Chainsaw chains were invented by Bernard Heine and it was in 1830, that chainsaw chains first made their appearance. The device, on which a chainsaw chain was featured, was the osteotome. The cutting action of the osteotome was powered by a handle. The osteotome was a surgical tool and first cutting tool to use a chain with cutting teeth.

Since then, chainsaw chains all take their basic design from Bernard Heine’s invention. The Heine chain was a device that revolutionized the way that cutting could be done. In 1926, Andreas Stihl unveiled and began to produce the Stihl chainsaw for the public. This early version of the Stihl chainsaw had a motor, which powered the chain.