Hi Hickory, in New Zealand we're required to wear chainsaw mitts on rear handled saws. These are leather handguards that are loosely attached to the front handle that your left hand sits in. They're designed to keep your hand wrapped around the handle and engage the chain brake if kick back occurs. A side benefit of them is the weight of the saw will be supported by the top of your hand if reasonably well fitted, so lessens pressure on your fingers and thumb. I personally prefer using mitts, and will do so even while working up the tree (except top handles!). I would send you a photo if: 1. I had one handy and 2. If i was technically competent enough to do so; I'm sure a google search should drag something up. Hope this helps.
I do the same thing, but it’s not the safest, especially for some one that doesn’t use a saw day in and day out like you and I. When I was a kid I was taught to keep my thumb wrapped around the handle in case of a kick back. If your thumb is wrapped and it kicks back, your hand just moves back with it. I was cutting Poplar saw logs into fire wood, because that’s what the customer wanted. I was using a Super 1050 with a 36” bar. My hands were so numb from hours of use, I was resting my palm on the top handle, wiggling my fingers, the tip of the bar hit a log on the other side and shot back out from under my hand and caught 3 fingers on my left hand. 50 years later those fingers still get cold and don’t work right when it starts to get cold in the fall.
Most accidents happen when we're tired and let our guard down, we've all been there.
