Wear those chaps people

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Anyone have experience with these chaps?

Husqvarna unisex adult 36-38 In. Orange/Gray Tech. Technical Chaps, Orange, 36 to 38-Inch US https://a.co/d/fKEmwNj

Not the same "husky" pants as the ones I wore as a kid lol.

I have those, and wear them (in a “Huskier Size😉)
But I have never put them to “The Test”

This Inspired me to get them
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That Fortunately didn’t leave a mark, didn’t even touch skin, but it did convince me to get And WEAR some chaps

They are another layer of clothing, but I really don’t notice them that much, when focused on cutting, as I should be. Yeah, I would be more comfortable without them, but they aren’t bad, and the peace of mind, adds a bit of comfort as well

Overall, definitely worth the trade off


Doug
 
Well, as long as we're sharing pants pics...
I kept the left leg of a pair of jeans from when I got that leg when I was 16. I was so afraid to tell my Dad I got cut on a job, I never went to the doctors. When ever I changed the bandage I made sure it was wrapped up inside other trash. We had a job for a Seventh Day Adventist Church. They had cleared a couple acres for a new building and wanted to rent a chipper on a Sunday, their sabbath is Saturday. Dad said no to the rental, but he would send me out with a truck and chipper for time and a half for me. he donated any fees to the church. Dad was on vacation visiting my moms sister in Minn. They had literally 20 guys dragging brush. I told them not to make a pile that would be hard to pull apart. Just get the brush in a straight line, if the piles started getting too far back, they could start pulling them closer. Every thing was working great. I saw a limb with a side branch that looked like it would be hard to feed, so I grabbed the little Super EZ and went over and trimmed it off. The saw was idling a little fast, and the chain was a little loose. All in one motion, I turned and stepped over a log, hit the kill switch, and stuck my leg right into the spinning chain. After we had been married ten years my wife got the nerve to throw that pant leg away.
 
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Just a quick cleanup of a downed tree on an electric livestock fence in slushy snow on a slight grade. Very sharp chain on this stihl farm boss. Slipped in a reaction to a shifting mass and nicked myself. Should have been wearing my chaps.

I dunno about the rest of you, but whoever has been doing the guardian angel work for me has done an amazing job in preventing nasty potential outcomes in high risk pursuits while sprinkling in great lessons to minimize pain if warning is heeded. I’m heeding this warning!!
 
I got a pair a couple of years ago after seeing some of these pictures. I don't fell trees. I cut on an arborist dump site for my own firewood where the trees are fairly accessible. I don't wear them when I'm on clear flat ground. I do make sure of my footing each cut and that the bar is away from any body part. Now when I'm cutting in a brush pile or having to walk around on small sticks/branches, they go on. Anything can happen in a situation like that.
 
Woops.
I Got one this past Dec ‘22 almost like it, except my leg almost got taken completely OFF! Bad part was I didn’t even do it to myself, we were clearing smaller trees out of the way to get some equipment into a tight spot, one of my crewmates had the big saw about 3ft left of me, another was about 3ft right of me and the one on the left bucked when it hit something, the very tip of the bar came right across my lower left leg just below the knee, took out my muscle, tendons, ligaments, peripheral nerve and broke the fibula. The surgeon thought it would be a 2 hr surgery, until he got into it, ended up 6&1/2 hrs reattaching everything and 3 nerve grafts, I still can’t feel half of my lower leg, can’t flex my toes or foot up towards me, can’t feel half of my foot either. I didn’t cry, Definitely went through a lot, very painful procedures in the ER with no pain meds, I said a lot of awful things, but didn’t cry. My Dad always told me that I was a woman with a truckers vocabulary. An I let ‘em have it that day, and for a few weeks later.
 

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That’s extremely rough. So sorry that happened. Though physical therapy seems to go nowhere because it is such a slow process that’s where your hope lives. The difference between 50% recovery of function and 80% is huge. Work hard on that and don’t let doubt creep in to reduce your effort.
 
I got bit with a non running chainsaw. Was going to cut some wood for the camp fire and as i was taking the cover off the bar the saw started to slip from my hand. So as a natural reaction i tried to grab it and before I could stop and get my hand back i had been cut. 2 fingers had been in the way. Had to drive hour and half to get 20 stitches 20210904_203148.jpg20210904_203212.jpg20210904_203148.jpg
 
My chaps Don't wrap around. Getting hit from behind, they might not be a lot of help. I wear them religiously after nicking the jeans on my right hip just carrying a saw. I've cut myself while sharpening a chain. I wear Gloves and Chaps and my Helmet with ear and face protection. I've been known to add safety glasses under my face shield. Chainsaws are designed to CUT FAST and DEEP.. They are like my X wife. Don't trust them. Never think you understand them. They are always plotting. When they do hurt you, they won't feel badly about it.. Love em for what they can do. BUT KNOW, you must be thinking all the time.. Tree work is dangerous. Trees hate you.. LOL.. Years ago I was felling a leaner.. Above my head I saw a hefty lower branch. I thought. That's gonna hit me IF this tree does a twist, so I reached up and took as much as I could. What was left of it zoomed past my right ear when the tree as predicted, did a twisted left angle jump the stump get the Guy trick..Had I left that limb, it would have hit me behind my neck. I'd probably not have reached the ripe old age of 75 and still working. THINK. that's your defense. Good luck, bless you..
 
That’s extremely rough. So sorry that happened. Though physical therapy seems to go nowhere because it is such a slow process that’s where your hope lives. The difference between 50% recovery of function and 80% is huge. Work hard on that and don’t let doubt creep in to reduce your effort.
The nerve grafts the reconstructive Dr did are apparently a fairly new procedure, which means I’m sort of a Guinea pig for them, there doesn’t seem to be a lot of research on it, but they gave it a 30% chance of reconnecting with the nerve branches that are intertwined in the muscle in the front of my lower leg that are responsible for flexing the toes/foot upwards. Right now my toes and foot just drop down and don’t stay at a 90degree at the ankle because there’s no nerve signal to that muscle group.
 
