[Tennessee Tim]

A simple reminder...PLEASE wear your saw chaps!!! A friend of mine has learned the hard way and got a Blessing he ONLY got 20 stitches today !!!
My understanding he'd felled a tree and was cutting a limb about breast hieght and when the saw went through as the limb was falling it kicked the saw down into his calf, he only thought it was a scratch until he examined it.

We had this talk about 5 weeks ago because I was using mine cutting simple firewood (tree already down)...I told him I wear them 95% of the time when I pick-up the chainsaw to use, that we never know when our next test and trial is going to be (incident in this case).

He's going to buy a set now to finish his logging!!! He asked me the cost of them tonight and all I could say was "...NOWHERE near the cost of the ER visit...not including time missed at work either...". he's praising the Lord 'cause he KNOWS He was with him or it would've been worse. Just missed the bone and an artery and he's walking on it tonight!!! Glory to God he didn't loose more!!!

Sorry. I have pic but photoshop ain't cooperating I'll attempt this large one. If not successful I'll update late Friday.

 

[Longknife]

Phew, he's very lucky to have a leg to stand on. I use mine not only 95 but 100% of the times I use a chainsaw. And sawproof boots and a hardhat too.Even for the simpliest tasks, you know "I'm just going to....."
I just have to look at the scratches in my chaps to realize I would have been sitting in a wheelchair without them.

 

[qbilder]

Doesn't look like it went deep enough to tear out any major muscle tissue. Lucky guy. And if that was the back of his calf, chaps may not have helped. Even with the most careful methods and all the safety gear a guy can wear, accidents can still happen.

 

[Tennessee Tim]

He told me calf...but this other pick shows shin. He said it barely missed the bone and I was wondering when he told me from the calf that would be awful deep. He's like me ...an ole country boy...and said he thought some tape and a few staples would fix it.....NOT!!! He's Blessed not to be any worse.

 

[Tennessee Tim]

OOoops forgot pic!!

 

[jimmy mc]

That is a nasty wound. Thanks for posting it. My new chainsaw helmet came in today. Going to order a set of chaps tonight. Those pictures made the decision easy. One of the cutters that cut my timber had a pair of chaps in his truck he hit with his saw. They balled up and stopped the chain. He never got a mark. This guy cuts for a living and slipped, I need some.

 

[Tennessee Tim]

Jimmy,
That's why I posted this pic and the cut"ee" would agree. WE don't want to see anyone go through this and IF we can prevent even one mishap from happening then we've accomplished alot!!!

Thanks for all the posts...they let people know it's not a one sided opinion and it's for health and safety!!!

I added my Sthil hardhat/earmuff/ visor a year ago....IT MAKES a tremendous difference just on trash in face and protects my HARD HEAD from getting chipped!! LOL and also helped with the sound from echoing in the hollow space between the ears!!

 

[woodnthings]

thanks for the reminder Tim

About 15 years ago, I was limbing a large oak tree with lots of branches and leaves after I had it on the ground. Just goin' along limb after limb.... when I let the saw down on the my leg accidentally. I didn't feel a thing at first then I realized I had cut into my leg above the knee cap. No big deal, just wrap it, up take a shower and get a ride to the ER. Still no pain. The ER was crowded and the Docs would come around and ask ''You OK,?" I said sure take care of him, he looks worse than me. Finally, the Doc came around with a syringe of Novacaine, injected it, .waited and stitched me up with 9 stitches on a cut about 2 1/2" long and 1/4" deep. He said "Come back in 10 days and I'll take them out" I said, "sorry Doc, I have to leave for Japan in 9 days. "Well, just have them removed and don't strain it."

All is fine, just a long scar is all that remains. .... and a memory. I always have both hands and a "death grip" on the saw these days and I am more more cautious. I don't like limbing trees with leaves. :no:

 

[Tennessee Tim]

I was telling the victim about the responses here and he said to add"...the $60 chaps are alot cheaper than the $450 doc bill and if he'd went through ER would've been minimum of $1,600 plus any pain and aggrevation it creates.... Chaps from now on!!!"
Also my nieghbor found out and is going to get his and the helmet....he said "...he's cheated (been Blessed) this several times over 40 yrs but the picture opened his eyes!!"

 

[djg]

Wow every time I see those photos, I about loose it. I've always thought chaps were over kill for what little sawing (firewood for self) I do, but maybe not.

 

[Tennessee Tim]

I do wear my gear....I'm just not a glove man.

Here's the cutting post: http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f26/would-csm-milling-58231/

 

[Duane Bledsoe]

How's your friend's leg doing?

 

[Tennessee Tim]

He's been Blessed...hasn't missed a day working and NO problems!!! I'm so thankful for him and his family.

Thanks for asking.

 

[JohnK007]

As a relative newcomer to using a chainsaw, this thread sure woke me up this morning. Message received loud and clear Tim!

 

[TheWoodsman]

It is smart to consiously think of safety regardless what you are doing. My oldest brother and my dad have both cut into their legs (and got very lucky) with chain saws.

I once smashed my left middle finger under the pneumatic clamp of my castle pocket bore machine. Just thought I'd reach in and block the dust because I was pocketing a narrow piece. I was lucky I did not route across my finger. It did, however, completely flatten it and split it into a "Y" like a snake's tongue. When I yanked it out, it kept the finger nail too.

A buddy at a plywood distributor in Cincinnati recently got his hand pulled into a pinch roller crushing part of it and yanking flesh and finger nails off of a couple fingers before he hit the emergency stop. He was wiping a roller without stopping the machine. He is lucky, decades ago in one of the local furniture factories a person did something similar and it pulled their arm off at the shoulder.

There can be serious consequences when working with tools and machinery.