, whatever. It wasn't what I expected - the saw works better when you stop trying to make it work harder. Don't. Mine ran fine, the chain stayed sharp all day, and still cuts. I might take it in next spring for a resharp. I'll be too busy using it until then, as cutting wood has now become less than a workout, and the stacking much more. I work faster, get more wood cut, and find it's getting late with more to load than time (or inclination) to do it. For an experienced using familiar with Stihl and the need for a smaller saw, this does the job. It doesn't have the homeowner toggle gas and oil caps that I've heard break all the time, and has a simple, positive double nut clamp and screw adjustment for the bar. Check tension before each start up, adjust if needed, and go. The start up routine is choke, pull until it "burps," or tries, then half choke. It usually starts in a few pulls. My lawnmowers and weedtrimmers should be this easy, especially after sitting six months. But then again, that was before I started adding fuel treatments on that crappy alcohol gas.

I do not know where the other reviewers bought their MS170 saws, and their experience, but the one I have istill goung well and I bought it in 2004. The only thing I have done is change the spark plug. I use it almost every day as I have a wood burner, and have never had a problem. I am a long-term chainsaw user, many brands and sizes, I own six saws and this is one of the best small capacity saws I have owned. I have cut all manner of wood including 12" diameter trunks into logs.

had a stihl 240 for years brilliant solid dependable. someone stole it. wife bought me 170... plastic rubbish.trigger mechanism.. a little piece of wire ,drops off for a pasttime. gutless even on sall jobs,starting routine idiosyncratic to say the least.

I bought my Stihl chainsaw model ms 170 about 4 years ago and the only problem i have had with it is the chain lube pipe popped out of its hole and i fixed that this morning. I have cut a wide range of wood with it from pallets, scrap wood to trees and for its size i have found it a little thirsty but not a problem, i have cut down a few trees with it ranging from 3" to 18" all with ease, i can admit starting the thing when i first bought it was a problem but with all stihl products they are a bit stroppy at starting, like trying to get a teenager to clean their room but i found try starting on full choke until it tries to start then click to run with no choke and it should start with a few pulls and remember its a 2 stroke so you have to put in a bit of work.

Wife purchased new chain saw for Christmas to replace 30 year old Mccolluch. This a total piece of junk. Returned to dealer because saw would not start. They replaced with another saw because they could not get saw to start. No adjustments for carb - no power - saw cannot be turned horizontal or it stalls. Complained to Stihl and they said to talk to dealer. What an insult.

I've had horrible experience with the MS170, first one I bought wouldnt start, returned it back to the dealer who couldnt get it to start either. They exchanged it for another one which worked fine the first time I took it out. However I would only recommend it for use on small limbs since its a little underpowered and gets bogged down easily with anything larger than 3".

However after sitting for a few weeks I cant get it started either. After trying everything in the book I've given up and looking to get rid of it. I am quite disappointed as I would've expected better from a Stihl product.