1200 Pioneer Chain Saw Specs

• Long before even the 1200 Pioneer Chain Saw, lumberjacks used axes to fell trees. Hemera Technologies/AbleStock.com/Getty Images

  Pioneer Saws was literally a pioneer in the outdoor power products marketplace, providing robust chain saws to lumberjacks and homeowners beginning in the 1950s. The Pioneer line of chain saws -- including the vintage, 40-year-old 1200 Pioneer Chain Saw -- is widely recognized for its simplicity in design, power and ruggedness. 1200 Pioneer chain saws were first introduced in 1969, then discontinued in 1977. The 1200 Pioneer Chain Saw is considered a collectible.

Simplicity

• The 1200 Pioneer Chain Saw was simple in design, to ensure safety first and enable anyone the ability to use this power-tool. The gas-powered 1200 Pioneer Chain Saw weighs 13.2 lbs., and is designed for one-man operation. It includes a flocked-wire-screen air-filter system, automatic-rewind starter system and a 3/8-inch chain pitch. The 1200 runs on two-cycle mix oil and can hold up to 20 oz. of gas. This saw was designed for ease-of-use of all operators. While much scientific research has been conducted and applied to re-designing chain saw models since 1969, the 1200 Pioneer's original design accomplished its goal.

Safety

• Pioneer Saws was an extremely safety-conscious manufacturer. The vintage 1200 Pioneer and the rest of its chain saws, for that matter, were built with advanced safety features for the time. The 1200 Pioneer was designed with a front-hand guard to block hands from slipping forward and coming into contact with the saw's teeth. These saws were promoted early on and are recognized today as viable and safe power tools for novice operators, as well as for commercial builders and loggers. They were designed specifically to provide home and land owners with a safe, easy-to-use tool for occasional tree-removal and cutting firewood.

Power

• In the 1960s, manufacturers did not advertise power tools with a specific horsepower of torque. The 1200 Pioneer Chain Saw was engineered with a 3.546-cubic-inch, or 58-cc, engine displacement, and it has a 7,000 rpm of engine output or horsepower. This saw is powerful and hearty, with the ability to cut through 36 inches of tree in a minute's time.

Perseverance

• 1200 Pioneer Chain Saws are between 41 and 49 years old, yet loggers, landowners, chain-saw enthusiasts and collectors still use this trusted old chain saw today. To claim this chain saw is durable is nothing short of an understatement. The 1200 Pioneer Chain Saw was solidly constructed, providing operators with an unprecedented return on their initial investment, and are still buzzing strong today.