In the Homelite ad, on the first photo, you would see nothing of me in that photo but my fleeing footprints as that tree comes down.
I just noticed that. I agree, I'd have been long gone from that picture. You'd hope there was a crane or something holding that tree up so they could do the photo op.
A good part of my hearing loss is due to those 2. I had a MCCullough like that when I was 14 . and ran and worked around several of those Homelites. The Homelites usually started. The Cullys, it was a guessing game. I absolutely DO NOT miss those saws !!
Chain brakes .... around 25 years ago I bought 2 new 80cc saws and they came with brakes. I was like wtf is this crap and we took them off, still use the saws and the brakes are still in the back of a drawer. Same sorta thing happened when I bought a new mower that stopped when you let go of it. And we wonder why the world is overcrowded, and idiots abound.
I remember the first saw I saw that had a chain break. Really did not see a need for them at the time. Seems this was when most folks got hung up on safety and all sorts of gizmos came out. I also remember when I started seeing roll bars on lawn mowers...
Never had a brake "save me", but I acquired the habit of putting it on whenever I set my saw down when it's running, or moving around a tree or wood pile.
I think the brake is a good thing on the newer saws. The older saws were slower and heavier and the weight helped dampen reactive forces. New saws especially with short bars can be nasty lil chits.
I have a bunch of saws without chain brakes and use them all the time. If you practice good safety procedures you will be just fine without a chain brake. How many people use a saw held above their head. How many people stand directly behind the saw instead of off to the side. How many people do not pay attention to where the tip of the saw is when cutting. How many people do not grip the saw with the thumb underneath the bar when cutting. There are reasons that kick back happens and then will cut people.
On my Kubota zero turn lawnmower, if you decide to get off of it, without shutting everything down and putting it in park, the engine will die. I got tired of that, and bypassed the limit switch in the seat, so I can get off and move or pickup something without shutting entirely down.
All of my saws have brakes, and I am glad they do, but I believe I could safely run one without. However, I do cut over my head, some. And I will end up standing directly behind the saw when buck up rounds, a lot of the time. Being left hand, I am behind the saw a lot more then a right hander, but if I am worried about a dangerous cut, I will switch to right handed use. But I am always very aware of the tip of my saw. I am always thinking about the potential for kickback.
Start fallin, limbin and buckin old growth on the mountain sides of the west coast of BC and Southeast Alaska. And you will see there are Lots of times for running a saw overhead , left handed , one handed. Ect. Ext
