The STIHL 08S is one of those old saws that was built with longevity in mind. Introduced in 1965, it remained in production in various forms until the 2000s (see it on the 2009 Brazil STIHL site here), giving the model an unusually long run.
Early examples were around 48 cc, while later 08S saws used the better-known 56 cc engine. At around 8.4 kg powerhead weight, it is a very different machine from a modern 50–60 cc chainsaw.
Let’s check out this beautifully restored example by Chris Goldman.
Restored STIHL 08 S
The saw pictured throughout this post was restored by C.S. Goldman’s Reaper Restorations and nicknamed “Danny Boy.” Chris finished the project with an all-nighter to bring in the New Year, completely reviving the old 08S in its classic red-and-white STIHL colors.
See and hear it running in this video.
It’s a great example of why these machines remain popular restoration projects decades after they were built: simple, distinctive, heavily constructed and unmistakably from another era of chainsaw design.
Here are all the pictures from the project.
A beautiful finish!
And these are the “before restoration” pictures…
