Erick
Addicted to ArboristSite
Huhh??
Chainsaw chaps: How many use 'em?
- Thread starter Wasatch Stihl
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Huhh??
:agree2:
If I can add a pun: "deaf by a thousand cuts"
You will loose your hearing over time if you don't use hearing protection. If you're absolutely convinced you can be careful enough to avoid injury of other types, fine, but you can only avoid hearing loss by wearing hearing protection.
There was a time,not too long ago that I didn't wear chaps for the most part . I was convinced that being careful would suffice ,maybe it would have ,but I got over tired one afternoon . I managed to just lightly tag My knee with the saw . I wear chaps all the time now . In fact I just got a new set of Swede pro 9 ply full wraps for my wife and myself .
Seems a lot cheaper than a visit to the ER .
Seems a lot cheaper than a visit to the ER .
alderman
Addicted to ArboristSite
Didn't wear them until I had my own close call. Now I've got three pairs of chaps and wear a pair when running the saws. I also wear them when weed eating to keep my pants clean.
Downside is they can get warm in warm weather cutting and they tend to creep down if you don't have the waist strap adjusted just right.
The plus is after I start my saw, I put on my safety gear and the saw is warming up and ready to go when I am.
I put a small wedge pouch on each set to keep my essentials handy when cutting. I also wear the helmet with ear muffs and face shield.
I like my Labonville full wraps the best.
Downside is they can get warm in warm weather cutting and they tend to creep down if you don't have the waist strap adjusted just right.
The plus is after I start my saw, I put on my safety gear and the saw is warming up and ready to go when I am.
I put a small wedge pouch on each set to keep my essentials handy when cutting. I also wear the helmet with ear muffs and face shield.
I like my Labonville full wraps the best.
alderman
Addicted to ArboristSite
Where do you get the Swede pro 9 ply?
MNTAINGAL23
Addicted to ArboristSite
I always wear mine. Don't want to take a chance that could have been prevented.
Pants or chaps all the time unless I'm climbing. Too much bulk up in the tree is more liability and the saw is almost never down at leg level anyway.
Another thing that will stop a saw as fast as chaps will is baling twine, the plastic kind. Stops a saw cold and it only takes a real small piece. So, wrap yourself from head to toe in baling twine and you'll be totally safe from chainsaws. lol
Mr. HE
Another thing that will stop a saw as fast as chaps will is baling twine, the plastic kind. Stops a saw cold and it only takes a real small piece. So, wrap yourself from head to toe in baling twine and you'll be totally safe from chainsaws. lol
Mr. HE
I got them here .http://www.shopatron.com/home/index/235.0
Make sure to note that the length is not the inseam ,it's the overall length of the chaps . My wife is proud of Her new 32" chaps
billmartin
ArboristSite Operative
Honestly had never hear of them till I joined this site. A month ago I had my first close call while limbing up some small stuff. Just flyin thru it. Zipping stuff left right and center. Moving the saw to the next cut and snagged a tooth on my carhart double layer jeans while the chain was slowing down. Didn't slow the chain one bit but it sure woke me up!!!
In this thread also please reccomend your prefered protective jeans as the carharts obviously arn't up to the task. In the brushy stuff here in the pnw seems to grab at you and I don't think chaps would be a safe choice. Pants sound better to me.
Saw safe!
Bill
In this thread also please reccomend your prefered protective jeans as the carharts obviously arn't up to the task. In the brushy stuff here in the pnw seems to grab at you and I don't think chaps would be a safe choice. Pants sound better to me.
Saw safe!
Bill
Erick
Addicted to ArboristSite
SwedePro makes Protective Jeans (sold under Stihl brand name also), I wear the SwedePro summer pants.. not the most stylish pants but they are cooler than the jeans and the ambush cloth sheds briars and sticktights.
Labonville (top of the screen here) make pads that you can put into your favorite pair of logging jeans.. like your Carhartts.
Labonville (top of the screen here) make pads that you can put into your favorite pair of logging jeans.. like your Carhartts.
I always wear them. A guy I was with 30 years ago hit his leg. All I saw was "stuff" fly past me about 8 or 10 feet away. We were 10 miles from pavement and 80 miles from a hospital at the time. Fortunately we got the bleeding slowed enough to make it. Cost of the ER visit isn't everything!
jmethodrose
ArboristSite Operative
what gtsawyer said - any other type of protection is against any accident which might happen, but many people have and continue to get away without using it through careful work practices.
