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S Pinch-Kickback can occur when the the
wood closes in and pinches the moving
saw chain in the cut along the top of the
guide bar and the saw chain is suddenly
stopped. This sudden stopping of the
chain results in a reversal of the chain
force used to cut wood and causes the
sawtomoveintheoppositedirectionofthe
chain rotation. The saw is driven straight
back toward the operator.
S Pu ll-In can occur when the m oving chain
contacts a foreign ob ject in the wo od in the
cut along the bottom of the guide bar and the
saw chain is suddenly stopped. This sudden
stopping pulls the saw forward and away
from the operator and could easily causethe
operator to lose control of the saw .
Avoid Pinch--Kickback:
S Be extremely aware of situations or ob-
structions that can causematerial topinch
the top of or otherwise stop the chain.
S Do not cut more than one log at a time.
S Do not twist the saw as the bar is with-
drawn from an undercut when bucking.
Avoid Pull--In:
S Always begin cutting withtheengine atfull
speed and the saw housing against wood.
S Use wedges made of plastic or wood.
Never use metal to hold the cut open.
Kickback Path
Clear The Working Area
Avoid Obstructions
REDUCE THE CHANCE OF
KICKBACK
S Recognize that kickback can happen.
With a basic understanding of kickback,
you can reduce t he element of surprise
which contributes to accidents.
S Never letthemoving chaincontact anyob-
ject a t the tip of the guide bar.
S Keep the working area free from obstruc-
tionssuchas othertrees, branches,rocks,
fences, stumps, etc. Eliminate or avoid
any obstruction that your saw chain could
hit while you are cutting. When cutting a
branch, do not let the guide bar contact
branch or other objects around it.
S Keep your saw chain sharp and properly
tensioned. A loose or dull chain can in-
crease the chance of kickback occurring.
Follow manufacturer’s chain sharpening
andmaintenanceinstructions. Check ten-
sion at regular intervals with the engine
stopped, never with the engine r unning.
Make sure the bar nuts are securely tight-
ened after tensioning the chain.
S Begin and continue cuttingat full speed. I f
the chain is moving at a slower speed,
there is greater chance of kickback occur-
ring.
S Cut one log at a time.
S Use extreme caution when re-entering a
previous cut.
S Do not attempt cuts starting with the tip of
the bar (plunge cuts).
S Watch for shifting logs or other forces that
could close a cut a nd pinch or fall into
chain.
S Use the Reduced--Kickback Guide Bar
and Low--Kickback Chain specified for
your saw.
MAINTAIN CONTROL
Never reverse
hand positions
Stand to the
left of the saw
Thumb on
underside of
handlebar
Thumb on underside of
handlebar
Elbow locked
S Keep agood,firmgriponthesawwithboth
hands when the engine is r unning and
don’tlet go. A firmgrip willhelp youreduce
kickback and maintain control of the saw.
Keep the fingers of your left hand encir-
cling and your left thumb under the front
handlebar. Keep your right hand com-
pletely around the rear handle whether
your areright handedor lefthanded. Keep
your left arm straight with the elbow
locked.
S Position your left han don thefronthandle-
bar so it is in a straight line with your right
hand on the rear handle w hen making
bucking cuts. Never reverse right and left
hand positions for any type of cutting.
S Standwithyourweightevenly balancedon
both feet.
S Stand slightly to the left side of the saw to
keep your body from being in a direct line
with the cutting chain.
S Do not overreach. You could be drawn or
thrown off balance and lose control of the
saw.
S Donotcutaboveshoulderheight. It isdiffi-
cult to maintain control of saw above
shoulder height.