One of the most heartwarming chainsaw stories I’ve come across lately comes from Chris Goldman, who recently finished restoring this 77 cc vintage Homelite C-52.
As Chris put it, “I’ve kinda fallen in love with this saw, but it also has a neat story behind it.”
The story starts with a phone call from his veterinarian. Chris thought he was being asked to stop by the clinic to pick up some medicine for one of his animals. Instead, he was met with something completely unexpected.
“He asked me to go out back and meet him at his truck,” Chris recalled. “He dropped the tailgate, got a bit teary-eyed and said, ‘I would like you to have this saw because I know you’ll appreciate it.’”
It turned out to be a Homelite C-52 that his vet’s father had purchased brand new in 1967. The saw had been sitting unused since the early 1970s.
After months of work, Chris finally finished the restoration. He had a plan all along for how to return the saw: “I made a fake appointment for one of my animals, set the saw under a blanket on the exam table, and surprised him with it.”
The reaction was everything Chris had hoped for. The chainsaw brought back memories for his vet and became a way of honoring his father’s legacy.
Chris calls it the Pay It Forward Saw—a project that wasn’t just about restoring a machine, but also about giving back.
Here are more pictures of the saw, before and after restoration, along with information on the model.
Introduced in 1967 by Homelite (then part of Textron), the C-52 was built in Port Chester, New York.
It was a heavy-duty one-man model, part of Homelite’s mid-century “C” series. The C-52 was a fixed direct-drive design (no gear reduction), closely related to earlier saws like the C-5 and C-51.
Enthusiasts note there were essentially “no performance improving changes” from the C-5 – aside from a slightly better air-filter cover. The C-52 stayed in production for only a few years (around 1967–1971).
The C-52’s engine displaces 4.7 cubic inches (77 cc) in Homelite’s loop-scavenged two-stroke design. It drives the chain through a centrifugal (three-shoe) clutch at roughly 6,000–6,500 RPM under load.
The housing is die-cast magnesium for strength and reduced weight, yet the saw still tips the scales at about 18 pounds (8.1 kg) as a bare powerhead. It could swing guide bars from about 17 to 30 inches long (43–76 cm).
Fuel capacity was roughly 42 fl oz (1.25 L), and Homelite recommended a rich 16:1 gasoline/oil mix. Controls were basic – a wrap-around front handle, throttle, manual chain oiler – and (as typical of that era) no chain brake.
Specs and features (more at acresinternet).
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Model Name | Homelite C-52 |
| Manufacturer | Homelite-Textron, Port Chester, New York (USA) |
| Production Period | 1967 – 1971 |
| Engine Type | 2-cycle, single-cylinder, loop scavenged |
| Displacement | 77 cc (4.7 cu in) |
| Bore | 2.0 in (50.8 mm) |
| Stroke | 1.5 in (38 mm) |
| Piston & Rings | Two rings, 0.0625 in (1.6 mm) thick |
| Cylinder Construction | Aluminum with chrome-plated bore |
| Intake | Reed valve |
| Powerhead Weight | 18 lbs (8.1 kg) |
| Operator Setup | Built for one-man use |
| Handlebar | Solid, non-anti-vibration |
| Chain Brake | None |
| Clutch | Centrifugal, 3-shoe steel |
| Drive System | Direct drive |
| Crankshaft Bearings | Ball bearing (flywheel side), needle roller (drive side) |
| Housing | Magnesium alloy, die-cast |
| Magneto Options | Phelon or Wico flywheel ignition |
| Breaker Points | 0.015 in (0.38 mm) |
| Coil/Flywheel Gap | Fixed, non-adjustable |
| Spark Plug | Champion J-6J, gapped at 0.025 in (0.63 mm) |
| Starting System | Fairbanks-Morse rewind starter |
| Carburetor | Tillotson HL series |
| Air Filter | Flocked wire mesh screen |
| Fuel Tank | 42 fl oz (1.24 L) |
| Fuel Mix | 16:1 (regular petrol with Homelite oil) |
| Recommended Fuel | Regular grade gasoline |
| Lubrication | Manual oil pump |
| Max Engine Speed | 6,000 – 6,500 rpm |
| Chain Pitch | 0.404 in |
| Chain Type | Oregon 52C |
| Bar Mount Pattern | Type 16 |
| Bar Lengths | 17 in – 30 in |
Owners report that the C-52 cuts wood reliably, if not quickly. One user called it “a tortoise for speed,” noting it was slower than modern saws but still cut “many tons of wood… trouble free for years.”
Another owner described his saw as a “time capsule” – it still had the original manual and chain, and after a quick tune-up it “fired with one pull.” That owner wrote that the saw “is in excellent condition for its age.”
Today the Homelite C-52 is chiefly of interest to vintage saw enthusiasts and collectors. A clean, running example (with original blue paint and decals) is a prized piece of chainsaw history.
Its main drawbacks are the weight, the archaic 16:1 fueling requirement, and the lack of modern safety features – but those quirks are part of its retro charm.
In the end, the C-52 stands as a classic 1960s American chainsaw: big, simple, and rugged – and it holds a fond place in Homelite’s legacy.
Chris Goldman can be found in the STIHL Chainsaw Repairs, Upgrades & Mods FB group.
