Chainsaw glove recommendations?

[Michael Edelman]

Those of you who use a chainsaw to harvest or beak down wood for turning: What protective gloves do you use?

 

[robo hippy]

I don't use any when operating the chainsaw, or when turning. I do use eye protection, and ear protection. Considered bad safety habits, I wear my slip ons, and shorts. I do not go out and harvest trees, but do some times pick up pieces. In the cases where I pick up pieces, some times I will rip a blank down the center/pith, which makes it easier to get up in the van. At home, I do have some one who delivers logs to me. Ground is flat and even. I have been using chainsaws for 40 or more years, can't remember learning.... If you are not familiar with them, try to make first ventures with club members. Oh, if you are dealing with logs, a peevy/cant hook is a good tool to have, or several club members to move the log around.

robo hippy

 

[Tim Connell]

Ditto on no gloves. Want the grip and feel of skin on tools for control and feedback. Only time I've used gloves when cutting trees is when working with gnarly honey locust - then you need the toughest leather possible.

 

[Michael Edelman]

I’m new to chainsaws but I have several friends with many decades of experience, and based on their advice I bought chaps and a helmet and face mask before I bought my first chainsaw. I also took the advice of my girlfriend, who was an MD with the Public Health Service in South Carolina for a time, and published a paper on chainsaw injuries. I think you guys have been lucky.

 

[Daniel Henry]

I'm rather new to woodturning, but me and those chainsaws are very old friends. Eye and hearing protection is an essential part of the process. For me and logger acquaintances, gloves are a personal preference. I wear gloves to avoid the poison oak and ivy as well as sticker bushes.
I would strongly advise that anyone new to chainsaws develop a clear understanding of "kickbacks" before attempting to use the chainsaw. The following is "my" analogy. While attempting to learn woodturning I have had and still have catches, dig-ins, run-backs and such. Some of these are quite dramatic. However, the turning tool was forced or driven down onto the tool rest. Visualize the effect, the impact of that turning tool NOT driven into the tool rest, BUT thrown back at the person using the tool. Quite often when that chainsaw kicks back, the direction of force is toward the operator. I know of one individual who lost his life due to a "kickback" while performing some backyard cleanup.

 

[Marvin Jones]

I wear a rubber coated very thin cloth work glove from Wells_Lamont when cutting, stacking firewood. The rubber does not slide on the handles of the saw and the glove has saved me many a splinter, especially when splitting and stacking.

I do not use gloves when cutting short blank logs thru the middle unless I have many to do. I will use those rubber coated gloves when roughing in wet wood in the winter unless I have the heater on in the shop. Rule number one is never touch moving wood on the lathe with gloves, am terrified of a snag.

 

[Doug Freeman]

I wear leather work gloves if handling heavier logs/blanks just to keep the bark and sharp edges from digging in, and keep them on when operating the chainsaw. Feel through the gloves is not an issue for me, possibly because I’ve ridden motorcycles all over the country for most of life wearing leather gloves. Exhaust sound also tells you a lot about what’s happening.

If you have a hand close enough to the chain to snag a glove with the saw running, you may want to rethink your methods.

 

[Michael Edelman]

…
I would strongly advise that anyone new to chainsaws develop a clear understanding of "kickbacks" before attempting to use the chainsaw. …

This is my biggest concern. My electric chainsaw has a kickback guard, my gas chain chainsaw has a brake, and both have low kickback chains, being intended for novices and not professionals. A glove with a multi-layer back is the last line of defense.

 

[Gerald Lawrence]

I use leather work gloves and feel everything thru them I need to. The chain brake has saved me a couple times along with the safety chain, as woodturners we do not have a need to cut any faster than these chains do. After all this technique is very important. The National Forest Service has some videos on Chainsaw safety which are very helpful.

 

[hockenbery]

I’m a leather glove wearer. More for moving wood. Cuts the vibration from the saw a bit too.

Eye and hearing protection are essential
I like wearing a helmet with a screen and earmuffs.

A big danger in using a saw is getting hit by falling or rolling wood.
Always clear and plan an escape route when felling trees or limbing downed trees.
When working with other sawyers only 1 person cutting any stick.

 

[Dean Center]

In its certification course, the US Forest Service teaches helmet, hearing protection, eye protection, chaps, long sleeves, long pants, leather gloves and leather footwear. Gloves with more protection than leather are not included, unless they've changed things in the last few years. They also have a recommended/required first aid kit that is much more extensive than your basic 'hiker' kit.

Since I don't have farmer tough skin, gloves are essential when handling the wood or dealing with the chain, and my old skin appreciates the long sleeves and pants, as it tears pretty easily anymore, when bumping into broken branches or abrasive bark.

