# So THATS why you carry a saw with the bar facing back.



## JeffL (Jul 20, 2008)

Heard it a miillion times in training videos, safety meetings, all that at work. Never had an issue, so it never phased me. Had one guy with a story at work about walking, tripping with the saw and having it come up and cut his hand as he fell. 

Well carrying around the 066 and 32" bar at work yesterday in the oppressive heat and humidity, cleaning up (or at least starting to) microburst/blowdown damage, had it on my right side carrying the side handle, and caught it just right. Swung the saw forward into my calf, the dogs caught the back of my leg and the swing of my arm caused the saw to swing around the bar caught me on the front of my left shin. So now I have a decent little hole poked in the back of my calf, and a few chunks missing out of my left shin. Its all par for the course as far as cuts and scrapes go at work, but was a stupid mistake and easily avoided.

Now I know why they say to always carry it bar back!

(Plus I'm the hard headed type that wont listen to anyone, and have to #### it up at least once for myself before I finally learn. :greenchainsaw: )


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## Bermie (Jul 20, 2008)

Well there you go! There actually IS a reason they teach us this safety stuff!
Thanks for posting.


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## serial killer (Jul 20, 2008)

I actually switched to carrying it pointed forward because I kept snagging the outer dogs on my chaps. Carrying it that way put the starter side next to my leg instead of the bar side. I guess now I have to switch back, only carry the thing left handed.


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## BlueRidgeMark (Jul 20, 2008)

I learned that the hard way a long time back. Only it was my daughter who suffered. She came around a corner and met my saw chain. Glad she threw up her hand - I would rather the cut on her hand than her face!

Not serious, but enough to cure me. 


That was 10 years ago, and she _still _gives me a hard time about it.


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## Airecon (Sep 25, 2008)

*Blipping the throttle!!!!!!!!*

Im not a very experienced saw user and I recently bought a Dolmar 5100 which is high reving, so Im more concerned with safety now. I've read several post where someone gets cut when carrying the saw or walking around with it. I assume they do the same thing I do- they blip the throttle. Its possible but why would a saw cut you that bad when you packing it around unless the chain is moving. I think we all need to stop the habit of blipping the throttle. Im going to try and stop.


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## superfire (Sep 25, 2008)

*saw carry*

heck i carry my long bare sawz on my shoulder, less risk of getting bitten by the dawgs shoulder carrying is less strain on my bad arm. never been cut carrying a saw. most of my saw bites are when doing routine maintence.


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## clearance (Sep 25, 2008)

superfire said:


> heck i carry my long bare sawz on my shoulder, less risk of getting bitten by the dawgs shoulder carrying is less strain on my bad arm. never been cut carrying a saw. most of my saw bites are when doing routine maintence.



I have done this with big saws. But I was told a story by a guy who fell down with a big saw with big dogs that impaled into his neck. Lots of blood was lost, something to think about..


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## Philbert (Sep 25, 2008)

Airecon said:


> Im not a very experienced saw user and I recently bought a Dolmar 5100 which is high reving, so Im more concerned with safety now. I've read several post where someone gets cut when carrying the saw or walking around with it. I assume they do the same thing I do- they blip the throttle. Its possible but why would a saw cut you that bad when you packing it around unless the chain is moving. . .



Airecon,

Not sure what you are referring to with "blipping the throttle", but it's a good idea to set the chain brake any time you move with the saw running. Even a step or two, as you can slip and goose the throttle on the way down.

Quickly becomes an automatic response: setting the brake when you are done cutting and pulling back on the brush guard to release it before cutting.

As for getting cut when the saw is not running, think of falling against a dozen or so razor sharp chisels with all your body weight and dragging them along your leg as you move past. . . 

Philbert


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## Philbert (Sep 25, 2008)

Bermie said:


> Well there you go! There actually IS a reason they teach us this safety stuff!



Only has to happen once.

Philbert


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## tawilson (Sep 26, 2008)

I'm so stupid I've cut my finger when rotating the chain on the bar while sharpening. Gloves help.


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## JS Landscaping (Sep 26, 2008)

Used to carry the long bar saws on my shoulder if walking a ways with the saw off, having the bar out in front of me and the motor behind, bar resting on my shoulder...one trip and i havent carried the saw like that since....the chisels dont feel good when they bite into your kneck. Now if i carry a saw on my shoulder, its air cleaner/motor is on my shoulder, with the saw upsidedown with the bar facing backwards away from me. Probably not the safest method either but when your walking a ways into the woods to do clearing with a MS660 and a long bar, it can get tiring holding it with your hands for a long period of time.


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## sdaly (Sep 26, 2008)

Airecon said:


> Im not a very experienced saw user and I recently bought a Dolmar 5100 which is high reving, so Im more concerned with safety now. I've read several post where someone gets cut when carrying the saw or walking around with it. I assume they do the same thing I do- they blip the throttle. Its possible but why would a saw cut you that bad when you packing it around unless the chain is moving. I think we all need to stop the habit of blipping the throttle. Im going to try and stop.



Believe me, a chainsaw's chain is dangerous even with the saw turned off. When I was a kid, I remember my dad slicing his hand open down to the muscle below the thumb when he slipped while sharpening a chain. Just a couple weeks ago, my buddy cut his finger open while getting ready to use his chainsaw he pulled off the plastic bar shield (he had one finger just behind the guard as he was sliding it off and it caught the chain).

It's habit for me now to just rotate my wrist and bump the chain brake on after I finish a cut. If I'm walking more than just a couple of feet with my chainsaw I'll go ahead and turn it off also. I carry it with the bar facing back and away from my body.


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