Why you should wear chaps! (GORE WARNING)

[Garmins dad]

Ya never know when yoru PPE is going to save your skin--got smacked in the side of the head two Sats ago with a load of 2x4s that someone lost control of after they slipped on icy snow. Hard hat certainly meant I did not have at a minimum a nasty bruise to show for my day of volunteerism with Habitat for Humanity....

Thank you for giving up some of your free time to help those less fortunate.. I hope the folks that move into the house you built turn it into a home.

 

[Sherwood stoker]

Thanks everbody for the get wells. & thanks to whoever put the gore warning on the topic line. Sorry i should've done it but never thought. That smiley kinda fits. lol

It's only a good thing you missed the warning off timberfaller660.
It gave me a much needed reminder.
Won't be not botherin with the chaps on small jobs again.
Thanks & a quick recovery to you.

 

[logbutcher]

Been riding my luck for too long and finally got served my lesson this week. Suffice to say, chaps are on order. Very lucky it was only superficial.

You boy, run back to that doc for your money back: sloppy job, they gave you EM (Enlisted Man) stitches. :hmm3grin2orange:
Damn surgeon gave me a pucker at the top of my voluntary 22 staples in February (hip). My modeling career is down the tubes.

Serious: PPE always, all the time. Life is too short NOT to use protection (that too). Hard to understand why too many poseurs calling themselves "pros" here will brag in pics and online: "I never need PPE, I know saws."

Don't blame the 660; an 009 or small tree saw can bite the same way. It's us, not the saw.

Heal well.

P.S. Why the 'rule' in W.V. to bore hardwoods ?

 

[Sagetown]

I was out cuttin by myself monday. I always wear my chaps, buttt I didnt have much left to cut & i jumped out of the truck, grabbed the saw & walked over the hill. I cut a few down & i walked over to a nice oak, notched, bored in, saw kicked back out & the way i was kneeling it caught me right above the knee cap. I took off a long sleeve shirt, tied it off & up oer the hill i went. No service on the cell i had to drive back into town, got my dad & ran to the hospital. It was an 1/8" from cuttin my tendon in 2. That was the only severe part. I was very very lucky, & never will i run a saw chapless again.

Wow; TimberFaller660:
We had our accidents about the same time. But get this. I'd been cutting a years supply of firewood for more than 20 years and never had a problem.
Then one morning I woke up dreaming I'd cut my left knee while chainsawing. In a few days I decided to go cut some firewood. All loaded up and about to leave home , I remembered the dream. Weird feeling came over me. So I go back to the shop and dig out an old pair of Briar Proof hunting chaps. Later, a limb I was cutting whipped free and kicked the saw bar into my left knee. Went thru the chaps, jeans and slit my knee just enough to make it bleed a little. Needless to say, I now have a pair of 'Chainsaw Chaps'. Who said dreams don't come true ?:msp_ohmy:

 

[Steelman]

Nearly the same injury happened to me 2 years ago...when cutting a small limb and in a nearly kneeling position...my saw kicked back and I was too close to the blade with my left leg--cut me just above the knee cap on the left leg. It happened so fast I still cant quite explain how it happened. But my cut was not this severe...still took many stitches and a while to heal as I got an infection in it. Now I wear my chaps at all times! I still cant convince my brother to get chaps....he doesnt realize how quick this can happen and he doesnt understand that awful feeling in the pit of your stomach when you are in the woods alone and you realize that you have a serious injury......gotta wear protective gear!! Hope you are well on your way to healing!!

 

[TimberFaller660]

Hey everybody. I've been working & I havent been on here in awhile. This topic went crazy since then. lol I've been back to work for awhile now. Everything has healed good. Surprisingly i was only down for 2 weeks. Thanks to everybody for the get wells soon & everybody who said this story has helped them, you are very welcome. I hope everyone bought new chaps after seeing this.

 

[TimberFaller660]

Hope everything is healing well. Not to pry but maybe if you can tell us alittle about your years of experience and/or training I think that it may hit home to more folks here. I think that in this line of work you can never be to careful and I plan on changing somethings this year because of this Thread. Thanks for your humility, all the best, and enjoy the rest!

No problem bud. I've been logging for 5 years, falling for 3 years. I've grown up around logging. My dad has had his own logging company for 20 years. I guess you could say i was born into it. I've tried different jobs but always seemed to find my way back to the woods.lol As far as training goes i have takin all the chainsaw safety/falling/logging classes the state has for certified loggers lic. Hope this helps.

 

[Stihl Rules]

Wow thank you. This finally talked my wife into letting me spend the money on chaps and a hard hat.

 

[TimberFaller660]

You boy, run back to that doc for your money back: sloppy job, they gave you EM (Enlisted Man) stitches. :hmm3grin2orange:
Damn surgeon gave me a pucker at the top of my voluntary 22 staples in February (hip). My modeling career is down the tubes.

Serious: PPE always, all the time. Life is too short NOT to use protection (that too). Hard to understand why too many poseurs calling themselves "pros" here will brag in pics and online: "I never need PPE, I know saws."

