vvanherk
ArboristSite Lurker
I've got a set of Stihl protective pants that my wife bought me a number of years ago. They are pretty warm in the summer, but I usually wear them anyway. I've got a few nicks in them, so they've been worth the bother
Wear your chaps!
- Thread starter Cliff R
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I've got a set of Stihl protective pants that my wife bought me a number of years ago. They are pretty warm in the summer, but I usually wear them anyway. I've got a few nicks in them, so they've been worth the bother
chaps save me one time a few years back. i was out in the middle of nowhere cutting alone (good recipe i know) im not even sure how it happened looking back on it. i ended up cuttin into the chaps very high up on my inner thigh very close to my middle leg. i didnt even realize i did it till i looked down at the saw and noticed it was full of chap guts. the next day i got new chaps.
cord arrow
Addicted to ArboristSite
I've found it wise not to lie to the wife...and I tell her I wear them.
This is the girl that cut the handle off my maul after rotator cuff surgery.
This is the girl that cut the handle off my maul after rotator cuff surgery.
alderman
Addicted to ArboristSite
If we all knew which split second all the action would occur, we'd have no need for chaps. Since I haven't figured it out, I opt to wear mine. Most of the firewood cutters around here don't.
deye223
Addicted to ArboristSite
I have read this so many times here about people getting cut and have seen the pictures as well
I ordered full wrap labonvilles from Bailey's this morning
i've had mine for a while now and i like em so i got another pair for my son at $67 bucks why not
"Just out of interest, where exactly did it get you ?"
Left thigh, slightly off center toward the outside of my leg, about 4" down from the top of the chaps. I hardly noticed it at the time, until I looked down at the saw and the chain was piled up with white material from the chaps......Cliff
Left thigh, slightly off center toward the outside of my leg, about 4" down from the top of the chaps. I hardly noticed it at the time, until I looked down at the saw and the chain was piled up with white material from the chaps......Cliff
D&B Mack
Sawin Wit It!
+1, tried, tested and true.:msp_w00t:
BigGthetree
ArboristSite Lurker
Chaps
Used to wear sweatpants out felling. Liked how they stretch over logs, etc. Was clearing an area with a guy working an excavator. He was pushing the smaller trees; I was dropping the big ones. Right in the middle of my back cut I saw something moving toward me. It was one of his trees coming right at me. Stepped back, pulled the saw with me and at the same moment the chain grabbed the sweats. It damn near ripped the sweats off and jambed into the the dogs. At the same time the chain hit my thigh, just as it stopped. Bout sh... my almost torn off sweats. Wow, was that close. Been wearing Labonvilles ever since. I even wear'um in hot summer weather with a pair of Carhartt shorts underneath. You don't have to tell me how lucky I was. That 440 was real sharp and moving.
Used to wear sweatpants out felling. Liked how they stretch over logs, etc. Was clearing an area with a guy working an excavator. He was pushing the smaller trees; I was dropping the big ones. Right in the middle of my back cut I saw something moving toward me. It was one of his trees coming right at me. Stepped back, pulled the saw with me and at the same moment the chain grabbed the sweats. It damn near ripped the sweats off and jambed into the the dogs. At the same time the chain hit my thigh, just as it stopped. Bout sh... my almost torn off sweats. Wow, was that close. Been wearing Labonvilles ever since. I even wear'um in hot summer weather with a pair of Carhartt shorts underneath. You don't have to tell me how lucky I was. That 440 was real sharp and moving.
jra1100
Addicted to ArboristSite
Long ago I developed a bad habit of resting the saw on my left thigh. I never really cut myself, but once cut my jeans and left a red mark across the top of my thigh. I didn't leak and didn't hurt, just looked at me and said, "don't do that any more dumb azz". I cut for a lot more years not even knowing that there was such a thing as chaps. I joined AS and at first thought what a wussy thing these chaps were until a kind soul posted a video of chaps vs. a ham substituting as a leg. I saw that and ordered the Labonvilles that same night. Won't cut without them now. I'm glad you were smarter than me Cliff. Great post. JR
I have read this so many times here about people getting cut and have seen the pictures as well
I ordered full wrap labonvilles from Bailey's this morning
My Labonville wrap chaps showed up this week
gwiley
Addicted to ArboristSite
Been wearing Forestry Pro chaps, they are staring to get pretty nasty and eaten up so my wife bought me a pair of Husqvarna protective pants. I wear leg protection every time I run the saw. After hearing about a few folks have the saw walk around their leg I decided that the chaps were not quite enough.
