# It took 40 years



## RDP (Nov 27, 2004)

It happened this afternoon, I was in the bush cutting up firewood in 16 in. lengths, walking over from one area to another with the saw running as you are trained to carry it, I slipped on a slab of wet rock and cut my left calf wearing nothing but a pair of jeans, (saw on a fast idle), I was lucky, no I was real real real lucky, no serious damage except to my ego and a bit of the leg which I will easily recuperate from.

Inattention, older age, less strength, absent mindedness, whatever! 
No chaps or pants, *SCARRY * _! This can happen to any and all of us no matter how experienced and confident you are.
First thing Monday morning I am buying a pair of chaps or pants. Stihl dealers just happen to have them on sale presently until the end of the month.

I have lived pretty long already but surely have another real good 15 to 20 years left in me, which I want to enjoy safely !_


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## bwalker (Nov 27, 2004)

FWIW most pants or chaps do not protect that back of you leg in the calf area.
Why was thew saw on fast idle?


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## MasterBlaster (Nov 27, 2004)

Why was the chain brake not engaged?

You got lucky, eh?


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## Ax-man (Nov 27, 2004)

Chain brake should be engaged if you are taking more than three steps. Good rule to remember when working in thick brush or your not sure of your footing like the conditions you were describing.

Larry


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## MasterBlaster (Nov 27, 2004)

I say two steps, even one if the footings bad.


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## RDP (Nov 27, 2004)

*Guys! ! !* give me a break I agree with all of you, I am posting this for anyone and everyones benefit, *we all need reminders at some time,* at some time we all get over confident and then we become careless, we sometimes forget the basics, initial and essentials. What can I say, I did not post this to get blasted but as a reminder to one and all to always take the maximum of precautions, as we can never be reminded often enough. I will take all the flack however as this will be a good reminder for me for the next few years.


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## MasterBlaster (Nov 27, 2004)

Hey, it's all good bro. The important thing is that somebody out there might just learn somrthing from your misfortune.


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## Doug01 (Nov 27, 2004)

Good thing you didn't get it to bad. Things sneek up on you. My brother has been cutting firewood for at least 25yrs and he goofed and had a tree, knock him off the ground and an back about 10 feet. Best I could figure is that it may have barber chaired or came up off the stum somehow cause the tree fell into some others. He did't hurt his saw (it went flying he said) and he was only sore the next day. 

Just an FYI as far as pants/chaps, the Baileys pants provide some protection on the calf.


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## rmihalek (Nov 27, 2004)

Not to derail the thread, but what's "fast idle?" My saws have a lock-position on the throttle that I use when starting, but that seems to be around half throttle or so; the chain is spinning really fast. 

I set the idle so that the chain isn't spinning when idling, maybe it'll jump a bit now and then, but for the most part, the engine is burbling and the chain isn't spinning. 

I agree too, to just get in the habit of always hitting the chain brake when getting ready to walk or even just setting the saw down so that if the chain touches the ground it won't run itself into the dirt if the engine is winding down a bit from a cut. I think limbing a just-felled tree is one of the most dangerous operations since you're forced to move around quite a bit, stepping over limbs, etc without being able to use the chain brake all the time.


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## canguy21 (Nov 28, 2004)

These are good reminders for all of us. A customer came in the store this week for a new chain. He was alone brushing along a fence line when the chain caught the barbed wire. The wire whipped around and clipped him in the throat. Fortunately, it just left a red welt but it could have been a whole lot worse. Complacency breeds accidents


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## RDP (Nov 28, 2004)

rmihalek said:


> Not to derail the thread, but what's "fast idle?".




Hi rmihalek,

The chain had not stopped and it was still winding down basically turning fast. Today I will redo the adjustments as it is turning way too much on idle.

I got careless and I do know better.


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## geofore (Nov 28, 2004)

*As trained?*

I was not trained to carry a running saw with the chain brake set. Chain saws didn't have chain brakes when I started to use them, you shut them off to move. I will tell you this, new saws have the chain brakes and you should use them because your first reaction when you slip is to tighten up and this usually means you squeeze the trigger and the saw goes to high RPM before you hit the ground. All you need to do is fall on the saw. It hits full throttle before you hit the ground. They rev up that fast. Getting older(slower reaction time) adds to the problem as does having all your saws ported(tuned to run faster).Get the chaps/pants and wear them. You were lucky this time. Don't tempt fate a second time without the chaps/pants on.


