A Cut Below the Rest
57 of 58 Ciao Users found the following review helpful
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Advantages A very effective tool in the right hands.
Disadvantages Doesn't bear thinking about. I've seen the results.
And the first question is, why am I writing this at 4.30 in the morning? Am I up late, or up early? You decide.
And the second question is, why do I bother writing in the gardening section at all? After all, despite gardening being the (allegedly) most popular pastime in the UK, my gardening ops attract on average barely 50% of the reads I can elicit on any other subject.But here I go again, because this is what I do and love.
Firstly, may I just point out that after the motor car, the chainsaw is the most lethal weapon you are ever likely to possess.
As a landscape contractor, I had to undergo two days of intensive training, followed by a stringent test, before being certificated to operate a chainsaw. Most hire companies these days, having fallen foul of, or having due regard for, Health and Safety legislation, will not hire chainsaws to members of the public.My Public Liability insurance specifically excludes use of chainsaws, which have to be insured separately.
But you can go to your nearest DIY store and buy one. Strange.When you buy your saw, do you also buy the combination safety helmet (with face shield and ear defenders)? At around £35? Do you buy the mandatory protective shin-high footwear, at around £170? Do you buy the right gloves, with the Kevlar filling on the back of the left hand, in case of kick-back? (£40). Do you even know what kick-back is? I do. I have the scar to prove it. If I hadn’t been wearing my £160 protective leggings, I’d have lost a leg.
Got a big tree to remove? Maybe you’ll need a 50cc with a 28 inch bar. But only if you have invested in wedges and a breaking bar, and know the basics of directional felling.
Sorry, I know I’m being a bit obscure here. Deliberately so. I’ve had too many calls at odd hours of day and night from people who’ve hired a chainsaw and got into difficulties.Cars require licences. So do shotguns. I fail to understand why such a lethal piece of kit can be bought by anyone over the counter.
1. If you must buy a chainsaw, don’t buy a Stihl. Buy a little electric one. Because you are limited by the range of the cable, and the minimal power of the saw, you will probably only maim yourself, and friends/family/passers-by/the dog will be relatively safe.
2. If you are suitably trained, still don’t buy a Stihl. There are far better professional saws on the market.
3. Every tree is bigger than it looks, and falls further than you think it will.
4. This is one situation where I cannot in all honesty recommend DIY.
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| 1 - 5 out of 61 comments
Redfeather 11/01/2003 22:00
Having used Stihl chain saws for over 25 years (along with Husqvarna and other brands) to cut firewood and maintain my woodlot I could not dissagree with the opinion above more. The only things needed to use a chainsaw safely are a bit of common sense and hand/eye coordination. The reporter above obviously thinks everything down to forks and spoons needs to be licensed and regulated. Hogwash! We need people to be less regulated and more self sufficient as well as willing to be responsible for their own mistakes. The Stihl chain saws that I use have from 14 to 32 inch bars and are not at all unbalanced to me or my friends. Strong, long lasting, low maintenance, and dependable are the terms that best discribe Stihl products. As far as safety goes, Of course a certain amount of safety gear is required to operate a chain saw as it is with any tool. The amount of that gear varies with the type and amount of work to be done. To say that anyone who wants to cut a couple of 2" limbs off the old maple in the side yard must have boots, kevlar leggins and gloves, and helmet is rediculous. Sounds to me like this gent just wants us to pay him to trim our trees and cut down on his competition.
MRSCANADA 07/07/2002 20:00
PeterFarrell 30/12/2001 19:12
bazza1603 25/08/2001 22:58
Page 1 of 13
| 1 - 5 out of 61 comments
Well it sure is an opinion - on chainsaws, but what about this specific model - I didn't see any information reagrding this particular Stihl, just there are better makes, and get a professional in. Well having supervised and validated hours for chainsaw users, you do have some valid points. However a little electric is not always suitable and the gear as someone else stated is not always necessary - depends on what you are doing. I moved up from an electric Macculloch 14" bar to a Stihl semi-professional petrol with a 16" bar - and passed the job onto my husband. No longer am I log chopping for the burner, but maintaining a smallholding, we have problems with starting - but no help from you e.g. if this occurs for this model.....