Dead Trees scare me a little bit.. If it's small and if the tree allows me to do it, there are times I do a snap cut. That is dangerous but if I can make a Straight 180 degree no angle, just a straight cut as if I'm going to saw through the tree for my face cut and wedge it open enough to get my saw past half way through without the bar pinching then I remove the wedge and do my back cut straight into the tree, just a few inches higher (this depends upon the size of the tree and if it's dead or not) I'll wedge that cut as I go deeper into the cut..Once i get it cut deep enough that the two cuts over lap, if wedged right the tree snaps off and is guided only by the back wedges and the small overlap of the two cuts so it could go any direction if not done right.. I'm not recommending this type of cut to anyone because it's dangerous and is a learned behavior. There are times it's a good idea but not often..I don't snap cut big trees but little trees can at times be snap cut and hand pushed over..They just snap off and go where they are pushed.. All tree work is dangerous so I never advise but will tell how I do things..Some guy just a few miles from here was killed watching someone else drop a tree. That's a dumb way to go...I was taught to retreat 45% from the stump and that's what I taught my grandson...Years ago I saw a Sign that read. "Complacency Kills". It was hanging in a Shop.
At 75 I've had some close calls over the years..I almost got killed at 69 when a big limb about 180 pounds grazed me while in a tree..My history of boxing, some martial arts, and the quick reflexes of dodging and ducking and defending myself allowed me to react quickly and deflect it as it grazed past my left ear instead of banging my head against the tree...Fortunately due to being in good shape all thes years, I've survived what most 69 year old guys wouldn't..That close call convinced me to stop climbing. My grandson was on the ground using a rope to lower limbs and somehow that one got away from him..If It had killed me the poor kid would have blamed himself for the rest of his life..I've got some trees here on the farm that need topped but, well.. no, it's not gonna happen in my life time...Old men and old saws both eventually have to stop working as hard as they did when they were not so old.... GOOD luck with those trees..