• Pinch-Kickback
can occur when the the
wood c loses inand pinches
the moving
saw chain i nthe cut a long the top ofthe
guide bar a nd t he saw chain issuddenly
stopped.
This sudden stopping
ofthe
chain r esults ina reversal
ofthe chain
force u sed t ocut w ood a nd causes the
saw to move in the o pposite
direction
of t he
chain rotation.
The s aw isdriven straight
back toward the operator.
• Pull4n can occur when the moving
chain
contacts
aforeign
object inthe wood inthe
cut along the b ottom
of t he guide bar and t he
saw chain issuddenly
stopped.
This sudden
stopping
pulls the saw forward
and away
from t he o perator
and c ould easily cause the
operator
tolose control
of t he saw.
Avoid Pinch-Kickback:
• Be extremely
aware
of situations
or ob-
structions
that can cause material to pinch
the top of or otherwise
stop the chain.
• Do not cut more than one log at a time.
• Do not twist the saw as the bar is with-
drawn from an undercut
when bucking.
Avoid
Pull-In:
• Always begin cutting with the engh_e at full
speed and the saw housing against wood.
• Use
wedges
made
of plastic
or wood.
Never use metal to hold the cut open.
'X_
Kickback
Path
Working
Area
_
'-"
REDUCE
THE
CHANCE
OF
KICKBACK
• Recognize
that
kickback
can
happen.
With a basic understanding
of kickback,
you can reduce
the element
of surprise
which contributes
to accidents.
• Never let the moving chain contact any ob-
ject at the tip of the guide bar.
• Keep the working
area free from obstruc-
tions such as other trees, branches,
rocks,
fences,
stumps,
etc. Eliminate
or avoid
any obstruction
that your saw chain could
hit while you are cutting.
When
cutting
a
branch,
do not let the guide
bar contact
branch or other objects around
it.
• Keep your saw chain sharp and properly
tensioned.
A loose or dull chain
can in-
crease the chance
of kickback
occurring.
Follow
manufacturer's
chain
sharpening
and maintenance
instructions.
Check ten-
sion at regular
intervals
with
the engine
stopped,
never with the engine
running.
Make sure the chain brake nuts are se-
curely tightened
after tensioning
the chain.
• Begin and continue cutting at furl speed.
If
the chain is moving at a slower speed, there
is greater chance of kickback occurring.
• Cut one log at a time.
• Use extreme
caution
when re-entering
a
previous
cut.
• Do not attempt cuts starting
with the tip of
the bar (plunge cuts).
• Watch for shifting logs or other forces that
could
close a cut and pinch or fall into
chain.
• Use
the Reduced-Kickback
Guide
Bar
and
Low-Kickback
Chain
specified
for
your saw.
MAINTAIN
CONTROL
Stand to the
left of the saw_ti_
Never _
hand positions
Thumbon
underside
handlebar
X
I
t
Elbow
locked
Thumb on underside
of
handlebar
• Keep a good, firm grip on the saw with both
hands when the engine is running and don't
let go. Afirm grip will help you reduce kick-
back and maintain control ofthe saw. Keep
the fingers of your left hand encircling and
your left thumb
under the front handlebar.
Keep your right hand completely
around the
rear handle whether your are right handed or
left handed.
Keep your left arm straight with
the elbow locked.
• Position your left hand on the front handle-
bar so it is in a straight
line with your right
hand
on the
rear handle
when
making
bucking
cuts.
Never reverse right and left
hand positions
for any type of cutting.
• Stand with your weight evenly balanced
on
both feet.
• Stand slightly to the left side of the saw to
keep your body from being in a direct line
with the cutting chain.
• Do not overreach.
You could be drawn or
thrown off balance and lose control
of the
SaW.
• DO not cut above shoulder height,
it is diffi-
cult
to maintain
control
of saw
above
shoulder
height.