# Stupid chainsaw tricks.



## xander9727

They say lightening doesn't strike twice........well Tod the mentally challenged arborist has cut the same thumb for the second time with his climbing saw.

I was doing a crown restoration (tree had been topped) on a large silver maple. I had removed the problem branches and was cutting off the stubs left by the hack the last owner hired. It was almost dark, cold and I was on my last cut. The stub had an adventitious sprout on it that slapped me in the face when I cut it. I moved my hand just a little to close to the chain an presto......I get another scar. I put five stitches in it so that I could work today.

Kids don't try this at home......or anywhere else for that matter.


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## JCSJC

Jeepers, MB and you?  

I think I'm gonna eBay me a set of metal gauntlets, seems that there is something in the air.


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## a_lopa

i think you and mb should get rid of your climbing saws,honestly there little death traps


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## wct4life

OMG, and yet you still find time/ability to type.  Hope you heal soon.


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## treeman82

I did something like that a couple years ago, only it was with a bench grinder, and not a chainsaw. Often times I look at that thumb and remember the way it looked and felt.


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## Koa Man

Yikes! That looks like it hurts a lot.


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## P_woozel

An excellent reminder of the exposure of one-handed chainsaw operation. Hope it doesnt get to cold in the next few weeks. Bang that thumb good on a cold day it might make your eyes water


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## xander9727

P_woozel said:


> An excellent reminder of the exposure of one-handed chainsaw operation. Hope it doesnt get to cold in the next few weeks. Bang that thumb good on a cold day it might make your eyes water



All the stuff all already knew........now if I put that knowledge to use.......

I hit it this morning  I didn't like that at all.

It's funny how in retrospect mishaps seem so obviously avoidable.


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## P_woozel

It came out fine it seems, considring the options, no tendon damage, not too many stitches, and remember you still have a thumb with no wound. :umpkin:


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## xander9727

PW,
I guess I need to think positively.


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## Crofter

Ouch!

Once bit twice shy, what next, that thumb to try! 

We know you weren't hanging around sucking your thumb anyway.


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## John Paul Sanborn

I do say you are lucky, especially if that is the second chainsaw injury you have had. 

I've not had any (though i did cut the pad of my right thumb near off with a hedge shear :O)

Good thing it's so close to the holidays, you were planning on taking a lot of time off anyways.

Need some help geeting through it? If I remember right, your only 7-8 hours away from me. Seems like all my clients up here think it's too cold to work right now, so I'm board!


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## xander9727

Thanks for the offer JPS......all we need is some ice and I'll have more work than I can deal with.........Is it bad to hope for a natural disaster? I just like to work......I guess the cause is secondary.


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## dave1

This sounds like that last cut of the day syndrone. There have been a few times just lately when the list of things going bad seems to be getting just to long. Like throwing the tie down over the load and hitting the car next door, hitting the only nail in the only place you can make the cut. or my all time favorite standing and taking just one step backwards and falling backwards on your but with a running saw. When these things start to happen , Call the game for rain. I believe that we have to have a good sence for safeness or the first tree we cut would have killed us . Today its 20 below zero here that kind of thumb would bite all day . good luck dave1


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## TimberMcPherson

Dude, next time you need to loose some weight just eat less pizza, no need to have weight loss operations. Man dont think of how much you cut, think of how much you have left. Its a good reminder for everyone that our favourite noisy toys can bite, Take care mate


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## rb_in_va

Xander,
Can you convert those pics to thumbnails for me?  

Sorry, couldn't resist!


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## MasterBlaster

Thumbnail... haha!!


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## xander9727

Stop it.....You're hurting my feeling.....


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## trimmmed

*Ouch!*

Worse than the pain, is trying to work with a hurt digit, What a PITA! 

BTW, the tablesaw ain't no picnic either. This from last feb, it grew back  but still tingly. It was affecting my ability to flip off other drivers for a while.


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## MasterBlaster

Well, as long as yur thumb's OK...


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## xander9727

trimmmed said:


> Worse than the pain, is trying to work with a hurt digit, What a PITA!
> 
> BTW, the tablesaw ain't no picnic either. This from last feb, it grew back  but still tingly. It was affecting my ability to flip off other drivers for a while.



Post a pic of what it looks like now.........was that the bone showing at the end? It's hard to tell.


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## MasterBlaster

Dayum! Yea, post a healed pic!


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## trimmmed

Just grazed the tip of the bone, you can see a shadow line running from 12 o'clock to 3 o'clock. Thats where it's healed up too so far, it was originally cut from like 11 to 5. They stiched it back right thru the fingernails although the dangler was later lost  But it looks and works like a finger, so I'm happy. It is still getting better, freakining fingers take a while to heal. In the beginning the nail would grow to the cut and as it grows out it keeps getting better, the pad still has a little springy/tingly feeling 10 months later.


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## MasterBlaster

Well heck, that looks pretty good.


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## xander9727

Show us the end where the cut was.


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## trimmmed

Hope you have the same luck. I have read a statistic regarding carpentry and it's something like, 95% chance you'll get bit at some point in your career, are there any such stats re tree guys?


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## MasterBlaster

I bet it's a given that any saw operator will get bite sometime during their career. I've been bite three times, so far. Nothing too bad, knock on wood. And PPE.


