5
Thumb on underside of
handlebar
Elbow locked
S
Keep a good, firm grip on the saw with both
hands when the engine is running and
don’t let go. A firm grip will help you reduce
kickback and maintain control of the saw.
Keep the fingers of your left hand encir-
cling and your left thumb under the front
handlebar. Keep your right hand com-
pletely around the rear handle whether
your are right handed or left handed. Keep
your left arm straight with the elbow
locked.
S
Position your left hand on the front handle-
bar so it is in a straight line with your right
hand on the rear handle when making
bucking cuts. Never reverse right and left
hand positions for any type of cutting.
S
Stand with your weight evenly balanced on
both feet.
S
Stand slightly to the left side of the saw to
keep your body from being in a direct line
with the cutting chain.
S
Do not overreach. You could be drawn or
thrown off balance and lose control of the
saw.
S
Do not cut above shoulder height. It is diffi-
cult to maintain control of saw above
shoulder height.
KICKBACK SAFETY FEATURES
WARNING
:
The following features
are included on your saw to help reduce the
hazard of kickback; however, such features
will not totally eliminate this dangerous reac-
tion. As a chain saw user, do not rely only on
safety devices. You must follow all safety
precautions, instructions, and maintenance
in this manual to help avoid kickback and
other forces which can result in serious
injury.
S
Reduced--Kickback Guide Bar, designed
with a small radius tip which reduces the
size of the kickback danger zone on the
bar tip. A Reduced--Kickback Guide Bar
has been demonstrated to significantly re-
duce the number and seriousness of kick-
backs.
Small Radius Tip
Reduced Kickback Symmetrical Guide Bar
Symmetrical Guide Bar
Large Radius Tip
S
Low--Kickback Chain, designed with a
contoured depth gauge and guard link
which deflect kickback force and allow
wood to gradually ride into the cutter.
Low-Kickback Chain
Contoured Depth Gauge
Elongated Guard Link
Deflects Kickback
Force And Allows
Wood To Gradually
Ride Into Cutter
S
Handguard, designed to reduce the
chance of your left hand contacting the
chain if your hand slips off the front handle-
bar.
S
Position of front and rear handlebars, de-
signed with distance between handles and
“in-line” with each other. The spread and
“in-line” position of the hands provided by
this design work together to give balance
and resistance in controlling the pivot of
the saw back toward the operator if kick-
back occurs.
WARNING
:
DO NOT RELY UPON
ANY OF THE DEVICES BUILT INTO YOUR
SAW.
YOU SHOULD USE THE SAW
PROPERLY AND CAREFULLY TO AVOID
KICKBACK. Reduced--kickback guide bars
and low--kickback saw chains reduce the
chance and magnitude of kickback and are
recommended. Your saw has a low kick-
back chain and bar as original equipment.
Repairs on a chain brake should be made by
an authorized servicing dealer. Take your
unit to the place of purchase if purchased
from a servicing dealer, or to the nearest au-
thorized master service dealer.
S
Tip contact in some cases may cause a
lightning fast reverse REACTION, kicking
the guide bar up and back toward the oper-
ator.
S
Pinching the saw chain along the top of the
guide bar may push the guide bar rapidly
back toward the operator.
S
Either of these reactions may cause you to
lose control of the saw which could result
in serious injury. Do not rely exclusively
upon the safety devices built into your saw.
CHAIN BRAKE
S
Chain brake, designed to stop the chain in
the event of kickback.
WARNING
:
Your chain saw is
equipped with a chain brake that is designed
to stop the chain immediately if you get a
kickback. The chain brake reduces the risk
of accidents, but only you can prevent them.
DO NOT ASSUME THAT THE CHAIN
BRAKE WILL PROTECT YOU IN THE
EVENT OF A KICKBACK.
