Be careful with chainsaws, invest use chaps

[greenmule]

I draw the safety line on wearing a helmit and face shield[course I don't even have chaps now either] now safety glasses I wear and gloves.

 

[TomOfTarsus]

I'll add my "how I discovered chaps" story. There were two incidents.

First, my son was felling a small sapling on one of my steep slopes. As he came through the trunk, the saw dropped and took a slice just above his kness, which he didn't realize was naturally in it's path due to the slope. But he didn't want to go to the hospital (surprisingly it didn't hurt or bleed that bad though it looked ghastly - about 4" long and clear though the skin), so we bandaged it and he worked on it the rest of the day -about 5 hrs. But when sister (an RN) saw it and told him to get his stoopid tailfeathers to the hospital. They said he got there just in time, much longer and they would have refused to treat it. But surprisingly it really was "only a flesh wound"; a few stiches and he was good as new.

Now his dad is much smarter, and I was also aware of the previous incident. So I set out one day to lop some wild grapevine further along the same slope. My DW had made me agree not to go out sawing when no one else was home, but when I found some vines that far exceeded the lopper's capacity, I thought, well, I have my cell and I just have a couple of these things to get through, and I'll move carefully... Next thing I know I'm looking at a "smile" in my leg that was almost exactly the same as my son's, in the same place on the same knee.

I sat down, called him to come and get me, and had 21 stiches. Again, amazingly it was only a flesh wound. Very, VERY fortunately in neither case did we cut though anything but skin, but both times it went all the way though the skin - lots of hamburger and you could see the muscle sheath. But again it hardly hurt or bled - I walked back to the house, about 100 yds, and put the saw and tools away and was sitting there waiting for him when he came.

Now I had a $50 ER copay - and the stupid chaps only cost $44.95 about 2 years ago (Husquvarna). You talk about dumber than a sack full of hammers! It could have been so much worse, as I have read here!

All I can say is BUY THE CHAPS, chap! And my truly deep sympathies to those who didn't fare as well as my son & I.

Tom

 

[jimmyj]

There sure have been a lot of chaps discussions lately. In another one I pledged to start wearing mine and I have stuck to it. Chaps, helmet, sheild, ear covers and gloves. It's a bit awkward but honestly I've gotten used to them quite quickly and do feel more "responsible." My wife is happy too.

Live and learn I guess.

 

[greenmule]

They would have refused to treat it??!! Thing to have said than was ok why don't you please refuse to treat it than,than go to a lawyers office with camera and names of the people who refused,man coulda made some money out of that!

Afterwards lawyer coulda took you to another hospital and you of course would be limping much worse.

 

[thatguy]

You may want to really watch out for the purpose of some chaps being sold.. I saw a pair of chaps NEAR the chainsaws, but they did NOT say there were chainsaw chaps.. The package said something similar to help protect your legs from brush/briars..

Based on where those chaps were placed you would assume they were rated for chainsaw use..

I do have a pair of chaps and hope I never need to have them save me.. If i did a lot of cutting I would buy the combo helmet deals.. For now I just use ear plugs and a hard hat - but a face shield would be nice to have..

Brian

 

[JB4310]

I gave a pair of brand new chaps away that I got as part of a package deal, didn't think I'd ever wear them, thought they were just for the pros. them cutters on the chains are merciless when it comes to flesh.
Was just using saw this week no protection except ear plugs, not even gloves, always keep a good grip on it but it really just takes a nanosecond, was trying to force something and that bar came right up towards my head, was able to hold it back but was thinking this could of gotten ugly fast!

A friend of the family almost lost his life to a chain saw wound to the leg, he was by himself in the woods behind his house and he almost didn't make it out alive.

Thanks to all for the reminder. Maybe I should look into another pair of chaps.

JB

 

[AKwelder]

I noticed the recommended safety gear in my chainsaw manual, I have yet to see anyone wear all of it at the same time.

Safety glasses i have taken to wearing all the time. Good sun glasses are exspensive, safety glasses are cheap, in fact free at work.

I wear most of the safety gear, as a buddy told me, how much money will you make at work on the day you are not home injured?

My father in law bought me a pair of chaps for christmas a year or 2 ago, we decide on a budget, he tells me what he wants, i tell him what i want, we both act surprised when we open the package.
just rambling

 

[LBrown59]

If you don't maybe you wife will look for another chap - after you are buried!

 

[JB4310]

If you don't maybe you wife will look for another chap - after you are buried!

Yup, That's a good one!

At least you didn't say a pair of them, that might of made me mad!

JB.

 

[Egon]

At least you didn't say a pair of them,

If it takes two Chaps to replace one Chap the one Chap must be a pretty good one!