Don't blame the 660; an 009 or small tree saw can bite the same way. It's us, not the saw.

Heal well.

P.S. Why the 'rule' in W.V. to bore hardwoods ?

From a company owners view hardwood busts very easy & when you use the bore cut it allows you to get a smaller hinge & have more control over the tree. It also allows you to cut closer to the ground getting more wood & less stump. From the states view is keeps people from what i like to call "ringing" the trees. if you was to ring & oak you'd barberchair it & likely take your head off. lol

 

[wooddog 066]

Godbless ya too keep it covered up and clean i know its easy to do and say well hell with the chaps it wont take me long to get a load or get done BEEN THERE THANK GOD it never happened to me but i will always wear em now no good there doing in the truck!!

 

[Pstone0013]

Nasty gash, opened my eyes to a set of chaps. I will keep you in my prayers.

 

[TimberFaller660]

Heres what it looked like after it healed. Almost cant tell it ever happened :msp_thumbsup:

 

[Sagetown]

Looking good, but it'll be a reminder for a long time. Once in awhile I'll notice mine, and think what is that ? :msp_ohmy:
Then comes the; "Oh Yeah, I remember......:chainsawguy: Boy I don't ever wanna do that again!:stupid:

 

[OH_Varmntr]

First post here.

Just started cutting firewood a few weeks ago with a Stihl 026 18" that was a gift from my superviser. Opened up the muffler today and realized how powerful this "little" 50cc saw really is after some tuning. With a good sharp chain it really throws some chips.

Bought some Stihl chaps today and don't plan on firing up the saw again without them. Especially now that I have a few full chisel chains on their way from the local dealer. I was surprised at their comfort level as well. I always make sure I'm standing off to the left of the saw when I getting into some wood.

Being in Maintenance, I'm always getting PPE thrown at me and it's second nature to me. Just have to adapt to the PPE for cutting wood now.

Glad to hear the OP has recovered.

 

[Stihl Rules]

Looking a lot better:msp_biggrin:

 

[WadePatton]

I have a lot of big gnarly scars on me legs, from an unrelated incident.

I tell folks that the chaps are hotter than a sleeping bag, but that I won't run the saws without 'em.

Used to put 'em on just for this or that...no dummy, that's how you get bit. And I work alone 98% of the time.

Most of the time I manage to cut myself in the sharpening process or brushing an un-sheathed chain--trying to keep it that way. (no i won't wear gloves).

labonville competition model chaps, combo hardhat, smoke-jumper boots, that's how my amateur self rolls -- lets make some _not bone_ chips yo!

 

[Tom R]

Thanks for the thread...AND the pictures. I am a believer and will order chaps tomorrow. Hard hat , screen and ear protection next. BTW...hearing just may not be "saveable" at this point???

 

[tree md]

Gonna piggyback on this thread as I have had to learn this lesson the hard way myself.

Went to grind stumps about a month ago. I threw my 044 in the back of the truck almost as an afterthought, thinking I might need it to cut one or two down a little lower to make the grinding easier. No need for chaps just making one or two cuts right? Wrong. I had to get in a funny position to cut one of the stumps that was right up against the guy's shop a little lower. As the stump came off the saw and stump jumped and hit my knee. At first I didn't even realize I was cut, I thought it was just the stump that hit my leg... Then I thought to myself that I better check and see if the saw hit me. Sure enough, pants were torn and I had a 3" long, inch wide cut to the bone.

This is about two weeks out. It has healed considerably in this pic:

I climbed on it two weeks out but it was still painful. I'm a month out now and it's still healing. Haven't made a cut without chaps on since.

 

[derwoodii]

Gonna piggyback on this thread as I have had to learn this lesson the hard way myself.

Went to grind stumps about a month ago. I threw my 044 in the back of the truck almost as an afterthought, thinking I might need it to cut one or two down a little lower to make the grinding easier. No need for chaps just making one or two cuts right? Wrong. I had to get in a funny position to cut one of the stumps that was right up against the guy's shop a little lower. As the stump came off the saw and stump jumped and hit my knee. At first I didn't even realize I was cut, I thought it was just the stump that hit my leg... Then I thought to myself that I better check and see if the saw hit me. Sure enough, pants were torn and I had a 3" long, inch wide cut to the bone.

This is about two weeks out. It has healed considerably in this pic:


I climbed on it two weeks out but it was still painful. I'm a month out now and it's still healing. Haven't made a cut without chaps on since.

Good post,

tis sorry about your leg fashion modeling career $ loss you may need to look elsewhere till that heals :msp_sneaky:


I been wondering about motor bike safety Kevlar jeans and if they are a soft option for partial saw protection. They are pretty cheap these day often cheaper than band name jeans, yet may allow user work gear without him cooking on hot days and looking like a chapped urban cowboy.
Not ideal but if ya just going to not wear chaps then perhaps they could save the size n depth of a scar

Video: Sartso kevlar jeans tested - Motorbike Clothing Reviews | MCN

 

[EDMman]

I wear mine religously.... I preach to my buddies but to no avail .....