SawTroll said:
I think you mean a full wrap
handle, and have some trouble understanding what is so great about that.
Doesn't that make the saw both heavier and more cumbersome to handle in most situations, and positively denying you the possibility of felling close to the ground?
I know that it can come in handy in some special situations, but I really don't think it is a good idea on an "allround" saw.
I do indeed mean a full wrap handlebar. Full wraps are also known as "Western" style bars, er, handlebars as well. It comes from the pros out here felling trees on heavy, steep inclines, and being able to only work a tree from one side, and needing to turn saw over and/or hold it at funny angles. Which is plenty common. I absolutely love it. Other than for bringing a tree down, for us firewood guys, it works well when you're standing knee or thigh deep in slash and you're bucking or limbing a log, and can't get around to the other side of it to work, and you need to cut left handed, or put the saw on it's side to limb along the top. It makes it so that you don't even have to think about turning the saw over or cutting off to the clutch side of the saw. It makes handling the saw in a non-cutting situation easier too. You're done cutting, and are knee deep in biomass, and need to put your saw down on that stump over there, but it's a reach. Again, you don't even think about grabbing it on the clutch side, and reaching for that stump to put your saw down. When mobility or maneuverability is restricted, being able to handle a saw in any which way or direction on either side of the saw is a true blessing. As far as felling close to the ground, that's not really a problem. Unless you're in the tree removal business, and need to get down close to the ground in someone's yard to make it look nice, most trees out here get taken down just about knee high, or wherever it straightens out or forks enough to fit on the truck nicely, whichever is lower but it might straighten out or fork ten feet up. But for logging operations, or woodland tree removals on private property, there's no need to take it down so close to the ground. And besides, the handlebar only protrudes off the clutch side, what two, three inches? If you have to have a stump less than three inches tall out in the middle of nowhere, then go ahead and throw on the flush cut and use it. As far as weight, it weighs the same as a factory flush cut, and in the case of a 460, less than the factory wrap. I've never counted ounces on a saw anyway. It also makes it easier to carry. When I'm not carrying it over my shoulder, I carry it bar to the rear, clutch side to my right leg. The full wrap lets me hold the bar, that's handlebar, at the two o'clock position, and the saw cants out a little bit, and carrys for me far better than having to hold the factory flush cut at the top center of the handlebar, and having the saw banging up against my leg. It works great, it really does. All of my saws have the full wrap, and I think it works great.
Take care all,
Jeff
