A $10,000 Pair of Chaps

[WDH]

 I had a leaning tree that I had to fell that was tricky, so to make it safer ( ), I made the front notch about three feet off the ground and felled the tree the standard way without event.  I decided to cut the three foot stump portion into two pieces of firewood, and I was cutting the first piece off about 18" from the ground.  As the saw exited the cut, somehow the weight of the top piece somehow made the bar kick forward somehow and thumped into my knee.  It was a pretty good thump.

I am sure that without the chaps, the saw would have cut through my knee cap.  Thank goodness for saw chaps.  They saved me a certain trip to the Emergency Room and months of Physical Therapy.  Just one little lapse of concentration in the sweltering Georgia heat is all it took. 

When I see videos of people running chainsaws with shorts and flip flops and no type of protective equipment at all, it makes me cringe.  I wanted to share my moment of ineptitude in the event that someone else will take note and use their own $10,000 pair of saw chaps.     



 

[gfadvm]

Glad you are OK. This time of year it is easy to get tired and lax.

[samandothers]

Glad you escaped with just chap damage!   It is easy to think I'll just do a little bit and don't need the safety equipment.  Usually it may go ok but when it goes bad it can go really bad.

[thecfarm]

Ayup. Things can happen quick,even in the cold of the Glazier North.

[Magicman]

Thanks for sharing your "close call" experience and the picture of your ripped chap.  The thoughts of what could have happened is chilling.   

[Peter Drouin]

Good your ok.

[red]

Safety is Number One . Thanks for the reminder .

[petefrom bearswamp]

Glad you are OK Danny.
I retired my old set of chaps about 3 yrs ago on the suggestion of someone, i cant remember who after putting several nicks in them.
I was cautioned about using the damaged ones as they wouldnt be as effective if the saw hit in one of the several nicked spots.
Granted, I don't saw as much now but my new ones are blemish free so far.
Cheap insurance.
Work safe everyone.

[WmFritz]

From the title, I expected to see your latest in designer work outfits. 

[OneWithWood]

I bet you were wide awake the rest of the day!
Glad you had your chaps on and suffered no damage.  My chaps look like yours except the saw hit across the wedge pocket.  Now I have to duck tape the pocket to keep anything in it. 
Remember if you have time to pick up the saw you have time to put on the chaps.

[lowpolyjoe]

That is scary.  Glad you're ok. 

[Czech_Made]

Glad you ok, that would be bad.


I think it is time for me to get a pair.

[LittleJohn]

I bet you were wide awake the rest of the day!

...probably ran out of toilet paper cleaning himself up after that experience.

It was probably a good time to take a break and relax, cause there is no way I would be able to start that saw up for at least 1/2 due to the shaking

[Magicman]

 

 
I bought chaps after my chainsaw took that nip seen here on the edge of the welders apron that I always wear while sawing.  It also cut through my pant leg and the outer side of my pocket.  I never knew that it happened until I saw the contents of my pocket that had fallen out and was lying on the ground.  ???   

[21incher]

Glad you had the chaps on and avoided injury. I had a coworker that did the same thing and luckily it only cost him the $50.00 deductable for the Emergency room visit, and a couple of vacation days.

[Czech_Made]

Several years ago near us, some lady used a chainsaw, cut herself and died in the ambulance truck.

I do stupid things all my life but chainsaws still scare the crap out of me.

[WDH]

Chainsaws and tablesaws are two tools that can hurt you real bad. 

[farmguy]

And don't forget about welding on fuel tanks

[fishpharmer]

I have a lot of respect for chainsaws, tablesaws and WDH.
Someday, it would be great if a sawstop type technology is incorporated into chainsaws so they instantly stop on flesh.  I realize there are many reasons it should not work, but I still believe it can happen.  Someday?

[John Mc]

I retired my old set of chaps about 3 yrs ago on the suggestion of someone, i cant remember who after putting several nicks in them.
I was cautioned about using the damaged ones as they wouldnt be as effective if the saw hit in one of the several nicked spots.

It's not just if it hits on one of the nicked spots. Most chaps work by clogging up the chainsaw with fibers. If you sever some fibers, then your protection is compromised for a good distance on either side of where they are severed. A first responder in my area (who has responded to several chainsaw incidents) told me that even 6" away from the cut, the protection is still significantly compromised. I don't know where he got that information from, but he said he did some digging into the subject after responding to a particularly gnarly accident.

[DDW_OR]

here is my $10,000 glove.
details about what happened are fuzzy. had a stand of 4 Madrona that blew down. when i cut the top tree it caused the stump to break apart. when that happened i was thrown, lost my chainsaw, wound up standing upright on the ground next to the blowdown.
the chainsaw, still running, was in the air over my head. it landed just about a foot behind me.
my left index finger has a cut almost the full length. did not go to the hospital just the ambulance station. the ambulance station could only wash the cut with sterile water since i refused to go to the hospital. when i got home i used a large bandage, and a Popsicle stick and tape to immobilize the finger. GOD was watching this fool.

the scar on my hand does not show up very well in photos. the finger is now 100%

I keep the glove as a reminder


 

[RJS2526]

Wow!  Looks like a close call right there.  Thanks for sharing this.