Shock load to saw lanyard & body

[MCR04]

Has anyone ever experienced a shock load to their body?
I had an experience wherein I was not using a breakaway lanyard for my chainsaw while aloft.
I made a bad cut and the large branch I wss cutting pinched my saw and took it with it.
The lanyard did not break, and eventually my saw broke free of the limb - but not before the full weight of the limb shock loaded my non-breakaway lanyard - and effectively my body.
With some bad bruising to my ribs as a reminder, I am fully aware of my mistakes - including the non breakaway lanyard, the bad snap cut (top cut was further away from trunk than under cut) as well as it being the end of the day and probably rushing the last cut of the day.
Just wondering if anyone has any similar stories to share, as this seems to be an injury that is unique and specific to climbing arborists.

 

[Howsitgoineh]

I personally haven't had my saw pinched in the tree (yet) but I have seen several videos from experienced climbers losing their saw when sending a top. Scary.
One of the climbers I trained with uses the snap cut almost exclusively when chunking. My thoughts now - what is the safest way to perform a snap cut?

I hope you have recovered and are doing well

 

[ZinTrees]

I've had it happen twice, 194T non breakaway lanyard, and 261C with a breakaway lanyard, both times were a snap cut where I did my top cut on the outside instead of straight above the original and lost a saw

the 194 yanked me around a lot but no damage to me or the saw, 261 snapped the lanyard as a ~400lb chunk fell with my saw attached, I didn't even really feel it break, it just fell and tore the lanyard apart

 

[TheJollyLogger]

Been there done that... as an aside, when doing a horizontal snap cut on a bigger piece, a vertical cut on either side makes it snap cleaner

 

[Del_]

With a snap cut the second cut should always be below the first cut.

That way the saw never gets caught up in the piece going down.

 

[pdqdl]

As to shock loads... Several times, in several different ways. I've been knocked out of the tree by branches that came back at me, and I have had the limbs break off while I was standing on them. So far, I've never been taken for a ride in a big swing back to the trunk, and I hope that never happens. I've been slammed against the trunk by a lanyard on a splitting stem early in my climbing career, but I learned real quick to never let that happen again!

After a few mistakes, you learn how to prevent these problems. Prior to gaining experience, it's much better to have an experienced tutor or to pay very close attention to what you are doing. Reading and learning from online sources like this is a good habit, too.

As to the term "snap cut", I am a bit confused. There doesn't seem to be a standard vocabulary on this subject, so I'll give my definitions, and you guys can let me have it after that.

• A "snap cut" is a technique of making overlapping horizontal cuts on vertical log sections that allow the climber to safely store his chainsaw, then grasp the chunk of wood, snap the holding wood, and toss the chunk in a safe direction.
• A "pop-cut" is a similar action of two primary cuts with the saw, but consists of first undercutting a leaning or horizontal limb with a single kerf, so that when the top cut is completed, the branch first closes the open kerf and then stalls until it "pops" off the main stem and falls without tipping down much when it separates from the tree. As Del mentioned, this technique is prone to snatching your chainsaw if the finishing cut is in the wrong position.

I too have had a few saws yanked out of my hands until I learned how to prevent that problem. I don't have any breakaway saw lanyards, so if I thought I was at risk, I'd do without the lanyard or secure the saw's lanyard to the tree rather than myself. I always climb with a nice collection of loopies and carabiners, so I'm never without cordage of some sort to tie something up when I don't want it to go down. They are strong and useful in many ways.