talk me out of a top handle.

[Chelford Chainsaw Company]

Had a Husky T540Xp and currently got a stihl MS150T. The husky was the first top handle I ever used and was blown away. Also really impressed by the smaller stihl. So light, such a joy to use cutting anything small

 

[Deleted member 150358]

Like the look and size of the ms150 just not the price!

 

[sirbuildalot]

If I remember correctly, the dealer who I inquired about the 200 to, told me you had to be a certified arborist or some other ******** to buy one. "It was too dangerous for your average person".

At the time I owned a ms460, a ps7900, and frequently ran my brothers 385xp Husky and ms660. I'm sure a top handle is different in handling, but really, a certified arborist and it was around $700 at the time (7 or 8 years ago). That kind of aggravation to run and buy a little 35cc saw??? WTF!!!

See ya!!!

 

[chipper1]

is the safety concern because you knew I was going to run it one handed ?

Very few don't, fewer admit that they one hand them. It is concerning as it's very easy for an inexperienced person to dice themselves reaching for another piece to cut, or from kickback. A top handle will bite you fast, if you are one handing it because the pivit point is so far forward, and usually your in close and personal so it happens quick. This last summer a buddy of mine was over and got a text, guy he knows was up in the bucket and the top tip of the bar caught a branch, he wasn't even trying to cut it, saw got him right across his eye .
Sounds as though you are more familiar with them and that decreases the odds drastically.
I still recommend the rear handle saw unless you need the top handle to climb with. Sometimes cutting up small piles of sticks I'll use the top handled saws(I've got one or two...), but I prefer the control/accuracy and the reach of the rear handle saws.

 

[gary courtney]

DO NOT GET A TOP HANDLE !

 

[chipper1]

DO NOT GET A TOP HANDLE !

You'll shoot your eye out!

 

[gary courtney]

Low kickback

 

[Wood Doctor]

DO NOT GET A TOP HANDLE !

Agreed, unless all you want to cut rather small poplar trees for firewood. I did this last year with my Echo CS-3400 with a 14" bar. I bought that saw a few years back for $75 shipped. It runs fine today, and my Echo CS-355T is jealous of it. I obtained that one for less than $200, used of course. Regardless, it ran fine out of the box. The chain needed sharpening.

So, should OP spend $500 or more for an overpriced Stihl top-handle saw? Give me a break.

 

[Deleted member 150358]

View attachment 698842 Low kickback

All the blisters if my childhood just tingled!

 

[Natster]

I wanted a top handle one.
Wound up with a 180, with wrenchless chain adjust. It lives on the atv. All kinds of weather. It gets used one handed. It's cheap. Maybe 225$ new. Gets er done!
N

 

[chipper1]

View attachment 698842 Low kickback

I had one pinch up on the backstroke, my hand slipped off and I socked myself in the face .
For those who don't know I'm joking .

 

[Sandhill Crane]

DO NOT GET A TOP HANDLE !

I'm with Gary Courtney, for safety reasons.
Your wrist will never stop a kick back.
Small saw...high risk.
I've never run one and never will.

 

[Trapper_Pete]

You'll shoot your eye out!

my other gig is as a youth firearms instructor , no eyes have been shot out.

 

[chipper1]

I'm with Gary Courtney, for safety reasons.
Your wrist will never stop a kick back.
Small saw...high risk.
I've never run one and never will.

Gary was joking, as was I .
It's okay though, if you don't have a need to get one reason to.

 

[kevin j]

I’ve ended up using my little 30cc Echo th more than big saws in the last few years. Trimming oversized firewood chunks, landscape timbers, cutting up pallets, and as main trail/backpack saw for clearing motorcycle trails.
I don’t climb trees.
1. I run low kickback safety chain, because I am in a lot of brush usually.
2. 12 inch bar
3. REALLY cautious, bordering on always fearful, of a one handle potential, and keeping bar way off to my right side.
4. Because of the way they are carried, hand on the handle and index finger on the trottle, I had one time a foot slip and hand reaction was grab tight, and wot. No injuries, but realized I could have fallen face down onto that thing. So I added an aluminum bracket under front of the handle, so my index finger is on that stationary bracket, and I run throttle with second finger. Its also how I run electric drills. Better grip with thumb and index, then switch or throttle control with second finger.
I have no idea if it has made any difference in my safety, but seems to make my grip different and more steady.

 

[FlyingDutchman]

I am one of the morons that one handed the hell out of a top handle.

The story is tragic but not gruesome.

Got my top handle running after many years dead, and cut for hours cutting down and cutting up brush trees for camp fire wood for my friends. Didn't think much of it, found myself doing it for hours and feeling accomplished. Did it again and again. Ran ten tanks though the little saw over a couple days. Chain got dull sometime around tank six and I sharpened it a little sloppy.

The next day I had horrible pain in my arms and elbows, mostly in the right.

Essentially it awoke a horrible case of tendonitis, can't even open a pickle jar or turn wrenches hardly and had to dope up and wear a brace for 3 weeks. Picking up and gripping firewood was really painful.

I love top handle saws and I have what I thought were strong arms and wrists. Needless to say I haven't picked it up since

 

[turnkey4099]

If I remember correctly, the dealer who I inquired about the 200 to, told me you had to be a certified arborist or some other ******** to buy one. "It was too dangerous for your average person".

At the time I owned a ms460, a ps7900, and frequently ran my brothers 385xp Husky and ms660. I'm sure a top handle is different in handling, but really, a certified arborist and it was around $700 at the time (7 or 8 years ago). That kind of aggravation to run and buy a little 35cc saw??? WTF!!!

See ya!!!

Yes, I have had dealers tell me the same. One dealer is only 1/2 mile from my front door "we can't sell you a top handle, they are for professionals only"

 

[sirbuildalot]

The thing is it really makes no sense. I can see going over safety with the new buyer, or putting safety labels on the saw or in the operators manual. I cannot see refusing to sell it to someone. I don't see Super split refusing to sell to guys who aren't commercial firewood producers. I don't see Dewalt refusing to sell circular saws or nail guns to homeowners. I don't see Ford refusing to sell Mustangs to anyone other than professional racecar drivers.

The certified arborist could have clueless workers on there crew you are just as likely to get hurt as the guy who wants to cut his own firewood that isn't a certified arborist. When I asked about the rear handle version, the dealer wasn't aware that Stihl even made one. "We've never sold one of those". Doesn't mean they don't exist. I was so fed up at that point I said screw this.

What is the consensus on the Echo 2511t?

 

[rancher2]

I had never owned or ran a top handle saw until about 10 years ago as I was getting too old to use ladders and such to trim trees and renting bucket lifts was expensive and timing was always a issue so I bought a self contained trailer type bucket lift and fixed it up. I had a small Echo saw I had pickup at a flea market I used for trimming it worked ok in bucket lift but I thought I wanted a top handle so I started looking. I like Stihl's but there top handle was too much money for how much I was going to use it. I ended up buying a Echo on close out. Its been a great saw but I respect it and only use it in bucket lift. I do think I will buy a battery powered saw this summer and use it in the bucket lift.

 

[bowtechmadman]

I picked up a NOS Efco 132S from a dealer going out of business just to satisfy the curiosity of trying a top handle saw. I hate it...about the only time it's used now is I pack it on my quad when we are trail riding unknown trails as a trail saw, only take it b/c it's so much more compact than rear handle. I much prefer running a 40cc rear handle for doing any type of limbing.