oid Obstructions
Clear The Working Area
WARNING: Avoid kickback which
can result in serious injury. Kickback is
the backward, upward or sudden for-
ward motion of the guide bar occurring
when the saw c hain near the upper tip of
the g uide bar contacts any object s uch
as a log or branch, or when the wood
closes in and pinches the saw chain in
the cut. C ontacting a foreign object in
the wood can also result in loss of cha in
saw control.
S Rotationa l Kickbac k can occur when
the moving chain contacts an object at
the upper tip of the guide bar. This con-
tactcancausethechaintodigintothe
object, which stops the chain for an
instant. The result is a lightning fast, re-
ver se react ion which kicks the guide bar
up and back toward the operator.
S Pinch-Ki ckback can occur when the
the wood closes in and pinches the
movi n g saw chain in the cut along the
top of the guid e bar and the saw chain is
suddenly stopped. This sudden stop-
ping of the chain result s in a rever sal of
the chain f orce used to cut wood and
causes the saw to move in the opposite
dir ecti on of the chain rotati on. The saw
is dri ven strai ght back toward the opera-
tor .
S Pull-I n can occur when t he moving
chain contacts a foreign object in the
wood in the cut along the bottom of the
guide bar and the saw chain is suddenly
stopped. This sudden stopping pulls the
saw forwar d and away fr om the opera-
tor and coul d easil y cause the opera tor
to lose cont rol of the saw.
REDUCE THE CHANCE OF
KICKBACK
The fol lowi ng precautions should be fol-
lowed to minimize kickback:
S Recognize that kickback can happen.
Wit h a basic understanding of kickback,
you can reduce t he el em e nt of surp rise
which contri butes to accidents.
S Never let the moving chain contact any
object at the ti p of the guide bar.
S Keep working area free from obstruc-
tions such as other tr ees, br anches,
rock s, fences, stumps, etc. Elim inat e or
avoi d any obstruction that your saw
chain could hit while cutt i ng.
S When cutt ing a branch, do not let the
guide bar contact another branch or oth-
er objects around it .
S Keep saw chain sharp and proper ly
tensioned. A loose or dull chain can in-
crea se the chance of kickback. Follow
manufactur er’ s chain sharpening and
mai ntenance i nstr uctions. Che ck ten-
sion at regular intervals, but never wit h
engi ne runni ng. Make sur e bar clamp
nuts are securely tight ened.
S Begin and conti nue cutti ng at full speed.
If the chain is moving at a slower speed,
there is great er chance of kickback oc-
curri ng.
S Use extreme cauti on when re- enter i ng
acut.
S Do not attempt cuts star ti ng with the tip
of the bar (pl unge cuts).
S Wat ch for shifti ng logs or other objects
that could close a cut and pinch or fall
onto chain.
S Use the specif ied Reduced-Kickback
Guide Bar and Low Kickback Chain.
A voi d Pinch- Ki ckback:
S Be extremel y aware of situat ions or ob-
struct i on s t ha t can cause mat e r ial to
pin ch the top of or otherwi se stop the
chain.
S Do not cut more than one log at a ti me.
S
Do not twi st t he saw as the bar is wit h-
drawn from an undercut when bucking.
A void Pull-I n:
S Always begin cutt i ng with the saw at ful l
speed and the saw housing against
wood.
S Use wedges made of plasti c or wood.
Never use metal to hold the cut open.
MAINTAIN CONT ROL
S A good, fir m grip on the saw with both
hands wil l help you maintai n control .
Don’ t let go. Grip the rear handl e with
your right hand whether you are right or
left handed. Wrap the f inger s of your left
hand over and around the front handle-
bar, and your left thumb under the front
handlebar. Keep your left arm straight
with the elbow locked.
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