How unsafe is non safety chain?

[rms61moparman]

Some of the newer "reduced kickback" chain is getting close to the cutting speed of the traditional chain styles.
Being a firewood cutter, and not depending on chain speed to pay my bills, I lean more toward "feed them what's on sale". If "safety" chain is more than $5.00 a loop cheaper and isn't the old 3 hump type, I will probably buy it.

Mike

 

[stevethekiwi]

on principle i take to the safety straps with an angle grinder... when im bored

but i hear what you're saying about price, esp if its not me using the saw

 

[Philbert]

I've seen lots of warnings about not cutting above one's head. Always thought it was about not dropping branches on myself. Is there an increased kickback risk sawing above my head too?

1) You have less arm strength when your hands/arms are above shoulder height, so are less able to control the saw.

2) You are less balanced holding the saw up high, so you are more likely to lose your balance, slip, fall, etc.

Philbert

 

[joecool85]

Lots of good input guys, the more I think about it, the more I'm not worried at all about running the regular chain. I've cut 2-3 cords of wood and trimmed a ton of trees. I'd estimate I have about 40-50 hours of chainsaw time under my belt and I've not yet had anything anywhere close to kickback. I'm very cautious because I know too many people that have had chainsaw accidents, all of them were lucky, but that's not always how it pans out.

**edit**
Also, the chain was loosing power because I got some oil on the clutch when I was cleaning it, doh! I'll have to clean it up and give it another go.

 

[g.moore]

My observations about how I cut is that I feel I'm much safer without the safety chain simply because with them it seems to take longer to cut so I tend to look around and not really pay attention to what I'm doing. Whereas using a non-safety chain I pay attention 100% of the time since I feel like it's cutting twice as fast. I also tend to use the dogs and force the cut more with the safety rather than just letting the saw to it's job which means more wear on the clutch and saw.

 

[savageactor7]

I don't think regular chain is unsafe at all...F-ing parasite lawyers do. If you cut wood you'll on rare occasions have a kick back even if your paying attention/trained/experienced/a certified expert ...it's just the nature of the beast.

The inertial chain brakes are a wicked excellent invention imo not so with safety chain. Chain saws are just kind of dangerous there's no getting around it and you have to constantly manage risk.

 

[stevethekiwi]

I don't think regular chain is unsafe at all...F-ing parasite lawyers do.

lol +1

safety chain is for home depot shopping mongoloids that cut wood in their jandals. unless you didnt pay for it!

 

[Lakeside53]

lol +1

safety chain is for home depot shopping mongoloids that cut wood in their jandals. unless you didnt pay for it!

translation:

Jandles = Flip-flops....

 

[2000ssm6]

thanks

translation:

Jandles = Flip-flops....

I was fixin' to say wth does that mean, LOL. I was thinkin' bloomers/drawers.:jawdrop:

 

[stevethekiwi]

translation:

Jandles = Flip-flops....

lol... i could have said thongs too. that would have scared ya


thanks lake

 

[Lakeside53]

an 880, in Thongs... hmmmm:yourock:

 

[Urbicide]

I seem to remember a picture here of Gypho wearing a ball cap & an 880.

 

[mowoodchopper]

Non-safety chain does cut better (faster)
Where non-safety chain comes into it's own is when you bore cut.
Hard to do with the safety chain.

And the safety chain is much harder to create kickback with , and when it does it is less force-full.


In my opinion , if you think you might need safety chain, you probably do.

No matter what the chain, if there is an accident, it is 100% operator error.

He is right there is a diff in kickback, It is not a myth and if your concerned about it I would use safety chain! Like you said its not that much slower than non safety, and if your not cutting all day every day who cares if it takes a little more time just enjoy the cutting!
:greenchainsaw:

 

[flatpikr]

In my opinion , if you think you might need safety chain, you probably do.

No matter what the chain, if there is an accident, it is 100% operator error.

+1 Response. Both of those thoughts should be etched in wood.

 

[quadruss83]

I ground down the safety links on a 16" chain I had just to experiment with my stupid creativity, sharpened it and tried it, I hit a rock and dulled it.

Later I went to the mail box and got my new 18" bar/chain and the 16" went in the corner

 

[MtnHermit]

if you fit "safety chain" to a bar, go and have a look at the nose and slowly rotate the chain, watching how the chain rolls around the nose. note the safety tie strap rises up as it rounds the tip (due to the shape of the link being set back from the rear rivet), making the cut less effective because it interferes with the drag / cutter height. this reduces kick back because the tooth cant cut FA when using the nose.

this is also why its damn near imossible to nose bore with safety chain. the chain also weighs more and interferes with chip clearance

Thanks for a "meat & potatoes" answer. Next time I sharpen the chain, I'll do as you say.