Chain brake - helpful or hinderance

[Shifty Eyed]

When I was a kid, I witnessed my father suffer a near fatal accident while cutting firewood. The saw kicked back, hitting him in the face, neck, and shoulder. The saw was an old Homelite with no chain brake. After that incident, he immediately went out and purchased a newer model that had a brake.

Even now, 25 years later, I'm scared to death to run a saw that doesn't have a brake. Call it being a puss, if you must; but I can't help but cringe every time I watch someone use an old saw with no brake.

That got me thinking: are there any other chainsaw folks out there who think that a chain brake is an absolute must? Personally, I would rank it's importance up there with the use of chaps and hearing protection.

 

[ric5141]

I find the chainbreak a nice to have feature. I do have one saw without the chainbreak and I find myself using it less and less. I think for everyday use the chainbreak like PPE is a mandatory item.

Just my $.02

 

[miking]

I almost never have it on but I'm glad it's there. It's usually on when I'm physically moving with the saw idling but not between cuts. I don't think I'd want any saw without one.

 

[gwiley]

Most folks that make fun of safety gear are simply inexperienced, whether it is a chain brake, chaps or the safety switches on heavy equipment.

Folks who survive to have a few decades of experience have usually seen enough accidents to have learned the value of safety gear.

A chain brake takes no measurable time to use, particularly in its most important role - stopping the chain when the saw kicks.

I have a nickname for folks who make fun of me and my "paranoid" behavior - they are statistics.

You are the one who has to live (or die) with the amputated body part or mangled face - YOU decide how you will work.

 

[JasonBmac]

It's hard for me to imagine a situation in which a chainbrake is a hinderance.... It's all but transparent, unless you opt to engage it (which you should, when starting, when moving about, when reaching to clear branches...), or when it saves your ass in a kickback situation.

I've had mine engage itself in a couple situations, never for a kickback, but more often from a branch or something catching it.... Quick to disengage, never give it a thought.

I do own and operate a couple saws without chainbrakes, and don't feel unduely worried doing so.... But I'm VERY careful, watching where the tip goes, and I do run a safety chain on those saws...

I've never experienced any kickback that was beyond my ability to control, brake or not, but one day..... Picking a braked saw just might save my life.

I'd be interested to hear what drawbacks some folks might think a brake brings.... 'Cause I can't think of any right now...

J

 

[howellhandmade]

Kind of like an air bag on a car, I guess. One's appreciation of it is usually in hindsight. I used a saw for years that didn't have a chain brake, but all the saws I use now have one. I've had the brake trip a couple of times, and when that happens there's no way of knowing how bad it would have been without it.

Jack

 

[StihlyinEly]

Most folks that make fun of safety gear are simply inexperienced, whether it is a chain brake, chaps or the safety switches on heavy equipment.

Folks who survive to have a few decades of experience have usually seen enough accidents to have learned the value of safety gear.

A chain brake takes no measurable time to use, particularly in its most important role - stopping the chain when the saw kicks.

I have a nickname for folks who make fun of me and my "paranoid" behavior - they are statistics.

You are the one who has to live (or die) with the amputated body part or mangled face - YOU decide how you will work.

:agree2::agree2::agree2:

 

[lesorubcheek]

Nothing against chain brakes. Thing that does aggravate me though is that safety should begin with root cause prevention. A brake is an attempt to lessen the damages after the problem has occurred. That problem usually being kick-back, but it can help in other instances too. The most important safety item in my book is learning how to operate the saw to avoid the kick-back scenario in the first place. Once again, nothing against chain brakes, but, its not the most important thing.

Dan

 

[ZeroJunk]

Experienced operators don't do the things that make a saw kick back. But, one moment of carelessness is always possible.

Chain brake is a good thing.

 

[B_Turner]

If I am not cutting, the chain brake is on. Thinking, stepping, setting the saw down while running, etc.

It is not just for kickback, but for tripping and other surprises.

I would feel a little naked without a chainbrake.

Having said that, I just bought a Stanley hydraulic chainsaw that does not have a chainbrake (they don't offer one). The idea is that without the inertia of a flywheel, piston, and such kickback is reduced. I don't know yet, but I will certainly check that out once I get a pump.

 

[teatersroad]

I use it all the time, between cuts when thinning. Trip the lever and stumble on over to the next tree.

 

[bowtechmadman]

I think they are helpful but don't take the place of being smart with the saw to start with. I don't engage it intentionally very often (walking etc) and probably should. I do make darn sure a saw is tuned so the chain isn't spinning unless i'm on the throttle.

 

[BloodOnTheIce]

The only saws I run without chain brakes are my cookie cuttin' go fast saws. And those saws are only making 3 cuts at a time.

 

[bobt]

Chain brakes are a simple and effective safety device in my opinion. However, when I am cutting firewood from a log pile, I tend to engage mine with my wrist, and that is a pain, but better than not having the brake.

The first chain brake I saw was on a saw being demonstrated by a Stihl regional representative.

We were working in the saw shop when the rep showed up and beconed us outside. He had a new model saw to show us he said. It was a little 015. It was a cute tiny saw for the time. He fired it up, and revved it to wide open throttle and jammed the bar of the darn thing down on his knee!!! I almost puked it sickened and scared me so badly. As it turned out, the saw had one of the first chain brakes on it, and he had engaged it just before he hit his knee,,,,whew!!! What a scary thing to do! We had never seen a chain brake before.

I couldn't believe how much trust that rep had in this new technology. Actually I was kind of afraid of chain brakes for a while after that.

Bob

 

[heimannm]

I have plenty of saws without brakes, and do not hesitate or fear to use them.

One the other hand, I always buckle my seat belt, even for a 1/2 mile trip through (our very small) town to the convenience store.

Guess that makes me inconsistent.

Mark

 

[Mastermind]

I've never had a saw to kickback in a way that threatened me, but I still prefer a saw with a brake.

On the last fencing crew I worked on two out of the three men on the crew had cut themselves with a saw. Both of the men who had been cut were cut on the upper part of their leg, a chain brake would not have kept them from being cut, but maybe being less careless would, or not working to the point where fatigue became an issue.

 

[GPETER]

I have been thinking of this lately while cutting firewood and I think it the brake is a great thing to have but I have never felt kickback that I could not handle.

That being said just because you play Russian roulette and live through does not mean that the gun is not loaded

 

[InTheFlow]

I wouldn't personally use a saw without one but to each their own...

I didn't know the brakes were for anything other than emergencies. So ya'll use them after finishing each cut? Is that a recommended safety practice?

 

[teatersroad]

I wouldn't personally use a saw without one but to each their own...

I didn't know the brakes were for anything other than emergencies. So ya'll use them after finishing each cut? Is that a recommended safety practice?

If there is travel between each cut, I reccommend it. Easy to get tripped up in the bush/brush/rocks/slope. 100 stems in a day, not going to shut it off each time

 

[spudulike]

Nothing against chain brakes. Thing that does aggravate me though is that safety should begin with root cause prevention. A brake is an attempt to lessen the damages after the problem has occurred. That problem usually being kick-back, but it can help in other instances too. The most important safety item in my book is learning how to operate the saw to avoid the kick-back scenario in the first place. Once again, nothing against chain brakes, but, its not the most important thing.

Dan

:agree2:

Good call - learn what causes these safety issues and then do all you can to avoid them, this way you will avoid putting yourself in a position of danger but would always wear appropriate safety gear - you can make mistakes even when you are being careful

Spud