Neo-Tec NS872 Chainsaw Review

The NS872 is built around a 72 cc two-cycle engine rated at 3.6 kW, or 4.9 hp. That is enough to pull a 24-inch bar through hardwood and to fell and buck medium-to-large trees rather than just trim them.

It ships as a complete unit: the powerhead arrives with the 24-inch bar and chain fitted, so it is ready to fuel and cut, not a bare powerhead you still have to outfit.

The saw is parts-compatible with the MS 038, 380, 381 Magnum and G372 patterns. In practice that means bars, chains, sprockets, filters and plugs in those patterns are widely available rather than tied to one seller.

Its stated use is forest, garden, farm and tree and wood cutting, so felling, bucking, firewood and storm cleanup are the jobs it is meant for. The engine is a conventional air-cooled two-stroke with a choke and a decompression valve, familiar to anyone who has run a gas saw and straightforward to maintain with basic tools. The 24-inch bar gives reach for bucking larger trunks and lets you cut small logs without bending over them.

The saw weighs 20 lb as listed. That is a two-handed, deliberate saw: tiring for overhead work, limbing or long sessions, and not something to hand to a casual user.

It is a gas two-cycle saw, so it needs mixed fuel, a break-in mixture and regular air-filter, plug and fuel-line attention. It is not a pull-and-go battery tool. The first tankfuls run on a richer mix than the running mix.

Cold starting follows a set sequence, and skipping it leads to flooding. That is a procedure the owner has to learn. If anti-vibration or comfort features matter to you, check for them before buying, and plan on the weight and vibration of a large gas saw.

Setup and tuning are the owner's job. The saw arrives as a unit to be fueled, adjusted and maintained by whoever runs it, and a 72 cc saw with a 24-inch bar is the wrong tool for fine pruning, hedge work or one-handed cutting.

What 72 cc and 4.9 hp mean in practice

This is a large-saw power band. It holds speed in big wood and pulls a 24-inch bar, and it is more engine than a homeowner trimming saw needs.

What the 24-inch bar suits

The 24-inch bar is the one the saw ships with and the one its chain is matched to. It covers bucking and felling medium-to-large trunks and cutting firewood lengths.

Weight in context

Plan around 20 lb. You feel that weight when lifting the saw onto a tailgate, carrying it to a woodlot and holding it through a long bucking session.

Parts compatibility explained

The listed compatibility means bars, chains and common wear parts in those patterns fit. It does not mean the saw is those saws.

What's in the box

The box holds the powerhead, the 24-inch bar and the 24-inch chain. Fuel and bar oil are not included.

The NS872 runs on a two-stage fuel mix. The first tanks run on a richer break-in ratio, then the saw moves to the leaner running ratio. Follow the ratio printed for this model, and keep one can per ratio so the two never get mixed up.

Bar and chain oil goes in its own tank, chain oil only, and the level is checked at every fill.

Cold start

Set the choke, press the decompression valve, and pull until the engine fires. Then move the choke to off or half and pull again to start. The decompression valve is what makes a 72 cc engine pullable by hand; leaving the choke on after the engine fires is what floods it.

Warm restart

Do not use the choke. Press the decompression valve if the engine needs it.

After running

Let the saw idle to cool, check chain tension while the chain is cold, wipe the bar and check the oil hole.

Storage

A 72 cc, 4.9 hp saw with a 24-inch bar is a large saw, and it is not a first chainsaw. A new user should learn on a smaller, lighter saw first.

Kickback is the main risk, and the bar tip is the risk zone.

• Wear chainsaw chaps or pants, a helmet with a face shield, eye and hearing protection, and boots. At this power level that gear is not optional.
• Keep both hands on the saw at all times. Do not cut overhead or one-handed.
• Mix and store fuel away from ignition sources, and refuel only when the engine is cool.

Skip this saw if you want a light limbing or pruning tool, a battery-powered saw, a first saw, or a saw you never have to tune.