Westboast’s first story describes a situation where a coworker hurt himself badly while back-barring onehanded (???) in a falling cut which pinched lightly and then kicked the saw right into his knee. It was a lesson.
I appreciate lessons from pros.
This lesson shows one of the reasons why all saws on jobs up here have to be full wrap.
I have no full wrap saws. Due to Westboast’s story (and those of others over the years) I will start walking around the tree again...
Never get complacent.
Thanks Westboast!
Ok .. Maybe give a better understanding as to what happened, since you are interested. We didn't use wedges on tree spacing/thinning jobs. There was no standards until June of '93. So all the snag falling on said jobs would require a 3 day course. Basically someone with the ticket would take care of it. Like Seismic, everyone had to have a PITS ticket but they would snag fall with the lean. Had to tell that story just to get rid of some troll F*ers.
So the tree set back and stopped the chain and he pushed the tree with one hand and keeped the trigger pined.
So when it stops it CAN BE similar to sticking your saw in a log to hold. You have to rev it up then let go of the trigger
so it locks in to partly severed chips and that's what hold the saw. As a matter of fact thats how you jump over a 5,6,7, ft high log from the low side generaly. throw the saw across the path you are jumping into at full throttle.
Full throttle throw it up the log crossing the body path, left caulk boot jump.
Trigger off in mid air and
pull with right hand as the the slowing chain digs in. Timing thing.
A lot of things are dangerous. Its understanding 'why' and 'how'
On regards to buddy...I have had that happen when you break it free and it takes a dirty bounce from the half severed chips and you are pushing back from the chain force with antyour right hand...it takes the path of least resistant.
Most all kickbacks are inertia brake kickbacks these days (tip involvement)
However! The worst are when the brake does not activate. This is caused by 'movment'. Most always its the movment of what it came in contact with REGARDLESS if it is the bar bottom (cutting on the pull) back bar (cutting on the push) or tip involvment . other times it will be against a solid tree on the very tip end
(running the tip) and you are caught off guard with a bad grip or you recover.
Loose 'objects' will not activate the brake. Lastly the other would be kicking straight back out of the cut. Generaly you feel the side pinch and you pull as the cut closes on the tip.
I've had my screen smashed in from climbing down hill with the chain still running and it hitting the top end grain of a small saplings I just cut. Its the movment of the high stump that thows it back at you. nothing to do with the tip.
I will happen every time that way if you come off the trigger with an
aggressive chain and movment on an end grain.
As far as 'walking around the tree'
...I don't think so friend
would that not put you on the low side of the tree at times?
