Who starts their saws with the chainbreak off?

[MikeInParadise]

Interesting. My first 4 saws had no chain brakes. Now that I have saws with chain brakes I use them when I start the saw.

I just put the chain brake on and pull the cord while I am holding the saw. When it starts, blip the throttle and its good to go.

I have still a scar on my knee from using a chainsaw when I was 15 years old (Standing on a fallen tree limbing it when the bottom branches broke
DUH, hey I was young! )

Better safe than sorry and I could care less if I am considered a wussy

Now I must be an ignorant wussy cause I don't know exactly what is meant by "Drop Starting" a saw?

Anyone care to enlighten me?

 

[whatsnext]

A little late the the thread but I always thought the chain break was a safety device not a starting aid. I drop start my saws and would think reaching over the brake on a running saw is a recipe for a few lost finger tips. I don't think drop starting is that manly but it's much easier on your back not having to stoop over to pull.
John..

 

[361kid]

As long as there's no brush around, I always drop start my saws.

 

[musher]

It's not a starting aid, but if you've got the "master control lever" at the "warm start" position (at least on a Stihl), it keeps the chain from moving as the saw tries to rev, until you can 'blip' the throttle and kick it out of "warm start" and into the idle positon.

 

[ozflea]

I'm outta here, drop starting chainsaws with sharp flesh and bone cutting ability is not my scene (shudder) if all the accidents that happen each year world wide were anaylized i wonder how many would be caused by drop starting a chainsaw,

I for one won't do it as legs don't grow back.

The mark of a real real man is having one leg to prove it.

Mc Bob.

 

[Bad E]

I just grab the bar with my left hand, pull the starter cord with my right. If thats drop starting I've been doing it for 25 yrs. Still have both legs, ten fingers, nine toes and my left gonad.

 

[TimberPig]

I just grab the bar with my left hand, pull the starter cord with my right. If thats drop starting I've been doing it for 25 yrs. Still have both legs, ten fingers, nine toes and my left gonad.

That would be drop starting.

I very rarely start a saw on the ground, and sometimes put the brake on, mostly when starting it cold on fast idle. Blip the throttle then pop the brake off and let it warm up. Once its warm, the brake rarely goes on, mostly when walking down a tree between cuts.

 

[DeanBrown3D]

I just grab the bar with my left hand, pull the starter cord with my right.

You are joking right? You do mean the handle, not the bar?

 

[Bad E]

You are joking right? You do mean the handle, not the bar?

Yes joking, same with the missing toe and right gonad.

 

[DeanBrown3D]

Holding the bar in your groin didn't fare too well then, either (I always get someone else to do that)

 

[PWB]

There is one I'm starting on the ground, 'cos I;m not sure if I'm man enough to drop start my 088! I'm going to need some practise!!!

It'll drop start (at least my 084 will anyway)

Try it sometime when the saw is warm.

 

[JohnL]

None of mine have chain brakes, so...

 

[sawn_penn]

A little late the the thread but I always thought the chain break was a safety device not a starting aid. I drop start my saws and would think reaching over the brake on a running saw is a recipe for a few lost finger tips. I don't think drop starting is that manly but it's much easier on your back not having to stoop over to pull.
John..

Interesting to see how many opinions there are, and how few people seem to start with the brake on.

I was first exposed to chainsaws through the local volunteer emergency service. We did a lot of tree vs house jobs. Everything was very by-the-book. Umm, well everything to do with chainsaws was by-the-book anyway. :^)

I'm happy to acknowledge that experience often produces more streamlined work practices than are found in "the book".

I went searching for starting instructions in manuals, and found that recent Stihl, Husqvarna, and Jonsered manuals said "brake on". The McCulloch manual said nothing, and the Australian Standard for chainsaw operation (AS2727) said "brake on" too. A New Zealand (NZ has lots of forestry)government publication said "brake off".

Thanks for all the feedback. I've got a couple more "who breaks this rule?" threads to start!

 

[Mr.]

I guess I never thought about how to start a saw. I just grab the handlebar, ignore the decomp and let her rip. Don't drop it, just hold it rigid.

Please don't step on my saw.

Fred

 

[SawTroll]

It's not a starting aid, but if you've got the "master control lever" at the "warm start" position (at least on a Stihl), it keeps the chain from moving as the saw tries to rev, until you can 'blip' the throttle and kick it out of "warm start" and into the idle positon.

If the saw is properly tuned, there is no reason to use that position ("fast idle") when the saw is warm.
"On" is good enough.

As for "drop starting", that expression does not describe one spesific way of starting the saw in my mind.
It just describes the prinsiple of moving the saw and the starter handle in opposite directions to start the saw.

 

[SawTroll]

You are joking right? You do mean the handle, not the bar?

Probably the handlebar!