Chain Saw Lanyard and Safety

[Scheids]

I would like to know some pros thoughts on the length of chain saw lanyards. I have heard two schools of thought.

1) A short (6in) lanyard keeps the saw close to the body so it is less likely to get hung up but puts the saw blade against the body.

2) A long (49in) lanyard keeps the saw down below the feet away from the body but is then subject to hang ups.

What are your thoughts on proper length? Are there any rules governing the length?

I appreciate your thoughts!

 

[troythetreeman]

the lanyard i use is like 4' with a ring on it so i can choke it up to 6", i only do this when im swinging, otherwise i just let it hang
i also only use a lanyard with rear handled saws, top handle saw i fix the ring rigid and clip it directly to a hook on my saddle, this i can do with one hand
a full time lanyard on your climbing saw will severely limit your ability to maneuver it
if you do use a lanyard youll want it just long enough you can extend your reach with the saw as far as you can without pulling on the lanyard, youll also want some way to be able to choke it up so if you make a big swing your saw is at your hip, this is safer for you and the saw

 

[troythetreeman]

as for "the blade against your body"... this really would only concern me if i had a running saw at my hip, which, under no circumstances, would i ever do

 

[oscar4883]

I use a homemade lanyard that allows me to reach as far as I need to. Not sure of the length but it has a ring so it can be clipped short. I would saw it is about 42in. or so. I haven't experienced a saw lanyard severely limiting my ability to handle a saw.

 

[Blakesmaster]

I use the cheap 20 dollar bungee lanyards on my climbing saw and always clip it short when not in use. They're a little short for my long arms but I haven't gotten around to making my own saw lanyard yet. Wouldn't be a bad idea. For large saws I just girth hitch a webbing loop and biner to it and let it hang low, Very rarely am I swinging with a large saw. Unless it's a crane job, in which case I put a bungee lanyard on a 361 for the day.

 

[troythetreeman]

I use a homemade lanyard that allows me to reach as far as I need to. Not sure of the length but it has a ring so it can be clipped short. I would saw it is about 42in. or so. I haven't experienced a saw lanyard severely limiting my ability to handle a saw.

i used to climb with a lanyard on my climber
without it tho i can pass the saw from hand to hand easier, around the tree, over limbs, under, over my lanyard, under, behind my back
its probably not a bad idea starting out, but i wouldnt go back to it
if you make a lanyard be sure its something that isnt going to burn your fingers when you slid the saw down to the end

 

[flushcut]

I would like to know some pros thoughts on the length of chain saw lanyards. I have heard two schools of thought.

1) A short (6in) lanyard keeps the saw close to the body so it is less likely to get hung up but puts the saw blade against the body.

2) A long (49in) lanyard keeps the saw down below the feet away from the body but is then subject to hang ups.

What are your thoughts on proper length? Are there any rules governing the length?

I appreciate your thoughts!

Maybe it has been said but they make a lanyard that does both of those things it kind of looks like a dog leash with a ring about six inches from the loop/handle.

 

[squad143]

I like the bungee lanyards from buckinghams. They will stretch long enough for a long reach, but retract so they dont hang down too low when the saw is attached to your hip.

 

[RacerX]

I like the bungee lanyards from buckinghams. They will stretch long enough for a long reach, but retract so they dont hang down too low when the saw is attached to your hip.

Ditto. Bungee lanyards are kind of the best of both worlds. The ring near the end keeps the saw hanging near your hip where it can't move around much and doesn't get in the way of your climbing.

 

[2treeornot2tree]

I have a break away lanyard, and a webing lanyard, but I always find myself just using a short chainsaw ring strap from stihl. I do use a length of cord with carabiners for when i am up in the bucket with the big saws (ms460, ms880).

 

[troythetreeman]

part of this title was safety
without a lanyard you can keep a running saw further away from your body, your lanyard and your climbing line as you switch hands

 

[Nailsbeats]

Take a break away bungee lanyard and put a Krab on it and you now have the cat's pajamas of lanyards. Long, short, or take the saw off altogether when you need to make those long reaching cuts or a bunch of cuts in a cramped up area or just do a behind the back or two just for show.

 

[2treeornot2tree]

whats a krab?

 

[Nailsbeats]

part of this title was safety
without a lanyard you can keep a running saw further away from your body, your lanyard and your climbing line as you switch hands

Lanyards keep the groundman safer than anything, also if it hits the fan you can drop your saw in a hot minute and make out OK.

 

[Nailsbeats]

whats a krab?

Slang or short for carribiner, also one could use biner' but with all the illeagals these days someone might take offense.

 

[RacerX]

part of this title was safety
without a lanyard you can keep a running saw further away from your body, your lanyard and your climbing line as you switch hands

I've found that my bungee style lanyard stretches to a point where I my arms are fully extended, so unless you're one handing the saw the lanyard will not keep you from moving the saw the maximum distance away from your body. Lanyards are like saddles, adjusters, hitches, ropes, etc. They're all open to differing opinions. For me the bungee works. For some guys it doesn't. Just like I wouldn't be caught dead using a Blake's hitch yet some guys swear by them.

 

[troythetreeman]

only saw i ever dropped was because i cut my lanyard when i first started
but thats part of why i prefer the echo cs341, you can kill the engine without changing your grip on the handle, youll never kill it inadvertently with your thumb, the handle is bigger so switching hands is easier, you can let it fall to hang in your fingers like a hook...
dont cut when youre not tied in you should never need to throw your saw
its all a matter of comfort and preference and style

 

[Nailsbeats]

only saw i ever dropped was because i cut my lanyard when i first started
but thats part of why i prefer the echo cs341, you can kill the engine without changing your grip on the handle, youll never kill it inadvertently with your thumb, the handle is bigger so switching hands is easier, you can let it fall to hang in your fingers like a hook...
dont cut when youre not tied in you should never need to throw your saw
its all a matter of comfort and preference and style

Chucking the saw comes into play mostly when roping out a top and you need to brace yourself for the ride or tripping a cut in a hairy situation, cut and bail.

 

[troythetreeman]

I've found that my bungee style lanyard stretches to a point where I my arms are fully extended, so unless you're one handing the saw the lanyard will not keep you from moving the saw the maximum distance away from your body. Lanyards are like saddles, adjusters, hitches, ropes, etc. They're all open to differing opinions. For me the bungee works. For some guys it doesn't. Just like I wouldn't be caught dead using a Blake's hitch yet some guys swear by them.

if your saw is on a lanyard and so are you, you cant pass the saw around the tree for an off handed side cut, it has to go between you and the tree, and then has to come back the exact same path
i dont have any experience with a bungie lanyard but it would seem to me this would get heavy and the pulling against your saw would make it difficult to make good cuts at awkward angles
and there are often times i prefer to use one hand to hang onto the tree and keep myself steady while i cut one handed, i dont know anyone who 2 hands a saw 100% of the time, and most i know 1 hand more often then not

 

[troythetreeman]

Chucking the saw comes into play mostly when roping out a top and you need to brace yourself for the ride or tripping a cut in a hairy situation, cut and bail.

nod, i just turn it off and hang on with the saw still in my hand if i am off in my timing to clip it back onto my belt, which i usually am not
make your notch if youre using one on this cut, set you rigging line, make your back cut, when it starts to go kill the saw and return it to belt, the instant the top comes clear place free hand on cut, if your saw isnt on your belt or if it is, throw the other arm around the tree above your rope, hang on with your forearm, by that time you can get the other arm around if you expect the shock load to snap you that hard
but with chokers and pulleys and porta wraps heavy shock loads are a thing of the past