Bar Tip Protectors, Pros and Cons

[1legwoodchopper]

All,
I am preparing to cut out these ???? stumps and was wondering if installing a bar tip protector would be useful? I do not know how universal they are but there is a guy selling some on ebay and for the price itcould be useful. Try as I may I still get the bar in the dirt so I was thinking that the tipprotector might save my chain a bit. Do you think it would be beneficial?

As for the saw, 038 mag, 24" Oilomatic, full chisel chain. I hope they are universal but I do not know. Any advice would be great.

Cheers,
Jason

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

Personally, I'd say to skip it. If your chain touches dirt or rock once, it's duller. If we're talking about the same thing, I'm thinking about the little plastic piece that prevents the tip of your bar from touching anything. If so, that's actually an anti-kickback device. If you're cutting stumps, you are going to get dirt in your chain, and you are going to hit dirt while cutting. Just the way it is. I don't know that it would hurt to have it on there, other than it getting in the way. My advice is to get a Stihl RM chain, a pack of files, and have at it-without the tip protector.

Jeff

 

[MasterBlaster]

Don't waste your money. Prepare your stumps instead, at least the best you can. Have a sharp axe at the ready.

 

[Gypo Logger]

Hi Jason, it's better that you asked instead of going thru the hassle of trying one out. The tip protectors are a home owner gimmick and simply get in the way of the work while giving a false sense of security.
John

 

[Ax-man]

Without a pic it is hard to tell if were talking about the same thing. These " tip protectors" have to be the same thing that was introduced by Homelite as a anti-kickback device to protect the unwary consumer from saw accidents due to kickback from using the tip of the bar. At the time they were introduced not all saw models had chain brakes on them, that was reserved for high end pro saws, it was too expensive to put a chain brake on the consumer saws.

I can still remember buying new Super 2's with those guards on the tip of the bar. As soon as we had the saw out of the dealer's shop, out came the 7/16ths wrench and took that useless piece of metal off, like Gypo said, the only purpose it ever served was to get in the way

Larry

 

[1legwoodchopper]

Thanks guys. I'll pass as advised. Cheers, Jason

 

[tony marks]

ill agree. just in the way. mite not be a bad idea for the new user tho. they oughta be on all the poulan greens that are sol.d at lowes. then by the time the novice user realises
how in the way it is. hes ready to start using his saw ,and hopefully knows how to get more out of it. jmo

 

[canguy21]

Interesting that Echo used to install those guards but now they come in a parts bag in the box. Probably had too many complaints but have to show they are doing their part for safety. I wonder if there would be a liability issue if a dealer failed to install it then the user got hurt through ignorance or carelessness.