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## glens

I once felt a little heat on the side of my index finger using a 12" table saw. The side of the blade glazed my finger. I've cut myself to the bone with a wood chisel, though, and hacksaws and files have parted or removed flesh on me before. Any cutting instrument you use with your hands, like Butch said...

I cringe while watching the deli folks slicing the goods at the supermarket...


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## spacemule

glens said:


> I once felt a little heat on the side of my index finger using a 12" table saw. The side of the blade glazed my finger. I've cut myself to the bone with a wood chisel, though, and hacksaws and files have parted or removed flesh on me before. Any cutting instrument you use with your hands, like Butch said...
> 
> I cringe while watching the deli folks slicing the goods at the supermarket...


 
I don't know if I'm lucky or skilled, but I've never had a serious cut from anything. I have nicked myself a couple of times with an xacto knife though.


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## rb_in_va

MasterBlaster said:


> I bet it's a given that any saw operator will get bite sometime during their career. I've been bite three times, so far. Nothing too bad, knock on wood. And PPE.



When I was a machinist, cuts on the hand and fingers were a weekly thing. Mostly from doing stupid things, like grabbing sharp string metal chips. Even with gloves they will slice right to the bone. Fortunatly I had AFLAC, and they paid by the stitch!


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## xander9727

I know a girl that sells AFLAC.....I'll look into it. You don't want to be insurance poor but who wants to be under insured......I've been there.....It wasn't good.


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## OutOnaLimb

My wife can hook ya up with a good Death and Dismemberment policy. As it stands now Im worth more dead than alive. (5 million) Maybe I can fake my own death and live like a king in Mexico for the rest of my days. Just kidding. I hope ya heal up big guy. 

Kenn


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## jason j ladue

cut my self once w/a chainsaw. was touching up the blade. didnt have gloves on. must have gotten it pretty sharp. (seemed like) i just bumped the dang thing. last knuckle of right index finger on thumb side. must be a pretty big artery there. it bled like a stuck pig...


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## canguy21

trimmed, I did exactly the same thing many years ago. Didn't really hurt until the freezing wore off then man oh man. Lost count of the times I have scared myself though, usually not paying attention.


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## trimmmed

I got a matching one on my right thumb too, same weapon, 5 years earlier



*Hey Xander* 

How about a healing update? How's it looking


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## xander9727

It's almost totally healed. I just have one little scab. I'll take a pic and post it.......so you can see my scar.


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## blackwaterguide

Oh, so lucky. Last cut of the day enigma. God blessed you my friend!


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## murphy4trees

Brings a couple things to mind... 1st... gloves... do you think a pair of ugly gloves would have saved you the stitches?? they aren't going to stop a chain, but might have given you an extra moment to react before getting cut...
And 2nd MM has been recommending the rear handle echos for climbing saws... 16" bar,... a little more power... the way he talked about it, it sure sounded like a winner... the point is anything you need to reach for with one hand ought to be fairly easy to cut with a handsaw... Given todays handsaws and climbing gear, the top handled saw is no longer necessary.... Makes a lot of sense to me... I finally got a rear handled echo, but its in Florida with the stump grinder still, so I haven't done any significant climbing with it yet....

Glad you shared your mistake so we could all learn from it...

Thanks


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## xander9727

I was wearing Atlas therma fit gloves at the time. I'm sure it would have been much worse had I not. It has healed well but is still really sensitive........like Butch.


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## canopychick

xander9727 said:


> It's almost totally healed. I just have one little scab. I'll take a pic and post it.......so you can see my scar.



Oooooooooohh!!


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## OutOnaLimb

I just bought a new super safe Stihl chain saw you should check out to keep this from happening for a third time. Check it out.

Kenn


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## xander9727

Kenn,
That hurts my feeling!


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## OutOnaLimb

I was just messin with ya big guy.

Kenn


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## xander9727

Don't worry my skins plenty thick...........ya bully.


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## Gypo Logger

*Glorified Hangnail*

Tod, this is not looking good if we are to factor in what your signature says.
Change it now. LOL
BTW, is part of your nail sawn off, or is that just dried blood? If you rocked out on your nail I'm sure it would hurt like H#LL. Be thankful you weren't one handing the KD088 when that happened. This is the proper method BTW.
John


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## geofore

I'm going to put that down as your one of us that preachs, DO AS I SAY, NOT AS I DO! At least you have sense enough to stand to the side in case she kicks back.  You made me miss a call from Dan Henry while I was looking at that picture. Now his line wull be busy the rest of the afternoon when I try to call him back.#@*&%*


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## greg carr

My buddy nailed three fingers together with a nail gun.the x rays are pretty cool


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## xander9727

I guess the signature can be interpreted to my disadvantage from time to time. Although I try to improve every day I'm still far from perfect........and will be as long as I draw breath. 

If that had been the 088KD I'd need my head checked. Running that saw in the tree is not a good idea! Also, I'd have had a bloody nub for a hand. It did get the nail.......and it did hurt.

It's easy to be hard.......it's hard to be smart.


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## chicken89

why is it my boss (xander9727) gets to have all the fun with saws?
"saw vs ricky"
cut thumb again
flying chainsaws
well, i guess as long as it happens to him first and not the rookie. at least he will know how to react if it ever happens to me!


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## xander9727

I hope you see the lengths I go to for research to ensure you have a safe working environment.


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## chipper

Yeah, I had a problem one month where I couldn't keep my hand saw off my body. It bit me good in the knuckle with ten stitches later. Oops!


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