Tip guard

[A. Stanton]

My first saw was a Homelite and it came with a tip guard. Even knowiing nothing about chain saws at the time, I knew the thing would have to come off. Blizzard, if you have a good stance while sawing and keep the blade waist level or lower, it will be tough for the kickback to get ya.

 

[SawTroll]

Kickback...an overplayed fear used to sell rubbish to people, primarily non-commercial saw users who don't know better and haven't received any competent instruction on saw use in the first place, whether from an experienced human or a respected text.

Use your brain and you'll be fine. A saw of that size couldn't induce very much force into a kickback even if it wanted to really badly. Now a total novice setting to work with a 70cc+ machine, then we might have something to discuss. But an MS170? Not so much.

But if you need to slap some silly gadget on your saw, go for it.

Well said! :agree2: :yourock:

 

[7sleeper]

....You NEED to experience it to figure out if it really is scary.... And no... it's not if you know what to do...

MS170? I can't think of a more benign saw/bar combination for "kickback"...

Keep both hands firmly on the saw (and hold the saw to the right side of you...) and "experiment" with the "bad zone" - the top quadrant of the tip... Once you figure out your saw, you'll know what it can and cannot do.

:agree2:

A rather safe wave to "play" and experience with kickback is to hold the saw blade horizontal and play the tip of the blade on a vertical tree. Donot stand in the direction of expected kickback but behind the saw as if doing a regular horizontal cut. Of course PPE (personal protection equipment: chaps, face and hearing protection) are mandatory!

I hope that was understandable.

Good luck and don't let anybody tell you you have a wimpy saw. Let the saw do the cutting! Wood ain't no cake were it's easy to push the knife through. It might take longer than with the big saws but it will get done! Keep the chain sharp. You have a great beginner saw many here would envy you if they had had such a saw in their beginning days.

7sleeper

 

[slowp]

One important thing to remember is to keep your left thumb wrapped around the handlebar. This lets the inertia chainbrake work correctly. Watch the upper quadrant of the bar nose and you will be OK.

This is probably the best advice you can get. I have had kickbacks with the 440, but if you are holding the saw correctly, and are somewhat awake, you'll most likely be ok. Just keep the thumb underneath the handle, and have a FIRM grip. If boring in with the tip, wiggle wobble the saw a little while boring. Keep the chain sharp.

 

[timberwolf]

Looks like that rig would really screw up boring and back cutting. opcorn:

Hate to say it but, it looks like it could cause more potential for injury than it would protect from just by getting tangled and hung up on stuff.

 

[slowp]

One important thing to remember is to keep your left thumb wrapped around the handlebar. This lets the inertia chainbrake work correctly. Watch the upper quadrant of the bar nose and you will be OK.

This is probably the best advice you can get. I have had kickbacks with the 440, but if you are holding the saw correctly, and are somewhat awake, you'll most likely be ok. Just keep the left hand thumb wrapped underneath the handle, and have a FIRM grip. If boring in with the tip, wiggle wobble the saw a little while boring. Keep the chain sharp.

 

[ms310]

you will be fine

Run the "green" bar and chain and the saftey brake will do the rest. Dont forget your PPE. I sometimes run a 180 (my first saw) and i can not think of a time that i had a kick back that the brake didnt take care of.

 

[Philbert]

The tip guard will reduce the likelihood of kickback from tip contact, but not 'pushback', cuts, etc. It does not make the chainsaw 'safe'.

If most of your cutting is bucking firewood to length, and your bar is long enough to cut through in a single pass, the tip guard will be OK. As noted, it can get in the way in some circumstances, or prevent you from making other types of cuts, but if you aren't making plunge cuts or cutting larger diameter trees, it will be OK, especially if you feel more comfortable starting out with it.

The other device could really get tangled in things, but is not a new idea. You will see other versions of it that people tried if you look back at some of the old photos of chainsaws.

Philbert

 

[woodbooga]

Tip guards also limit how large of a log you can cut. Its wider than the kerf of the blade, so you can't bury the bar into the wood, it has to be clear of the opposite side of the wood. I don't think I could use a saw with it...

And that MS170 probably has a 14" bar. On a bar that size, losing even a couple inches would have serious consequences on the size of the logs you can buck up when you feel experienced enough to get cutting.

You've got a good general purpose saw there. I still use my old 017 quite a bit for firewood.

Good advice on this thread. I think that you are right to respect your tools, but a healthy respect can become a paralyzing fear if you let it. Be smart and you'll be safe.

 

[kevin j]

I used a tip guard when my middle son starting cutting with the little echo. Few hours with it and I could see his technique was really good and safe. Then he moved up to the 180, with the guard. after another day, he was off and runing safely. Later on to the bigger saws and he is very safe now.

sort of like training wheels: not suitable forever, but good for the newbie trying to learn all sorts of things to keep in mind.

If it gives you more confidence, go for it. If it makes you complacent and thinking the saw is now 'safe', then it's a detriment.

.02
kcj

 

[Cainam58]

I have been using chainsaws for over 35 years. I have been a Tree-specialist------swinging on a rope with a running chainsaw. I purchased a tip-guard, recently. I never considered it for the purpose of preventing 'kick-back'. Safety practices and common sense takes care of that. I use it, 'ONLY' when cutting a lot of firewood and doing clean-up, at the same time. It is easier to prevent the tip hitting the dirt, when cutting a limb/log that is lying on the ground. Anyone that has done this type of work (firewood gathering) that says they have never hit dirt and had to stop and sharpen a saw is possibly, if not, probably, lying to themselves. When I am just clearing trees, the guard comes off of my saw. It gets in the way

 

[Philbert]

Welcome to A.S.!

Philbert

 

[Deleted member 117362]

Oldie, but goodie.