Vent: That time my chainsaw kicked back on a dead oak

I was up in a 60 foot red oak three weeks ago in Austin, cutting a hanger, and the bark slipped off the bar. The saw kicked back hard and nearly caught my shoulder - I had to drop it and let it dangle on the lanyard for a second before I could breathe. Anyone else gotten spooked bad enough to switch to a different saw setup for limbing?

2 comments

2 Comments

amy_murphy1525d ago

I read somewhere that a lot of those close calls come from not having the chain brake set right or the saw tuned for the wood you're cutting. A buddy of mine told me he switched to a smaller bar for limbing after a kickback almost took out his hand, said it's easier to control up high. That dead oak bark slipping off is scary stuff, makes me think about how important it is to check the bark and the saw before you start cutting.

wren_jackson25d ago

OH man, that's a NASTY scare. Actually a thing nobody brings up is the mental game, not just the saw setup. After a close call like that, your whole rhythm and confidence get shot. I started doing a slow "safety walk" around the tree before I even fire up the saw, checking for loose bark, rot, or anything that could break free. It sounds simple but it forces you to reset your head and see the hazards BEFORE you're up there with the saw running.