Here’s another cool chainsaw from Wayne Sutton’s Chainsaw Museum.
It is tagged with the series number ‘STIHL 1128’ and is a replica pre-production STIHL 044.
The card in the museum reads:
1128 – 044
1988 — 70 cc — 5.8 kg — 5.2 hp
Badge with the developement number 1128
On the Chainsaw Collector’s Forum in 2006, Wayne wrote:
I had a very early production NOS 044 at one time, which had been handed out to the dealers by Mr. H. Peter STIHL himself, at our Feb. 1989 dealer meeting. But, it was stolen several years later when I had my shop. Of the 67 new saws stolen that night, that special 044 was the one which couldn’t be replaced.
I have been watching for an early 044 (One with 4mm screws) and in decent condition ever since. Along the way I was given one of the 1128 model tags that were use during the early developement period of the 044. 1128 is the series of saw that is marketed as 044, 046, MS440, MS460.
This was the project of the week for me. It may look like a nearly brand new saw but it is not. I finally have accumulated enough new and used early type parts to put together what looks like, one of the pre production 044’s. There are a couple of parts left to go but I will keep an eye out for them and see what comes up. For the most part though, it looks like the 044’s that were being tested in this area in 1987-88.
Wayne told us:
This 1128 badge represents the development identifier for the pre-production 044.
During that development time, several of these units were being tested through my shop, Wayne’s Saw Shop, in the foothills beneath Mt. St. Helens.
Another interesting piece of STIHL history in America!