Hearing protection is against something which will almost definitely happen over a longer period of time. Ok, you'll get away with it once or twice, but use a saw constantly without hearing protection and you can wave goodbye to your hearing! There's no maybe about it, at least for most people. However, I'm sure there's someone out there who's been using saws for 50+ years and never had a problem who's going to pop up and prove me wrong!
cheers,
Joe
Erick
Addicted to ArboristSite
Most important IMO by far is the hard hat, then eye & ear protection is next. If you cant swing a saw without hurting yourself, you need to practice until you can, si I guess that means wearing chaps.
i have worn them alot,(because its a law) but I have also not worn them alot. i have never cut a chap or myself, well with moving chain, but chaps make me feel uncomfortable. they kill your movement in brush and give you heat strokes in the summer. Old timers did it with saws that where more dangerous in about every aspect..
i have worn them alot,(because its a law) but I have also not worn them alot. i have never cut a chap or myself, well with moving chain, but chaps make me feel uncomfortable. they kill your movement in brush and give you heat strokes in the summer. Old timers did it with saws that where more dangerous in about every aspect..
I started wearing chaps about three years ago. Its funny now that I feel exposed not wearing them when I am cutting wood. Its like the same feeling I get when I leave the house without my cell phone. Something just ain't right!
One extra benefit I found from wearing chaps is they help keep the saw dust out of my boots and off my socks. They save me about 15 minutes out of my day having to sit and pick the splinters out of my socks.
One extra benefit I found from wearing chaps is they help keep the saw dust out of my boots and off my socks. They save me about 15 minutes out of my day having to sit and pick the splinters out of my socks.
I wear chaps religiously every time I run a saw. I have the Stihl 9-(10?) ply for everyday use, and the slightly lighter 6-ply in my fireline gear. I pat myself down head to to for PPE before I start the saw: helmet, eyes, ears, gloves, chaps, leather boots or better. I like routines. It makes it so that I don't have to remember stuff.
Oldtimer
Addicted to ArboristSite
I'm gonna get flamed for this, but it's the truth..
I gave up on them years ago. Just too hot in summer, too heavy when soaked with bar oil and sweat and pine pitch, they catch on brush and trip me up, and on top of all that they are almost as comfortable as burlap underwear.
Now, in winter, they do help keep you warm and drier when kneeling in snow to do a face cut or hook chokers. They also help protect you from a frayed winch line. But I don't use them in winter either.
I just wear jeans, year round. Don't even use long johns in winter.
I do, however, use a quality helmet with earmuffs and usually ear plugs under those. It has the face shield too.
I wear steel toe leather boots year round too. Treat them with bees wax and they remain waterproof.
I gave up on them years ago. Just too hot in summer, too heavy when soaked with bar oil and sweat and pine pitch, they catch on brush and trip me up, and on top of all that they are almost as comfortable as burlap underwear.
Now, in winter, they do help keep you warm and drier when kneeling in snow to do a face cut or hook chokers. They also help protect you from a frayed winch line. But I don't use them in winter either.
I just wear jeans, year round. Don't even use long johns in winter.
I do, however, use a quality helmet with earmuffs and usually ear plugs under those. It has the face shield too.
I wear steel toe leather boots year round too. Treat them with bees wax and they remain waterproof.
For me its just like wearing a seat belt, I do it every time. REJ2
One of the BIGGEST reoccurring themes I see any time someone starts a thread about chaps are the complaints about heat for a reason not to wear them
SUCK IT UP PRINCESS comes to mind .
I've cut many a day at 27c to 32c with high humidity and sweat like a pig at a lot slower pace (yes I know there are a lot hotter places) .
All I'm saying is if it's too hot to wear chaps or pants , put the saw away because I'd hate to log in some day and see that we have a new member join to tell us that she's Mrs.XXXX and XXXX won't be logging in (or logging) any more because he bled out .
SUCK IT UP PRINCESS comes to mind .
I've cut many a day at 27c to 32c with high humidity and sweat like a pig at a lot slower pace (yes I know there are a lot hotter places) .
All I'm saying is if it's too hot to wear chaps or pants , put the saw away because I'd hate to log in some day and see that we have a new member join to tell us that she's Mrs.XXXX and XXXX won't be logging in (or logging) any more because he bled out .
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Oldtimer
Addicted to ArboristSite
My own council I'll keep.
If you can't run a saw without maybe cutting your leg too, then wear them.
I've run a saw for a living for 20 years now, never touched myself with one but one time...and I was wearing chaps...but the saw missed them and ripped my jeans on my calf. Lesson learned, never endangered myself since.
I consider them as much a danger, over-all, as a help.
If you can't run a saw without maybe cutting your leg too, then wear them.
I've run a saw for a living for 20 years now, never touched myself with one but one time...and I was wearing chaps...but the saw missed them and ripped my jeans on my calf. Lesson learned, never endangered myself since.
I consider them as much a danger, over-all, as a help.
