Well after 35 years or so of running a saw, with little to no safety equipment with the exception of work boots that I wear all the time anyway, I got a pair of chainsaw chaps today. Mrs fuelrod got me a gift card at Labonville last Christmas and today I happened to be by their store, (amazingly with the gift card in the truck) and figgured that eventually one's luck will run out. Now I need to make myself wear them. I think I'll be pretty good about that while limbing up a dropped tree getting it ready to drag out, but pretty sure that they won't be on while bucking on good open ground at my official processing area. I do finally wear safety glasses after I found some with built in "cheaters", now I wear them all the time. You guy's with similar time running saw's wear them? And to be clear, I've never saw'd all day long for a living, that (I think) would have put me in them a long time ago.
I'm in the same boat as you as far as time spent running a saw. Just got a pair of chaps this fall myself. I have had several close calls over the years but didn't give it much thought. This summer though I had 2 or 3 different people that I know get bit pretty good so chicken pants it is for me too.
I don't have near the time you have but about 15 years ago I was sawing and managed a nice little cut in my pants without touching the skin. Invested in chaps then.
Since I don't have Kevlar skin, they're on anytime a saw is running out of the garage. There is nothing on the body that slows a moving chain down before there is serious damage, even when it is winding down with your finger off the trigger.
I wear mine all the time. If I get lazy I google images of chainsaw injuries and scare myself straight. Mine aren't very convenient for walking in, but since I rarely chainsaw and walk around a lot, it is OK.
got scars on my knee where guy bounced a chain on it.... if saw is running they are on... that was 25 years ago. dad who never wore them.. I said my land my rules.. 3 days later nice cut in chaps.. he says now no chaps no chainsaw .. find it odd people who give me heck about wearing a seat belt plowing.. I don't the snapping of neck hurts.. run saws in shorts
I always have used them. I convinced my neighbor to invest in a pair last year. We were cutting together last month when he ask me if he could try notching a tree with my 661. Well, its his 105 acres I'm cutting on so I couldn't hardly say no. He cut the top of the norch just fine and even applied the chain brake when he removed the saw. He began cutting the bottom and pulled the saw out of the cut, rather than leaving it in and applying the brake, to check the notch. Not being used to the weight of the 661 he let it drop a bit when it came out of the cut. Man it looked like a snowstorm from the stuff coming out of the leg of his chaps. The chain was idling down and caught his chaps about 2" above his knee. It locked the saw up tigher than a drum, but his leg was fine. I can't same for his confidence.
Just got a pair of chaps last week and have only worn them in the house to try them out. I anticipate using them any time I run the saws but have no history to tell me if I actually will.
Once you get in the habit of wearing them youll wonder why you havent in the past. Its like a seat belt, you dont feel right about not wearing it, its just habit and you dont think twice about using it.
I think it is catching on, glad to see it. I am still a Newby, but decided to get some, as I figured my "oops" was going to happen someday. I have used them since, and anticipate doing the same in the future. Greg
My "oops" already happened, the scar I got on my thigh 25+ years ago has almost completely disappeared and I still haven't got myself any chaps yet. Yes I'm a bit of a rebel, but I do always wear ear protection. That's the one area you can't protect just by being careful with the saw. I'm curious how many of the chap users don't bother to wear ear protection?
I wear earplugs for everything(except showering and other unspoken acts), habit from work and I get tested annually. I'm bad about safety glasses even wearing them at work everyday and my dad is an Optometrist - go figure
