Does anyone else keep a dedicated brush/limb saw in their fencing equipment? Maybe I'm too particular but I like the old Poulon Wild Thing to cut cedars and trash so I can keep the Stihls out of the dirt and filth.
reason why you buy good equipment is to use it. running it into the ground isn't going to hurt it.. only dual the chain.
i've been running my ms170 in the ground cutting brush/etc. for 15 years now. i spent 5 hours straight wide open with it cutting a tire. still runs like the day i bought it.
I use my stihls... If I cant use my tools for what I need them for there not good to me. None are dedicated just for that as whatever one I grab at that time is the dedicated saw.
Sawing on things you shouldn't cut won't hurt the saw, just the chain. No reason that a good saw can't cut inch off the ground just as well as a beater saw. And if you stay out of the dirt and rocks it should cut a lot faster.
I used to keep an old Wild Thing for the same reason. Eventually just dedicated a couple couple junk Stihl chains for the same reasons explained by others. Every time I had to use the Poulan reminded me why I bought a Stihl.