CARELESS KNUCKLEHEAD + CHAINSAW = EMERGENCY ROOM

Cottonhawk · Oct 10, 2005

"....I recently replaced the pair I bought to replace the pair I wrecked back then....."
Chaps must last and last. 17 years for a pair translate to about $3.50 per year. Not bad at all....Real Cheap Insurance!

dmccarty · Oct 11, 2005

( Chaps must last and last. 17 years for a pair translate to about $3.50 per year. Not bad at all....Real Cheap Insurance! )

At this point, I might average 2-4 hours with the chainsaw a month. A few years ago I would work the saw for five hours every Saturday. Talk about being tired. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

I have my chaps at least 5 years and they cost me about $50. Lets say I use the saw 25 times/hours in a year. I do more but lets go with a low number. My math says that each use of the saw cost me .40 cents per use/hour to pay for the chaps. Pretty danged cheap.

I know I have used my saw far more than those numbers so its even less for me. My chaps are in pretty good shape. Dirty as all get out with a slight rip/cut in one spot. Baring a major accident I'm sure I'll get at least another five years out of them. Compared to the cost of the oil, chains, and gas the safety equipment is the cheapest thing to own with a saw. And if they prevent or lesson an injury the cost is moot.

Later,
Dan

Jstpssng · Oct 11, 2005

( Chaps must last and last
) Only until you bounce a saw off them... something I never care to repeat. A couple years ago I asked the distributor's rep if chaps deteriorated with age, but he said they didn't. They are still perfectly usable, but I have a new pair from Husquvarna with the wrap-around protection. So far this year I've cut about 45 cords of wood, so it's a very cheap investment for me. (Also a tax write-off.)

BigEddy · Oct 14, 2005

You guys all seem to prefer the Chaps. I went with the pants. I figure if I remember to put the pants on before I go out into the bush in the morning, I'm protected for the day. I'd likely take chaps off during a break - or lunch - or for some loading work, then "just cut that last limb" without them. Won't be taking my pants off till I get home.

I like the pants cause they are always on, all one piece, and have no straps or other to get caught as I bash my way through the underbrush.
I also use a logger's helmet - that way I have the ear muffs and face shield with me all the time. Just last weekend I was cutting wood and got beaned by a dead branch from above - Made me glad I had the hardhat on. I was well back from the falling tree, but a limb on it brushed against a second limb on the tree I was next to, causing it to shake and freeing up a 6" x 3' stub to drop on my head. One in a million situtation - and the aim was perfect. I had a sore neck for a day or so, but no worse for wear. My 2 kids sitting on the tractor well out of the way thought it was pretty funny though! Of course it could have been very different.

Jstpssng · Oct 14, 2005

I use chaps because I can take them off during breaks on a hot summer day. I also carry them in the truck in case I need to cut a blowdown out of a woods road. However, people who've gone through Certified Logging training say they are told to wear pants; most likely for several of the reasons you mentioned.

I also have pants, but they have removable pads. I wouldn't recommend these as they get twisted around and don't always offer proper protection the way a sewn in pad does.

beenthere · Oct 14, 2005

That's exactly what happened to me, and I couldn't have described it any better to the 't'. Except my two kids were not watching, as they would have been laughing because it felt like that hard hat was down past my ears. But I was seeing stars and just had the sore neck the next day to remember it. Probably would have just buried me, had I not had the hat on. Always wear the hard hat when sawing, and often think I should just walking through the woods or mowing under the trees in the yard. I find some pretty big sticks in the yard that have fallen from the trees.
I wear the chaps because I like to remove them and cool off a bit when taking a break. But I feel uncomfortable without them when going into the woods with the saw (just carrying the saw), so always remember to put them back on (at least for near 20 years now (since my chainsaw safety training course!)).

wksinatl · Oct 14, 2005

OK guys,
I just got the bill from the hospital/ER. My trip cost me almost 700 bucks! I still count myself VERY lucky.....but DANG that's alot of money.

take care and BE SAFE!

Keith

PhilNH5 · Oct 17, 2005

That was always one of the arguments I heard in favor of the safety gear.
Pair of chaps and helmet = $110.
One trip to ER = $700.
Easy enough to do the math.

Glad you are ok.

Phil

dmccarty · Oct 17, 2005

Keith,

What happened that caused the accident?

Later,
Dan

wksinatl · Oct 17, 2005

Dan,
I understand your question, but I look at it as NEGLIGENCE (that's the KNUCKLEHEAD part of the title) on my part instead of an accident.

The main thing is I had only one hand on the saw while I cut the last bit of tree while still sawing, while pushing the tree with the other.

I broke about a BA-zillion different safety rules.

be safe!