Hit my chaps once awhile back, no harm done, but it sure made a believer out of me,
BigGthetree
ArboristSite Lurker
Got a nice 6" scar from my stupidity across my left front thigh. Every time I look at it I think about the roar of my 440 and that extremely sharp chain cutting it clean off. Guys wear chaps. Make sure to get good ones with plenty of Kevlar that wraps around the thigh. Especially you guys that work on slippery ground. More than once, since I started wearing my Labonvilles, I have slipped on wet rocks and hit or dragged the chain across my chaps. Saved me a few pairs of pants. Not to mention trips to the emergency room.
It's not that scary. I have seen guys do it alone.
dave k
Addicted to ArboristSite
Zogger as the Kid says it is not that big a deal. I have used the abilitys of a large machine on site many many times over the last 20 odd years with no problems, however that is after taking some time to learn my trade and always talking through the whole exercise with the machine operator and if ever I have felt the operator is not on the same page I have found a different way to do it. My best was a tower crane in the centre of London, we were sent out to remove 3x 35' Sycamore trees on a large site only to find the trees on a bank with a large hole in front. If I had gone with the normal approach it would have taken all day and a heap of hard work. Had a word with the foreman and after talking with the crane op via radio it was decided that I would put in all the cuts, face and back, he would when I told him "fall" the tree my worry was if he pulled the tree it would come back on me. I was happy we understood each other and it was quite a scene as he lifted the whole tree across the site and put it down next to the chipper.
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powerking
ArboristSite Guru
Glad to see you made it out Ok Cliff!!
Doug Fir
ArboristSite Operative
Thanks for sharing!
Great story, and great advice.
Like many of you, I wasn't really aware of chainsaw chaps until I started to read this site. Now I never operate my saw without my chaps.
You experienced guys with your wise advice are helping to keep people like me ("the clueless") safe.
Thanks, and cheers!
Doug
Great story, and great advice.
Like many of you, I wasn't really aware of chainsaw chaps until I started to read this site. Now I never operate my saw without my chaps.
You experienced guys with your wise advice are helping to keep people like me ("the clueless") safe.
Thanks, and cheers!
Doug
joeclimbing
ArboristSite Operative
Husqvarna bib chainsaw pants
Glad you're OK- that stuff happens to fast! It's led me to wonder if my Husky bib pants would have been as effective or should I be getting myself some Labonville chaps?
Glad you're OK- that stuff happens to fast! It's led me to wonder if my Husky bib pants would have been as effective or should I be getting myself some Labonville chaps?
deye223
Addicted to ArboristSite
chaps or pants just get something good i've got 2 pairs of labonvilles just ordered some 4 a mate up the road :msp_thumbsup:
BigGthetree
ArboristSite Lurker
Glad you're OK- that stuff happens to fast! It's led me to wonder if my Husky bib pants would have been as effective or should I be getting myself some Labonville chaps?
Do your Husky pants have several layers of Kevlar? Labonvilles do, and that is what makes the difference, especially if you hit them with the saw at full power. My Stihl dealer tied a pair of Labonvilles on a log out in front of their shop and let me take a wack at them with a 660 that had a full skip very sharp chain. The chain did not go through the Labonvilles - amazing. The outer layer was cut but that was it. Absolutely amazing considering the power of that saw.
Do your Husky pants have several layers of Kevlar? Labonvilles do, and that is what makes the difference, especially if you hit them with the saw at full power. My Stihl dealer tied a pair of Labonvilles on a log out in front of their shop and let me take a wack at them with a 660 that had a full skip very sharp chain. The chain did not go through the Labonvilles - amazing. The outer layer was cut but that was it. Absolutely amazing considering the power of that saw.
