Working 
Conditions 
Operate 
your chain saw only outdoors 
in a ventilated area. 
Operate 
the  saw 
under  good visibility 
and  daylight condi- 
tions 
only. 
Don't 
work 
alone.  Keep within 
calling 
distance of others  in 
case help is 
needed. 
Your 
chain 
saw 
is  equipped with  a 
chain catcher.  It  is  de- 
signed 
to  reduce 
the  risk of  personal 
injury in  the event  of 
a  thrown 
or  broken  chain.  From 
time to time  the  catcher 
may 
be damaged or 
removed. 
To  reduce the  risk of perso- 
nal 
injury,  do 
not  operate a 
chain 
saw with  a  damaged or 
missing 
catcher. 
Inspect 
buffers periodically. Replace 
damaged, broken or 
excessively 
worn  buffers  immediately, 
since 
they 
may 
re- 
sult 
in  loss of control 
of 
the saw. 
A "sponginess" 
in the feel 
of 
the 
saw, 
increased vibration 
or  increased  "bottoming" 
during 
normal  operation  may  indicate 
damage,  breakage 
or 
excessive 
wear.  Buffers 
should  always 
be  replaced 
in 
sets. 
If  you  have 
any 
questions 
as to  whether the buffers 
should 
be replaced,  consult 
your STIHL servicing 
dealer. 
Warning! 
Take 
extreme care  in 
wet and freezing  weather 
(rain, snow, 
ice). 
Put off the  work when 
the weather is 
windy, 
stormy or 
rainfall 
is heavy. Clear the 
area 
where 
you 
are 
working. 
fling! 
Avoid 
stumbling  on  obstacles  such  as 
stumps,  roots  or 
rocks 
and  watch 
out  for  holes  or 
ditches.  Be 
extremely 
cautious 
when 
working 
on 
slopes 
or uneven 
ground. There 
is increased 
danger 
of slipping 
on 
freshly debarked 
logs. 
Cutting 
Instructions 
Grip: 
Always hold the 
saw firmly with both hands when 
the 
engine 
is  running.  Place your left 
hand on front 
handle bar 
and 
your 
right  hand  on  rear  handle  and  throttle 
trigger. 
Left-handers 
should follow these 
instructions too. 
Wrap your  fingers tightly  around the  handles, keeping 
the 
handles cradled  between 
your 
thump and forefinger (ill.  7). 
With 
your 
hands in this position, 
your can 
best oppose 
and 
absorb  the  push, 
pull  and  kickback forces  of 
your saw 
without  losing  control  (see  section  on  reactive 
forces). 
Make 
sure  your 
chain 
saw 
handles  and  grip 
are 
in 
good 
condition and free of  moisture,  pitch, oil or 
grease. 
To 
reduce the risk of serious or fatal injury to the  operator 
or 
bystanders, 
never 
use 
the 
saw 
with 
one 
hand. You  can- 
not  control  reactive forces (see  pages  10  to 16),  and you 
may lose control of the saw,  which can result in the skating 
or bouncing of the bar and  chain along the limb or log. 
Even for those 
compact saws 
designed for 
use 
in confined 
spaces, one-handed operation  is  dangerous  because the 
operator may lose control. 
Do 
not  operate  your 
chain 
saw 
with the  starting throttle 
lock engaged.  Cutting with the starting 
throttle  lock  enga- 
ged  does 
not  permit  the  operator  proper  control  of the 
saw or chain 
speed. 
9 
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