Don't try this at home

[Treemonkey1000]

Just thought I would tattle on myself. Working about 20' up in a wild cherry clearing branches over some power lines. I needed to cut a lower branch near where I was standing so I reached down with the chainsaw to cut the branch. I knew I was near my foot but was trying to be careful. I felt the vibration of the saw but just thought it was the engine resting on my boot. Then I decided I better make sure. Fortunately these are thick boots. Not steel toed. Anyway a couple of pictures. It just cut through the leather and part of the inside toe cover. Not into socks or flesh thank God. Then I was playing on You-tube and found this link.


YouTube - Chainsaw Boot Test

 

[Matt_Jr]

Good thing you weren't wearing flip flops. Glad all you digits are still attached to your pods.

 

[Treemonkey1000]

Good thing you weren't wearing flip flops. Glad all you digits are still attached to your pods.

Yes Sir I just do wear my flip flops for chainsawing in the summer months

 

[Matt_Jr]

You are much tougher than I am.

 

[Mousefield]

Looks like you got lucky. Worst I've ever done was cut into my blue jeans but not into flesh. Over the past 35 years put lots of hours on my chainsaw, have always looked for safe cutting but it only takes a second. My neighbor cut his forehead (only one time) when his chain saw kicked back. After a bit of medical attention he was ok.

 

[Thomas]

To close for comfort..whew.

 

[MikeD74T]

Good thing you didn't have steel toe shoe, you'd have had to come down & sharpen before finishing! Shoe Goo (sp?) will fix that boot. Don't know if it will fix a toe? MikeD74T

 

[Treemonkey1000]

Thanks Mike I do have shoe goo. My steel toed boots are really uncomfortable with climbing spurs on. I don't mind wearing the steel toes when I am doing the ground work. If you watched that Youtube video link that was on my first post it makes me cringe thinking if someones toes had been in that boot.
The good Lord has been watching over me for a long time doing this stuff. I was handed a chainsaw at 10 years old and have been cutting since then working in a small sawmill and climbing a little for the last 20 years. I will hit the ripe young age of 52 next month and figure I have a lot to learn still. Being safe is on the top of my list.

 

[AMR]

I have a 6" scar and a $400 bill from running my Stihl 026 into my left thigh while trying to cut vines out to clear brush about 2 years ago now.

I can't begin to tell you how much damage that saw did and how quickly. I honestly didn't feel a thing until about 24 hours later and it ached pretty good, the countless stitches didn't help in the pain department. After I did it I pulled my pants down to get a good look, thinking maybe it just caught my pants, I could see clear into my thigh at stuff that I haven't seen before and don't want to see again.

It makes my toes curl over to think how easy it would be to cut your manhood off without even realizing it, kind of a Stihl neutering. I am a chaps man now and I like the pants with the crotch protection!

On another note, it was the day before bow season, I had to get out the next day and wouldn't you know I shot a doe. What a drag that was, the stitches split and I bled through my pants about 10 yards into the drag. All is well now and I am much smarter.

 

[Treemonkey1000]

AMR I am glad that you walked away from that one in reasonable shape. Nothing like a bit of blood and guts to teach you a new thing. I am a fan of chainsaw chaps myself. And I should pony up for chainsaw pants that I can wear while climbing tree's. I always have my hard hat on either on the ground or in tree's along with Safety glasses. I can't count how many times I have been whacked on the noggin while doing ground work feeding the chipper or cleaning up a tree job. As far as scars one on a knee at about the age 10 learning curve cutting a branch that was under pressure. No stitches from that. Another little scar cutting blackberries with the saw across the top of the thigh and it hooked my levi's. No stitches from that. Cutting a downed tree and hit some barbed wire that had grown into the tree. It kicked the saw tip back up and did a little scratch right about the hairline on my forehead. No stitches there either....
As I said I am still learning.

 

[Cami]

Hey guys, what role did fatigue play in your respective incidents? Every serious safety issue I've had came after the 14th hour of the shift or following a sleepless night.

In the face of fatigue, it's sometimes hard to stop when there's work to be done. What's funny about this thought is that I was going cross-eyed this morning and came home to have a little nap....after quickly checking my email and one or two favourite web sites.

Treemonkey, you mentioned feeling the vibrations and thinking no harm was being done. I did something like that with the power tailgate on an old truck, only I was being stupid. I was riding it up and at the top I simultaneously felt a pressure on my foot and heard the hydraulic pump labouring. About a full second went by before I thought to turn it off and look down. My foot was fine but the boot needed a little banging to get steel toe back into place; a funny thing was that the toe cap polished up quite nicely after work.

@Miked74T: There's a bit of truth to what the yard man said, but breaking a leg might have brought about an epiphany of sorts for the boy.

 

[Danno1]

Shoe Goo (sp?) will fix that boot..........

Aquaseal works good too.

.

 

[Mousefield]

Just got back from being out in the back forty with the tractor. It was getting windy and most of my property is treed. Last year I had a fairly large branch, from a dead tree, land on my head and pretty much knocked me out, had a concussion. I was probably 30 feet from the nearest tree but branches will sail a bit with some wind. Some of the trees on our property are about 125-150 feet tall. Last year (2009) I had to have a faller come in and take down several Douglas firs that had died. Largest was about 150 feet tall and 3 1/2 diameter at the butt. We walk our goats there sometimes so sure didn't want the trees or huge branches coming down on us or the goats.

 

[Treemonkey1000]

Hey guys, what role did fatigue play in your respective incidents? Every serious safety issue I've had came after the 14th hour of the shift or following a sleepless night.

In the face of fatigue, it's sometimes hard to stop when there's work to be done. What's funny about this thought is that I was going cross-eyed this morning and came home to have a little nap....after quickly checking my email and one or two favourite web sites.

Treemonkey, you mentioned feeling the vibrations and thinking no harm was being done. I did something like that with the power tailgate on an old truck, only I was being stupid. I was riding it up and at the top I simultaneously felt a pressure on my foot and heard the hydraulic pump labouring. About a full second went by before I thought to turn it off and look down. My foot was fine but the boot needed a little banging to get steel toe back into place; a funny thing was that the toe cap polished up quite nicely after work.

@Miked74T: There's a bit of truth to what the yard man said, but breaking a leg might have brought about an epiphany of sorts for the boy.

Funny you should mention fatigue. This was the 4th tree that I had climbed that day. I wasn't really tired but I was dealing with safety glasses that were fogged up. Normally I don't use this pair of Safety glasses. I have an amber pair that don't fog up. Also the fact that it was rainy and nasty out. So you are right to be aware of that scenario. I have posted in the past to be cautious of being tired and reflexes slowing down. Using the right sized saw or tool will help working a little safer. As with tractors or any sort of tool trying to keep in mind the dangers associated with them. Even if you have done this job 1000 times don't let your guard down.