I know someone contacted a manufacturer and got a deal on some cam chains. Something about how they were made was , we thought,,better, and would hopefully last longer.

Okay, that's been long enough for them to have been tested.
What's the word? I Think I sold mine, or let it go with the bike.

I will toss this out.
IF you're gonna put a chain on, soak it in oil for a while.
I dropped mine in a quart jar and submerged it for a long time before I went in and did it.
And, if you want to massage the thing a bit, the cam is Right There...

I like getting parts together, doing the reading, thinking through the job, then step out.
Seems like some people grab wrenches, then wonder why they don't have the parts yet.