This is a Soviet Druzhba-4 chainsaw, written ДРУЖБА-4 on the fan housing. Druzhba means “Friendship.” It’s listed on eBay with Alex, seller szabsa76, at the time of posting.
The Druzhba was developed in 1953 and entered mass production at the Perm factory in 1955. Its basic architecture remained in production for decades. This example is an earlier conventional-ignition Druzhba-4, not the later 4M Electron version.
The 1973 cast into the orange fan housing of this model is the saw’s production year. The emblem cast into the red gearbox appears to be the ZiD mark, indicating production by the Dzerzhinsky Machine-Building Plant in Perm rather than the later Biysk manufacturer.
DRUZHBA Chainsaw
The eBay listing description (translated):
Original Soviet DRUZHBA Chainsaw with Military Crate and Accessories
For sale is an original Soviet DRUZHBA chainsaw in a military transport crate, complete with matching accessories.
The sale includes the chainsaw, the original military crate, and the accessories shown in the photographs. It is an authentic collector’s item and a classic example of Soviet engineering, ideal for collectors, museums, or enthusiasts of historic chainsaws.
The chainsaw is being sold as a complete set together with the military crate and all included accessories.
Please refer to the photographs for the condition and exact contents of the sale.
It’s listed for EUR 490.00 or Best Offer.
| Specification | Druzhba-4 |
|---|---|
| Engine | Single-cylinder, two-stroke |
| Displacement | 94 cc |
| Bore × stroke | 48 × 52 mm |
| Rated power | 4 ± 0.5 hp* |
| Power speed | 5,000–5,400 rpm |
| Fuel tank | 1.5 litres |
| Period fuel mixture | 15:1 petrol-to-oil |
| Bare saw weight | Up to 12.7 kg** |
| Working bar length | 460 mm |
| Chain pitch | 15 mm |
| Chain speed | 8 m/s |
| Ignition | Flywheel magneto with breaker points |
| Starter | Removable rope starter |
| Clutch | Automatic centrifugal |
| Chain brake | None |
*The “4” in Druzhba-4 corresponds to its approximately four-horsepower output.
**The quoted 12.7 kg weight excludes the starter, bar and chain, so the assembled saw is considerably heavier.
The DRUZHBA is an unusual-looking chainsaw.
The high red fuel tank supplies the carburettor by gravity. The carburettor itself is a KMP-100A diaphragm type, but the engine was still intended to remain upright during operation.
To change between horizontal cutting for felling, and vertical cutting for bucking logs, the operator rotated the entire gearbox, bar and chain assembly by roughly 60–90 degrees. The engine and enormous bicycle-like handlebars remained in the same position.
Other distinctive features visible here include:
- The large suspended handle frame with spring-based vibration isolation.
- A geared drive rather than a modern direct-drive arrangement.
- The openly exposed drive sprocket and chain.
- A removable recoil starter on the round fan housing.
- Large, aggressive felling spikes.
- A spring-loaded or cushioned bar-nose assembly.
- An unusual PCP-15 chain, containing separate cutting, scoring and clearing links rather than the familiar modern cutter-and-raker arrangement.
The period instructions even called for the chain and nose assembly to be lubricated by immersing them in oil before use and again at regular intervals.
What appears to be included in this set (though only rely on the listing description for actual contents):
- The complete saw with bar and chain
- A fitted wooden transport chest
- A red fuel or fuel-mixing can
- A second guide bar with its tensioning and nose assemblies
- Two loose original-pattern chain loops
- A chain file
- A special combination wrench
- A flat gauge or sharpening tool
- Additional small tools and a wooden filing or support block
The loose PCP-15-style chains and complete second bar are particularly useful because these early cutting systems are not readily replaced with ordinary modern parts.
The box carries white-stencilled numbers that appear to read 272-211 and 135686. Those are more likely inventory, storage or equipment numbers than the chainsaw’s model or serial number. The small painted numbers on the saw may have been applied to match it to an institutional equipment pool.
The saw appears to be a largely complete ZiD Druzhba-4 from around 1973. It is a very distinctive Soviet forestry saw, and the second bar, chains, tools, fuel can, and fitted chest make the package considerably more collectible than the average Druzhba.
