I may be A typical but, I have grown to dislike chain brakes. It’s one of my sore points.
The saws that I learned with my dad to use, never had one.
Most of the saws I use, don’t have one.
The two saws I do use that have one. I have never had a time when the chain brake operated in a way that would have possibly saved me from damage to life and limb.
The only time I have had them operate is when I am trying to cut my way through brush and one snags the brake and trips it.
But that isn't my reason for disliking them.
The biggest reason I dislike them is it promotes bad sawing habits. (From my point of view)
The majority of the time I have caught someone doing something stupid with a chain saw is when they was using a chain brake. I have caught people trying to remove limbs and other obstructions from a running chainsaw with a chain brake on, more than once.
I may be a sticky wicket on this one, but when ever the chain saw is running, you treat the blade as though the chain is running at full speed, Chain brake on or no chain brake on!!!!!! That way, if you accidentally hit the throttle at any time, then no damage is going to be done. You don’t turn on the chain brake and grab the chain with one hand and the twig with the other and start pulling the twig out.
Want to see me come unglued faster than anything, start messing with the chain of a running chainsaw.
It is kind of like a construction worker using a safety rope to repel from one level of the scaffolding to another level. That safety rope is there as a backup that is only to be used when everything else fails. It isn’t there to be the primary means of support.
That is what gripes me about people talking about safeing the saw with the chain brake while the engine is running. My mind just screams “WRONG WRONG WRONG!!!!!!” The primary means of safeing the saw is by turning off the engine!!!!!! The chain brake is kinda like the safety rope. It’s there as backup when everything else screws up. If you rely on it as a primary means, that means that when it fails, then there is no backup!!!!!!!!!!!
If you are in any situation where you have to violate the zone around the bar, or if you put yourself in a situation where you can‘t protect that zone, then shut off the damn engine!!!!!! No exceptions!!!!!!!!!!!
The longest distance I have traveled with my chainsaw running is to the other side of the tree top. I have never went trekking through the forest with the saw going “put put put” beside me.
I cut in stages. Start the saw, cut the tree down, cut it up, shut off saw, load the tree up, then move to the next tree. I don’t shut the saw off till I finish cutting up the tree, or run out of gas/need to sharpen it. Once I finish with that tree, the saw is shut off till I get ready to cut the next tree.
And when it’s running, keep your eye on what is around the saw blade at all times. When cutting wood, people have an odd tendency to grab for limbs and stuff around you at odd times.
When I need to sit the saw down while it’s running to clear limbs, I put the saw down in a area that is clear of traffic. If there is no safe place to sit it down, and I have to use both hands for something, then I shut it off.
All other people on the site are fully aware that when it’s running on the ground, you don’t mess with it, or walk over it. That is the rules!!!!!!
As for as the primary use of a chain brake as a kick back guard. (IE) Where it kicks back with such speed that the chain brake will activate by inertia. Or if your hand comes off the front handle when it kicks back. The rule I fallow is two hands on the saw when ever you hand is around the throttle. No exceptions!!! And hold on to that handle like your life depends on it. If that saw comes away from you, that handle better still be in your hand, with the little throttle linkages dangling in the air. If you have a solid grip on that saw, then it won’t get you. If it catches with enough force to push it’s way up, then it will push you up with it. If you are not strong enough and skilled enough to restrain it if it tries to kick back, then you shouldn’t be using it.
Ow, and no dang drop starts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!