kick back

[maveric944]

as a new saw user i have spent the last few weeks trying to read all the threads on this amazing site, i have picked up many hints and tips and also received some excellent advice along the way. I have also been reading safety manuals online from numerous companies, and the most common cause for injury is the kick back. All the write ups list the same causes of kick back and how to try and prevent it from happening. I have also bought all the PPE recommended including helmet with mesh visor, even though i only cut a small amount of fire wood compared to most of you guys, just don't wanna make the wife a widow just yet. What i was wandering was have any of you guys experienced this phenomenon, and if so what was the cause, how harsh was it and could you give any advice on how to prevent it happening to a learner like myself.
PS. I also use a low kick back chain and bar, plus the saw has an inertia brake as well.

regards mav

 

[sedanman]

I have had saws kick back. Mostly when working it tight places. I have never had a kick-back on a saw without an inertia brake. When it happens and the inertia brake does it's job it is a non-event, just a little kick and the chain stops. I have and use a few older saws without brakes but I pay extra attention when using them, not that I ever let my guard down when using the other saws either.

 

[B_Turner]

Kick back may be the most common type of really serious injury, but I have seen way more people get the saw into their leg than actually injury from kickback.

Not trying to minimize the danger of kickbar, though. In general just be real aware of where the bar tip is at all times, stay in balance on your feet (not one armed or reaching high) and keep rpms up will keep yout out of trouble. I prefer to cut with a hardhat with a brim, as that actually can help a little with kickback accidents, by pushing your head back a bit if hit. And I would never cut without a working chainbrake.

To protect the legs, I always wear chaps.

 

[clearance]

Hiya Limey, I was born in Uddersfield but have lived here since I was little thank God, anyways, kickback. As you have probably learned, it is caused when the rakers hit something on thier way around the top of the bar nose. This propels the bar up and back, very quickly. To avoid kickback injury always be aware of where the upper quadrant of the nose is and always stand to one side of the bar, always. Years ago I was bucking logs on a pile with a Stihl 038 Mag, I wasn't paying attention and the nose hit a log at full rpm, the saw flipped out of my hands and landed like 10' away from me. If I was standing right behind it, looking down on the chain like so many people do I would have got it right in the face. Low kick back chain is a scam, chain brakes are a last resort, like seatbelts, the whole idea is to not put yourself in harms way to begin with. Again, always stand to one side, even if this means bucking left handed sometimes.

 

[Trigger-Time]

as a new saw user i have spent the last few weeks trying to read all the threads on this amazing site, i have picked up many hints and tips and also received some excellent advice along the way. I have also been reading safety manuals online from numerous companies, and the most common cause for injury is the kick back. All the write ups list the same causes of kick back and how to try and prevent it from happening. I have also bought all the PPE recommended including helmet with mesh visor, even though i only cut a small amount of fire wood compared to most of you guys, just don't wanna make the wife a widow just yet. What i was wandering was have any of you guys experienced this phenomenon, and if so what was the cause, how harsh was it and could you give any advice on how to prevent it happening to a learner like myself.
PS. I also use a low kick back chain and bar, plus the saw has an inertia brake as well.
regards mav

AS in your PS. the low kick back bars IMO do make a big difference
on the kick back, the tapered nose or small radius tips = less area for
the kick back zone of the tip. And when you start getting tired it's
time to put the saw down, pile brush or load the wood

 

[Timbercutter]

I knew a guy who had a chunck cut out of his hardhat from kickback while trimming a load of logs..He was sure glad he had it on.

 

[Wes]

I only had one that is notable.

Limbing a downed tree, a pinch I hadn't foreseen sent the bar forward, where the nose caught on the trunk and BANG! the tip of the bar was about 6 inches to the right of my forehead, even with my eyebrows. The chain brake had engaged at some point, but I still would have gotten quite a whack in the noggin had my head been there.

If you aren't in the way, you reduce your chances of getting hurt immensely. Similar to a table saw, a chain saw has 'danger zones' that you should stay out of. Directly over the bar is one of those.

Take your time, keep track of where the bar is AND WHERE IT WILL GO AFTER THE CUT, and quit when you're tired.

 

[tek9tim]

What's been said so far is good. A couple of additions: as to what clearance said, I've heard it's the cutting corner rather than the raker that gets hung up. As the cutter is going around the top 1/4 of the tip, the raker essentially falls away, exposing the gullet to whatever is in front of the bar, thus allowing a much larger piece of material to make its way to the cutting corner. Unable to cut through the material, the force is then transferred into the bar.

Second, wrap yer thumb around the handlebar. If the saw kicks back and you don't have it wrapped, odds are a lot better for the saw coming out of your hands. People complain of lessened dexterity when they wrap their thumb, but I think my dexterity would be a lot worse if a chain dove into my frontal lobe. Plus, it's really not that bad.

 

[Timbercutter]

Your thumb around the handle bar does make a big difference very good point.

 

[NYH1]

Wow, I've never ran a chain saw without wrapping my thumb around the handlebar. To me it's the natural thing to do. Grab it and hold on to it, it's a chain saw not a bicycle. The more control you have over it the better!

 

[chowdozer]

To avoid kickback injury always be aware of where the upper quadrant of the nose is and always stand to one side of the bar, always

Good advice. No, excellent advice! I had the 056 Super kick back on me the other day with the 36" bar. The bar was darn near vertical before I realized it. It was the standing off to the side that kept anything from happening. Can't say enough good things about the inertial chain brakes.