Time for Chainsaw Chaps

[ericm979]

I found out recently that the Forest Service now won't let its sawyers use chaps that don't go all the way down. (they weren't so concerned about it when I worked for them years ago). I've been using chaps I got from my Stihl dealer that were a good six inches short. They're regular length and I have long legs. The new long Forester chaps I got thanks to this thread are the proper length.

The pocket in those chaps is just barely long enough for a Stihl t-wrench. The other t-wrench I have is a quarter inch longer and doesn't fit.

 

[oldafretired]

I always try and wear my Labonville chaps and Matterhorn kevlar lined boots when using a chainsaw. A couple summers ago there were a lot of yellow jackets bothering me and I got distracted and nicked my chaps with the saw. I think I was lucky to be wearing them.

 

[CalG]

Guys! Really!

If the chaps didn't stop the saw chain, they did nothing to "protect you from injury". The cuts in your chaps serve only to witness how close you came to cutting flesh. A pair of cotton flannel pajamas would do as much, but perhaps lay closer to the skin. ;-)

 

[oldafretired]

Guys! Really!

If the chaps didn't stop the saw chain, they did nothing to "protect you from injury". The cuts in your chaps serve only to witness how close you came to cutting flesh. A pair of cotton flannel pajamas would do as much, but perhaps lay closer to the skin. ;-)

You have a very good point but I'm still glad I was wearing my chaps.

 

[JRobyn]

Guys! Really!

If the chaps didn't stop the saw chain, they did nothing to "protect you from injury". The cuts in your chaps serve only to witness how close you came to cutting flesh. A pair of cotton flannel pajamas would do as much, but perhaps lay closer to the skin. ;-)

What?? Almost sounds like you believe that chaps and pajamas provide the same amount of protection. You do know that there are layers of chain-jamming fibers right underneath the outer covering of chaps, right? The margin between cutting just the outer covering and meat is those layers and is quite thin but quite effective. Still "protection" in my view.

 

[CalG]

Read carefully.

I wrote, cut chaps that did not involve the chain stopping material did nothing to "protect" the wearer , only indicate, and perhaps warn. The PJs would do as much.

Now if you get just a little bit deeper, the chaps start to show what they are made of and how they work.
Still, don't expect a lot of "protection", Chaps are not armor. A fast moving blade will get pretty far into flesh before it comes to a stop. Blood comes out of cuts like that. A lot, and quickly.

 

[coldsteelva]

I understand what he's saying now. A bullet proof vest stops a bullet, but does NOT prevent any injury; that force has to go somewhere. You may NOT cut your leg off, but that blade moving at significant speed, even if caught up in the fibers is likely going to 'impact' your leg and cause some injury.

 

[JRobyn]

Fair enough.

"cut chaps that did not involve the chain stopping material"

and

"chaps didn't stop the saw chain"

have a little different meaning to me. I knew what you meant, but someone reading carelessly could take away the wrong meaning.

 

[Soldier415]

After reading the original post in this thread, I went right to amazon and ordered the Husqvarna chaps I have been putting off buying

 

[CalG]

Fair enough.

"cut chaps that did not involve the chain stopping material"

and

"chaps didn't stop the saw chain"

have a little different meaning to me. I knew what you meant, but someone reading carelessly could take away the wrong meaning.

Yup, when words like "if" are skipped or left out of an expression, the rest of the words can take on an entirely new meaning.

I've got "scratches" in my saw chaps. Scary!