😲 Thats nasty! That's gonna leave a mark. Chicks love scars. Heal quick.
Lol I AM a chick, my fiancé is not so thrilled with it, I know it’s just his natural instinct to protect me, but the thought of me returning to work really sets him off in a fit. But I was raised more so by my father, as an only child/ worse a daughter, I have the tendency to barely get back to my feet and I’m already impatient to get back to work, I have the “time is money “ work ethic/mindset which was 100% my dads motto, it’s like a natural instinct at this point, unfortunately a trait that is in short supply in younger generations, just from my own experience with my 4daughters, I have two like myself and the other two, well, that’s a whole other subject. Lol, plus I’m just a natural busy-body, boredom and being still are my worst enemy. But my fiancé even though he is the same way about work and being productive, doesn’t understand me being that way, which totally baffles me. If I even mention that I’m “thinking “ about going back to work, it’s automatically a raised voice, irritated, ultimatum reaction, followed by a “fine don’t listen to me, do what you want, you’ll regret it later when your older “. In my mind, I’m already over 40, been beat up by horses, 4 wheelers, school sports and everything else imaginable in an active life, how can my waking up in the morning get much worse. I just can’t lay around becoming immobile, waiting for workers comp or worse yet a minuscule disability check every month, that will barely pay my bills let alone afford the extra things I like to do.
 
Yes, nerve reconnection is relatively new territory in how precise the alignment is possible. It’s been done in a less precise way for decades. Think about the downstream nerve as an empty hollow straw, once cut. Regrowth happens back down that straw at a rate of 6-12” per year from the site of cut. So take a measurement and you will have an idea on when nerve endings will return to their destination(s) Between now and then keeping muscles from loosing tone (bad if that happens)and tightening (real bad and irreversible) is the goal. A certain amount of retraining will also be needed as not all the nerve fibers will find their way down exactly the right straw.

It’s rough, it’s really difficult to stay on task, but as a young guy, keeping up with the regiment is the most important thing to do. You know it’s going to be a couple years so embrace your new goal and don’t give up. A grandchild’s game of “kick the ball” depends on it. So does function with many
Things you do and safety considerations in fall risk as you get older.
 
Yikes, no lecturing from this mouth. All I can input is keep some distance from people that don't have knowledgable chainsaw etiquette.. at least 4x the length of their bar. Saw lots of cut knees and legs from newbies when working for the forest service. OSHA requires training now, but it doesn't get through to the piss and vinegar filled know it all. Hopes for a speedy recover with full use restored.
 
Yikes, no lecturing from this mouth. All I can input is keep some distance from people that don't have knowledgable chainsaw etiquette.. at least 4x the length of their bar. Saw lots of cut knees and legs from newbies when working for the forest service. OSHA requires training now, but it doesn't get through to the piss and vinegar filled know it all. Hopes for a speedy recover with full use restored.
Well, I too might as well confess. Been using chainsaws since the mid-60's. I've only had one bad incident and that was while cutting down brush at ground level. I was kneeling on one leg sweeping the chainsaw back and forth and on a backstroke the saw kicked back and got me across the my lower leg. I was wearing chaps that saved my leg. Left about a 10" tear in the chaps.. Next day I ordered new chaps and got rid of the old pair. Didn't want anybody to see them and know how stupid I had been. I'm a big advocate of wearing chaps and head gear. Cheap insurance. Years of experience is not an insurance policy when something unexpected happens in a split second.
Jim K
 
Well, I too might as well confess. Been using chainsaws since the mid-60's. I've only had one bad incident and that was while cutting down brush at ground level. I was kneeling on one leg sweeping the chainsaw back and forth and on a backstroke the saw kicked back and got me across the my lower leg. I was wearing chaps that saved my leg. Left about a 10" tear in the chaps.. Next day I ordered new chaps and got rid of the old pair. Didn't want anybody to see them and know how stupid I had been. I'm a big advocate of wearing chaps and head gear. Cheap insurance. Years of experience is not an insurance policy when something unexpected happens in a split second.
Jim K
Amen
 
Close call wearing all the safety eq.

Cutting small limbs in a brush pile and holding a pile of them down with foot. Saw cut into side of boot just at rear part of big toe and got sock but no meat.
Sock was not a heavy thick sock so close call.

Needed chaps boots.

Still using the boot and wear the sock on the opposite foot now.

Lesson learned. :chainsaw:

Sometimes all I have to offer is experience.
 
My chaps Don't wrap around. Getting hit from behind, they might not be a lot of help.
I switched to a pair of echo pants. I find them to be more comfortable than the chaps.

Don't forget about proper foot protection too. This was my wake up call (axe not chainsaw):

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Probaby told this one many times. We took down several acres of 30+ inch Tulip Poplars for saw logs. At the last minute, the customer decided they wanted to keep all of those beautiful veneer logs for fire wood. Dad sent a crew out with a chipper and cleaned up all the brush. Next day he sent two of us with Homelite Super 1050's with 36" bars to buck up all the wood. We had one ground guy that would walk along the logs we were bucking and clear any brush pinned under the logs that the chipping crew left. When we thought we were getting low on fuel we would wave and the ground guy would gas and oil the saws, while they idled in the cut. After several hours my fingers on my left hand were so cramped, i rested my palm on the top handled, and started wiggling them. Still cutting WOT. The tip of my saw hit a log on the other side and shot back catching my pinkie and the two fingers next to it. If i had my fingers wrapped around the handle, nothing would have happened.
 

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