Ohakune importer for new saw chain

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 4, Issue 43, 14 April 1987, Page 3

Ohakune importer for new saw chain

Ron Walkley of Machinery Supplies in Ohakune has scored a coup in the chainsaw supplies field in New Zealand. Ron and his wife Marita and accountant Andrew Cornwall arrived home last week from a trip to France to finalise the deal for Ron to be the sole New Zealand distributor of 'CarbiChain', a saw chain with tungsten cutting tips, designed to resist wear. Ron heard about the chain from an Ohakune volunteer Fireman who was asking about the possibility of acquiring some for the fire-brigade's chainsaw to allow them to cut through walls without worrying about nails or other metal objects.

Ron found that there was no Tungsten tipped chain available in New Zealand so contacted the manufacturers of 'CarbiChain' who are based in Allaire in the west of France. After many telexes back and forth, starting in June 1986, it was decided to go to France to meet the manufacturers. The trip was to finalise the business arrangements, to receive the technical information concerning the chain including instruction on maintenance and as a good will exercise. The first shipment of the chain is due to arrive this month and Ron will start to distribute it from then. The chain will arrive in bulk lots which will be broken down into retail - sized lengths in Ron's workshop and sent to agents in Christchurch, Rotorua and Auckland. Ron will distribute the chain to retail outlets from Hamilton to Wellington direct from Ohakune. Ron Walkley claims that

'CarbiChain' stays sharp up to 50 times longer than conventional chain. Among various tests conducted to verify that claim is one by Ted Wills of Ohakune who has cut an awesome 40 cord of firewood, much of it hardwood, before sharpening the chain became necessary. There are many situations where the use of the tungsten chain would be an advantage because of its resistance to wear. Stump clearing and root level cutting where dirt and sand wear at the cutting tips become easier with 'CarbiChain'. Also cutting hardwood such as maire requires much less resharpening of the chain. Ron took a sample of maire to France to show the manufacturers who were impressed at the job that their own product had done. A conventional file will not sharpen 'CarbiChain' but special sharpening equipment will be used by dealers. The recommended practice will be to carry two chains, with one on the saw while the other is being sharpened.