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## RDP (Nov 28, 2004)

*You are so correct*



geofore said:


> I was not trained to carry a running saw with the chain brake set. Chain saws didn't have chain brakes when I started to use them, you shup them off to move. I will tell you this, new saws have the chain brakes and you should use them because your first reaction when you slip is to tighten up and this usually means you squeeze the trigger and the saw goes to high RPM before you hit the ground. All you need to do is fall on the saw. It hits full throttle before you hit the ground. They rev up that fast. Getting older(slower reaction time) adds to the problem as does having all your saws ported(tuned to run faster).Get the chaps/pants and wear them. You were lucky this time. Don't tempt fate a second time without the chaps/pants on.



Hi geofore,

You explained it right on better than I did, how right & correct you are in this case from A to Z. We just are not as alert and as fast as we get older!  

Many thanks,


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## canguy21 (Nov 28, 2004)

I carry a running saw by the wrap handle with the bar facing back. That way I can't hit the throttle or fall on the chain and start leaking. I still use the brake, leastways on my newer saw.


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## RDP (Nov 28, 2004)

Hi Canguy,

That is exactly the position i had just put it in when I slipped and the chain was still turning. Break was not on of course and I agree it should have been, I became complacent, over confident and reckless, all the correct attributes for an accident which we all end up doing at some time. If I were using a bigger and heavier felling saw at the time I would have been injured seriously without a doubt.


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## P_woozel (Nov 28, 2004)

All good points made, one thing to remember is especially if on steep ground, toss the saw for those of us who run sharp chains I dont want to fall/contact that bar or dogs with any part of my body. Pitch it, Stihls take this much better than Husky. :Eye:


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## RDP (Nov 29, 2004)

I went out this morning and purchased chaps with protection for the calves. Initially I found plenty with just front protection but very little with protection in the rear, had to do several shops but finally found some. Although orange they are not from Stihl but a label called Forest Master. These offer the exact same protection in the rear calf area as in the front, are UL and Canadian BNQ aprroved


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## spacemule (Nov 29, 2004)

P_woozel said:


> All good points made, one thing to remember is especially if on steep ground, toss the saw for those of us who run sharp chains I dont want to fall/contact that bar or dogs with any part of my body. Pitch it, Stihls take this much better than Husky. :Eye:


The best abuse-resistant saw I ever had was a Sachs 120 super. I had it on the back of my flatbed after cutting a load of wood, and it flew out as I was doing about 60 after hitting a large bump on a rather sharp curve. It landed with the bar stabbing the ground, and sat there quivering for several seconds. I stoped, grabbed it, and threw it back in the truck. I don't think the saw's fall left a single scratch on it, and it never missed a beat.


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## P_woozel (Nov 29, 2004)

spacemule said:


> The best abuse-resistant saw I ever had was a Sachs 120 super. I had it on the back of my flatbed after cutting a load of wood, and it flew out as I was doing about 60 after hitting a large bump on a rather sharp curve. It landed with the bar stabbing the ground, and sat there quivering for several seconds. I stoped, grabbed it, and threw it back in the truck. I don't think the saw's fall left a single scratch on it, and it never missed a beat.


That does meet the requirements for tough. There used to be a Stihl commercial that showed a guy leaving a unit and his saw falls off, bounces down the switchbacks, he comes up on it grabs it and a nother bend down the road he cuts up a little blowdown.


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## John Stewart (Nov 29, 2004)

Ax-man said:


> Chain brake should be engaged if you are taking more than three steps. Good rule to remember when working in thick brush or your not sure of your footing like the conditions you were describing.
> 
> Larry



As soon as you lift your pivit foot which ever that is left or right it makes no matter, on goes the inertia brake! 
Always, Always, Always! 

Not pickin on you Larry but there is no room for a mistake on this one!

Be safe brothers, be safe!

Later
John


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## xander9727 (Nov 29, 2004)

I really do think chaps are the only way to go. This time of year guys put them on as soon as they get to the site (keeps them warmer). In the summer I have to remind them periodically. I really like the chaps in the picture, buttons may be better than the straps my full wrap chaps have. My guys keep breaking the buckles. How they accomplish this is beyond me. Snaps are also more stream lined. Let me know how they hold. Read the instructions. You need to wash them when they become soiled or they may not work correctly. Also make sure you wash them according to the directions.


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