Why you should wear chaps! (GORE WARNING)

[Garmins dad]

:msp_ohmy: Glad your still walking on that leg..Heal fast.. Heal well...

 

[Gareth83]

can you advise on a cheapish pair for me in the UK?

Only do firewood cutting

 

[ShermanC]

Value of chainsaw chaps

Mine are by Stihl. My view is that chaps, a peltor hard hat, fave screen, ear muffs, fluorescent vest, good gloves and safety glasses are insurance issues that we wear to prevent injury. If your saw chain kisses the chaps, the Kevlar is designed to stop the chain and save you harm. Once use get used to them you will likely find you work safer, think safer, get the firewood cut and have a warm house knowing you didmthe right things for you and your family and your pets if you have any!

Be safe and shop wisely.

 

[SpiralAcacia]

Why is it, one can make a million good cuts with chaps, and the one time they are not worn...it's like a magnet.

Well Bigus, it's a known fact Stihl are putting chaps detectors in their big saws, to prevent all this tedious kevlar fiber fishing out of your sprocket. Blue jeans they handle just fine.

Thanks to TimberFaller660 for reminder - always better in a picture!!

SA

 

[treesquirrel]

I'm very happy it was not any deeper. Thank goodness you could still walk back to the truck. Did anyone know where to look for you if you had been stranded?

 

[purdyite]

My homespun safety motto is, "Don't say, "I knew better..., DO better!" Afterward is NOT the time to say, "I should put my chaps on", or "I shouldn't be texting while I'm driving right now", or "I should...(fill in the blank)"; just do it before the pain starts!! I wear chaps like you did--"most of the time"--thanks for the post, it drives home the point to me there is no time when I shouldn't!

 

[RPrice]

Mine are by Stihl. My view is that chaps, a peltor hard hat, fave screen, ear muffs, fluorescent vest, good gloves and safety glasses are insurance issues that we wear to prevent injury. If your saw chain kisses the chaps, the Kevlar is designed to stop the chain and save you harm. Once use get used to them you will likely find you work safer, think safer, get the firewood cut and have a warm house knowing you didmthe right things for you and your family and your pets if you have any!

Be safe and shop wisely.

Amen on this!! I cut wood for a lot of years wearing a helmet/hearing protection, but no chaps!!! I bought a pair two years ago, and am religious about wearing them now!!

Just like riding my motorcycles, I wear all the protective gear, never leave home without it. We call it ATGATT - All The Gear All The Time. Guess it works for chainsaws too!

Timberfaller, get well soon, you've inspired me to go buy my son some chaps!!!

 

[wampum]

Timberfaller660,I am so sorry about your accident,I hope you recover as quick as possible. It looks like you are going to be sore for some time. I have been cutting since about 1964. After I got out of the service in 1971,I started my own business.I was really stupid I very seldom wore hearing protection,and now I have to wear hearing aids. It took a widow maker to hurt a good friend of mine,to convince me to wear head gear,but I never wore chaps. I am now 63 and I am not as agile as I use to be. After seeing your pics,I decided now is as good a time as any to get a set. I found a set on craigslist they were brand new still in the plastic, Swedepro brand. I got them for $55.00,I believe they sold retail for $95.00. Every time I put them on I will think of that picture of your leg. I am sorry it happened,but thanks for sharing it.

 

[K.C.]

Atgatt!!

Rprice beat me to it. On the bikes it's "ATGATT". I'm as guilty as everyone else when it comes to chainsaws. More some of the gear some of the time. Had thought about ordering chaps before but am ordering some now!

Dude you are so lucky you were able to walk away from that accident. SO close to something way more serious. Thanks for posting that and jiggling the jello in us all. I sincerely hope your recovery is speedy and complete!

Rep Sent!!!

 

[Garmins dad]

I hope your recovery is fast and comes with out problems. My wife asked me why i needed chaps, she says your carefull with your saw. I said look at this picture and tell me how much one little slip would and could change someones life.

