Newbie Question

[Booshcat]

May seem like a dumb question, but I'm trying to gain some knowledge, and you guys seem to be a pretty patient bunch....as long as we're not
comparing brands

Although I have been cutting wood using chainsaws for a few years,
I have older saws mostly because I enjoy repairing them as well as their all around quality.

My question is about the safety systems that have been added in the last two decades and how they work.

How can you tell if an older saw has a chain brake for instance. Are these systems internal to the crankcase or will there be an assembly outboard somewhere.

Thanks,
Bob

 

[computeruser]

If it has a chainbrake it will have a large flag/piece/thing that sits in front of the handlebar which, when pushed forward, will stop the chain. It should be evident through simple visual inspection whether the saw has one or not. There are some models of older saw that can be retrofitted with a chainbrake, such as those that were in production for a long time; newer models will often have a brake, which can be swapped in. They are actuated by pushing the brake flag forward which makes a band that wraps around the outside of the clutch drum constrict down and stop the clutch drum from rotating and spinning the chain.

In some instances the brake is attached to the saw body. Other times it is attached to the clutch cover, as with the orange brake flag on this Echo:

Note that some older saws will have a hand guard of sorts which do not actuate a chainbrake, such as with the black plastic thing that attaches to the handlebar of this saw:

Other older saws have no chainbrake or hand guard whatsoever:

 

[Woodie]

Bob,

I'm sorry, but unless your question is arguing the merits of different brands/models, we can't help you...:hmm3grin2orange:

One unsolicited word of caution if you're using the older saws without chain brakes/hand gaurds: always wrap your thumb around the front handlebar when you're cutting. Don't treat that handlebar like a car steering wheel...where your thumb goes on the same side as your other fingers.

Although this advice rings true even if you DO have a chainbrake, it is absolutely imperative if you don't. The wrapped thumb serves two purposes: to help you control the saw should it kickback, and to help keep your front hand from slipping off the handlebar and into the chain.

A lot of guys here run older saws, and I'm not for one minute going to say the old saws are unsafe. In the experienced hands of a trained user, they can be plenty safe. But the newer saws also have an inertia-operated brake as part of that hand guard, and together they provide an extra margin of safety that has tremendously reduced accidents, both in sheer numbers and in severity.

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

A lot of guys here run older saws, and I'm not for one minute going to say the old saws are unsafe. In the experienced hands of a trained user, they can be plenty safe. But the newer saws also have an inertia-operated brake as part of that hand guard, and together they provide an extra margin of safety that has tremendously reduced accidents, both in sheer numbers and in severity.

That's a good point. Old saws aren't inherently unsafe, though newer saws have more safety features on them. The operator operates safely or unsafely.