Close calls with a chainsaw?

[Chew]

Who's had one? Two days ago I was clearing my trails to my hunting area and the yaupon was very bad. Got into the middle of some trees and was cutting everything I could reach. I reached up above my head to cut one big mature yaupon in half. I was tired, hot, sweaty, and when the saw cut through a tree it dropped down and hit me right on the kneecap.

There's an old saying about how God looks out for fools and idiots (or something like that). I've already used up 10 of my 9 lives so HE was with me. I had some thick work pants on and my finger got off the trigger just in time. It got me. Drew blood. Cut my pants. But thankfully it didn't do major damage before the chain stopped moving.

Yeah...chaps....yeah...don't cut towards yourself....yeah....don't be an idiot. Feces happens.

I had a very close call and it scared me a little.

Who else has been injured or had a close call with a chainsaw? Just curious if I'm the only 'tard.

[Gerald G]

I cut a 3” gnash across the front of my left thigh when I was 15. The dr. cleaning it out hurt me more than the chainsaw. Still have the scar 40 years later.

[rtp]

Right there with you. Hit me on the inside of the thigh. Jeans snagged it enough to only allow it to get into the meat but not super deep. Knowing there was a large artery nearby put a big scare into me.


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[Yak blue]

Chaps probably saved my leg and maybe my life
Got a new pair of chaps for Father’s Day. The next week, Stupidly Cleaned out a fence row alone. Wasp nest in the tree at waist height. They swarmed right in front of my face. I instinctly spooked and chain (wasn’t full throttle but it was still spinning good) caught on my chaps.
Didn’t get wasp stung. Didn’t saw my leg off. Chaps did what they were meant to. A lot of things could’ve gone sideways real quick, but didn’t.
But it did make me sit down to calm myself… and realize the Lord works in mysterious ways and to thank my lucky stars that my number didn’t get drawn that day.

Few things I always do now…chaps, no matter how small the job, steel toe boots, tourniquet in the truck, and if I’m cutting more than just a small downed limb, I’m waiting til I have someone else around. Sawing is dangerous work.

[Bluetex]

Hot and tired one time, on my knees when I was cutting towards me a small tree. Was pushing aa little to hard when the saw cut threw the tree it cut my leg above my knee cap. It took a long time to get the bleeding to stop, went to the doctor next day. They said I needed a inter and ouster set of stitches but the wound was open to long to get stitches. Extremely painful and was on antibiotics for 3 weeks because all the wood chips they cleaned out of me. I have a new respect for chainsaws now.

[Mtltx]

Yep. When I was 17 I was clearing land and was standing an an angle when I cut through a big limb and followed through and the blade hit my shin. Blood went squirting. Got it stapled up but, could have been worse.

Glad yours wasn’t bad Chew!

[Chew]

Chaps probably saved my leg and maybe my life
Got a new pair of chaps for Father’s Day. The next week, Stupidly Cleaned out a fence row alone. Wasp nest in the tree at waist height. They swarmed right in front of my face. I instinctly spooked and chain (wasn’t full throttle but it was still spinning good) caught on my chaps.
Didn’t get wasp stung. Didn’t saw my leg off. Chaps did what they were meant to. A lot of things could’ve gone sideways real quick, but didn’t.
But it did make me sit down to calm myself… and realize the Lord works in mysterious ways and to thank my lucky stars that my number didn’t get drawn that day.

Few things I always do now…chaps, no matter how small the job, steel toe boots, tourniquet in the truck, and if I’m cutting more than just a small downed limb, I’m waiting til I have someone else around. Sawing is dangerous work.

Good post. Thanks. I've got tourniquets in the mule, truck, etc. But need to show the wife how to use them.

[Puncher51]

I was raised using a chainsaw to cut cedars at our ranch. That was my main summer job in high school. Therefore I get a little lackadaisical at times when using one. About 6-7 years ago I just put on a new chain, and was cutting through some small trees when a branch caught the bar and the chain touched my knee. I looked down and saw blood everywhere. Not good. Thankfully it just cut through the skin and missed the knee cap. I went to the ER and they stapled it shut. Ended up being about 5” long. My ER Doc said it was pretty common and has had multiple people cut through their knee cap. I’m lucky. We now have multiple chaps so everyone cutting has a pair.

[bobc]

More than once. Used to just use jeans. Snagged em a few times. Bought a set of chaps and have bee pretty religious with em last couple of years. Things happen quick with a chainsaw.


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[Bard]

Very hungover when young and needed wood for the upcoming storm in Wisconsin. Slipped on a log and put the saw into my big toe and blood was squirting up pretty high. Limped back to the truck and found a greasy rag and wrapped up toe and went back to work and put the saw into the same foot, took off the last knuckle on that toe. Went home for a little sleep, should've probably done that first. Have been cutting for 40 years since w/o any major issues.

[Killer]

Chainsaws hurt a lot of people and trees kill a lot every year. Some of the most dangerous farm work you can do. Better have your mind right before you fire one off and know what you are doing.

[Rubi513]

I had something similar happen to me.
I was using my Stihl 034. Fairly heavy saw. I was at the deer lease by myself. I was cutting up some falling oak trees. It was hotter than hell, and I was whooped. I got a little careless trying to hurry up and finish. Saw got hung up and I jerked it while still on the gas. It came out a lot easier than I expected. Chain hit my pants leg right above the knee and cut about 6” slash in my jeans. I got a a couple small cuts on my leg, but it could have been much worse. I stopped for the day.
It definitely made me be a little more cautious from then on.

[Chew]

Very hungover when young and needed wood for the upcoming storm in Wisconsin. Slipped on a log and put the saw into my big toe and blood was squirting up pretty high. Limped back to the truck and found a greasy rag and wrapped up toe and went back to work and put the saw into the same foot, took off the last knuckle on that toe. Went home for a little sleep, should've probably done that first. Have been cutting for 40 years since w/o any major issues.

Dam*....might need to call a toe truck next time that happens.

[Artos]

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/imxIICsBoOo

[ThisLadyHunts]

Few things I always do now…chaps, no matter how small the job, steel toe boots, tourniquet in the truck, and if I’m cutting more than just a small downed limb, I’m waiting til I have someone else around. Sawing is dangerous work.

This right here. Nobody cuts without following these rules…at least not when I’m around.