Heal well, heal fast. Don't over due it till your fully healed.

 

[mantis]

You never did say if it hurt or not... Just kidding Wishing you a quick recovery.
Remember treat a chainsaw like a gun. SAFETY FIRST!!!

 

[Rickytree]

Hope everything is healing well. Not to pry but maybe if you can tell us alittle about your years of experience and/or training I think that it may hit home to more folks here. I think that in this line of work you can never be to careful and I plan on changing somethings this year because of this Thread. Thanks for your humility, all the best, and enjoy the rest!

 

[rbiersteker]

I am new to the forum. Bought and used a chainsaw for the first time yesterday! MS 260Pro. Had all the gear on minus the chaps. That will change today! I'm buying some before I fire the saw again. Thank you for sharing. I should know better too. My Dad worked for the local region doing maintenance. Chainsaw kicked back and somehow caught his forearm. Right to the bone. Long recovery. AGATT for me and for my family.

 

[ShermanC]

You should benefit well and enjoy life with a good chainsaw.

I am new to the forum. Bought and used a chainsaw for the first time yesterday! MS 260Pro. Had all the gear on minus the chaps. That will change today! I'm buying some before I fire the saw again. Thank you for sharing. I should know better too. My Dad worked for the local region doing maintenance. Chainsaw kicked back and somehow caught his forearm. Right to the bone. Long recovery. AGATT for me and for my family.

Welcome to the forum, to a Stihl, to a safe ATGATT attitude and to work with trees. You are fortunate to learn from your father even though his experience was a painful close call. Pass it on and pay it forward.

 

[Ironworker]

Every year for the last 4 I have been buying a 10 cord load and cutting a splitting it myself, this year after a couple of close calls at work (structural ironworker) and rolling my truck, I decided to stop pushing my luck and got me a pair of chaps and after seeing your pic I glad I did.

 

[SpiralAcacia]

Every year for the last 4 I have been buying a 10 cord load and cutting a splitting it myself, this year after a couple of close calls at work (structural ironworker) and rolling my truck, I decided to stop pushing my luck and got me a pair of chaps and after seeing your pic I glad I did.

Way to go fox!
Chaps rep sent.


SA

 

[RPrice]

Amen on this!! I cut wood for a lot of years wearing a helmet/hearing protection, but no chaps!!! I bought a pair two years ago, and am religious about wearing them now!!

Just like riding my motorcycles, I wear all the protective gear, never leave home without it. We call it ATGATT - All The Gear All The Time. Guess it works for chainsaws too!

Timberfaller, get well soon, you've inspired me to go buy my son some chaps!!!

Timberfaller,
Just wanted you to know I kept my promise and bought my son chaps 2 days ago, and then we went out and cut two pickup loads of wood. I told him your story. Get well soon!!

 

[Jumper]

Ya never know when yoru PPE is going to save your skin--got smacked in the side of the head two Sats ago with a load of 2x4s that someone lost control of after they slipped on icy snow. Hard hat certainly meant I did not have at a minimum a nasty bruise to show for my day of volunteerism with Habitat for Humanity....

 

[GLOBOTREE]

I was out cuttin by myself monday. I always wear my chaps, buttt I didnt have much left to cut & i jumped out of the truck, grabbed the saw & walked over the hill. I cut a few down & i walked over to a nice oak, notched, bored in, saw kicked back out & the way i was kneeling it caught me right above the knee cap. I took off a long sleeve shirt, tied it off & up oer the hill i went. No service on the cell i had to drive back into town, got my dad & ran to the hospital. It was an 1/8" from cuttin my tendon in 2. That was the only severe part. I was very very lucky, & never will i run a saw chapless again.

Unpleasant reminder! PPE Priority#1 when cutting.

 

[KiwiBro]

I'm a believer.

Been riding my luck for too long and finally got served my lesson this week. Suffice to say, chaps are on order. Very lucky it was only superficial.