A 30cc saw may not have much of inertia to overcome ,due to low mass ,in case of a kickback ,
but on the other hand usually a 30cc saw does not have the "juice" ( torque ) needed for a rapid and violent kickback .
Usually the 30cc homeowner class saws have low engine torque figures,as also
low chain velocities.
Those chainsaws are really easy to be jammed (almost instantly) from the fibers of protective chainsaw chaps .
Myself wanted to get more ...
"familiar" with the concept of kick back and had experimented a bit with forcing deliberately the chainsaw to kickback ( with my sweet precious self out of the kickback's arc ( trajectory) ,while wearing a full knight's body armor ( not really ,just chaps ,gloves,safety boots and my helmet ) .Experimented with a chainsaw of this particular class ,with narrow and wide tipped bars ,with low kickback chains ( green label ones ) and with standard ones ( yellow label ) .With dull and sharp chains .Tried pinching the top tip quarter,
forcing it against overhanging branches ,pushing it against logs and so on .
They do not have the juice to arc the 14" or 16 " bar beyond an angle of 40-45 degrees from the cutting plane .It's sudden ,but not viciously uncontrollable.
Keep both hands firmly on the chainsaw handles and the beast will be tamed .
Keep also the chain sharp as much as possible ,always run the saw at WOT when cutting ,keep an eye on the bar tip and stay out of the possible kickback trajectory at all times .Teach yourself to always keep an "offset" body stance with the chainsaw bar length axis .
Oh and last but not least...
The inertia activated chain brake system worked like a charm all the times .Thus ,try to keep it clean and operational.
Chainsaw used for satisfying my curiosity is considered to be one of the lightest and most powerful of the 30cc homeowner class -
that being a Stihl MS 180 .
Side note# 1 :30cc Top handle chainsaws are far more dangerous than rear handle ones when a kickback occurs
Side note #2 : Most chainsaw accidents are not kickback related.Most chainsaw injuries are
happening at the lower part of the body ,usually the left knee,as also at the top of the left hand .
View attachment 1092178
View attachment 1092180
One can notice most injuries occur in the left part of the body ,using a power tool situated at the very end of the right part of the body .
This is easily explainable by the wrong body stance used .
Body trunk and limbs must always be away from the imaginary arc ( both underside and upper-side of the bar ) of the bar trajectory in case of things going south.Most of the injuries occurred because operators were leaning over the running chainsaw or having the bar edge pointing at their left knee /foot while cutting with only a wooden ..."barrier" standing in between-with the latter actually being cut in half !!!
Hand injuries are easy to avoid by keeping all times the left hand on the front handle,right behind the chain brake's hand shield,while cutting.It's a two hand power tool after all.
Just my 2 cents.