MS 311, MS 391
English
6
Dangers of kickback
Kickback occurs when the saw is 
suddenly thrown up and back in an 
uncontrolled arc towards the operator.
Kickback occurs, e.g.
– when the upper quadrant of the bar 
nose unintentionally contacts wood 
or another solid object, e.g. when 
another limb is touched accidentally 
during limbing.
– when the chain at the nose of the 
guide bar is pinched in the cut.
Quickstop chain brake:
This device reduces the risk of injury in 
certain situations – it cannot prevent 
kickback. If activated, the brake stops 
the saw chain within a fraction of a 
second – for a description of this device 
refer to chapter on "Chain Brake" in this 
manual.
To reduce the risk of kickback
– Work cautiously and avoid 
situations which could cause 
kickback.
– Hold the saw firmly with both hands 
and maintain a secure grip.
– Always cut at full throttle.
– Be aware of the location of the guide 
bar nose at all times.
– Do not cut with the bar nose.
– Take special care with small, tough 
limbs, they may catch the chain.
– Never cut several limbs at once.
– Do not overreach.
– Never cut above shoulder height.
– Use extreme caution when re-
entering a previous cut.
– Do not attempt plunge cuts if you 
are not experience in this cutting 
technique.
– Be alert for shifting of the log or 
other forces that may cause the cut 
to close and pinch the chain.
– Always cut with a correctly 
sharpened, properly tensioned 
chain – the depth gauge setting 
must not be too large.
– Use a low kickback chain and a 
narrow radius guide bar.
Pull-in (A)
Pull-in occurs when the chain on the 
bottom of the bar is suddenly pinched, 
caught or encounters a foreign object in 
the wood. The reaction of the chain pulls 
the saw forward – always hold the 
spiked bumper securely against the 
tree or limb.
Kickback can result in 
serious or fatal injury.
001BA036 KN
001BA093 LÄ
001BA037 KN
A