The gloves are not intended to protect you from a running chain, but to protect you from a sharp, non-running chain, which you have to handle to check tension and sharpen. If you need gloves that protect you from a running chain, you are doing something very, very wrong. Or have a chainsaw that is more than 30 years old and lacks the brake bar.

As far as I know, kickback doesn't endanger your hand, as long as it stays on the handle. Your face is in jeopardy though, all the way into your sinuses. If your saw throws a chain, your hands could be injured, though the chain would not actually be running, so it would be more like getting hit with a very sharp whip.

 

[Brian Gustin]

Other points on dangers of chainsaws
- Pay attention to chain tension and bar tip condition (loose chain can throw off the bar and then swing under the saw and catch you in a leg or worse, the family jewels)
- if your chain seems dull, sharpen it , or change it out (like any edged tool, dull saw chain is more dangerous than sharp chain.. not to mention, dull chain is more likely to actually break at a rivet from overheating and/or lack of lubrication) On a related note - also be sure your saw chain is oiling (clean bar grooves and oil hole every time you have chain off- as mentioned, poor chain lubrication can lead to stretching and breakage and danger fo family jewels and all that)
- Also, Chain brake is not just for kickback - Should also set the chain brake every time you finish a cut (Though that's a rare practice) - even if the chain is not moving if you are not paying close attention, it is all too easy to take a step over a log and step into a sharp chain (My dad learned the hard way) - Which is exactly why Chaps are a MUST!

So, cutting with a chainsaw in shorts and flipflops? Yeah I cringe even thinking about it!
-Gloves can also be somewhat of a danger when chainsawing too, if they are not well fitting - all too easy for hands to slip out of loose gloves even if you have a good grip (or so you think) on your handles.

So yeah, First and foremost, eye and face protection and chainsaw chaps at a very minimum at least when out bucking up logs (My grandfather had to go to the E.R. to get his lip stitched up once when a chip threw off his chainsaw and right into his upper lip.. that meat and potatoes farmer was miserable having to live on soup only for 2 weeks.)

Just from my life experiences since I was a young lad, I early on learned a healthy respect for chainsaws and chainsaw safety.

 

[Dave Landers]

The gloves are not intended to protect you from a running chain, but to protect you from a sharp, non-running chain, which you have to handle to check tension and sharpen

And generally protect you flying/falling debris. Historically they also protected you from muffler burns, but that's not much of an issue with most modern saws.

I used to look for gloves with grip and/or cushion palms etc, but they never lasted. I now use good-fitting soft leather gloves with a pull tab cord thing around the wrist.

Even when making just one cut in my yard, I still adhere my interagency (US Forrest Service et al) certification training: PPE is chaps, eyes, ears, brain bucket (helmet), gloves, long sleeves, long pants, good shoes or boots. Seems like a lot, but for me it's like a uniform - when I put that on, it helps put me in the right mindset for safe cutting.

 

[Arthur Lyn Glickman]

I've been working with a chain saw for many years and have an utmost respect for the tool. I do not advocate someone going out and buying the tool without proper supervision and learning on the proper use of the tool and safety requirements. As with Dave Landers, I put on my steel toe boots, long pant and shirt, chaps and helmet with ear muffs and eye protection. Many years ago, I took a course on chain saw use and safety at the Botanical Gardens near me. Take the time to find someone to learn from.

 

[hockenbery]

Take a course. Our club does a chainsaw demo every couple years. A safety overview, setting
up the saw and cutting blanks.

Many years ago the Chesapeake woodturners had a great presentation by a husqvarna rep who did osha training for loggers.
He covered safety, maintenance and setting the carburetor.
When he covered the bucking prongs he related a story about
a logger who said - “we call those the DCO” - “dull chain override”

 

[Dave Landers]

I did a chainsaw safety and operation for woodturners class (via zoom) for our club last spring. We followed that up with a hands-on instruction opportunity at the club's wood lot, with a couple of us as mentors (holding one-on-one sessions). We mentored some who were novice saw users, and others that just wanted help with processing logs for bowl blanks. As a bonus, we got a lot of work done cleaning up the wood lot. We're planning to do another hands-on session this fall.

 

[Daniel Henry]

And generally protect you flying/falling debris. Historically they also protected you from muffler burns, but that's not much of an issue with most modern saws.

I used to look for gloves with grip and/or cushion palms etc, but they never lasted. I now use good-fitting soft leather gloves with a pull tab cord thing around the wrist.

Even when making just one cut in my yard, I still adhere my interagency (US Forrest Service et al) certification training: PPE is chaps, eyes, ears, brain bucket (helmet), gloves, long sleeves, long pants, good shoes or boots. Seems like a lot, but for me it's like a uniform - when I put that on, it helps put me in the right mindset for safe cutting.

. . . ."seems like a lot" . . Yes it may seem so. However, I can attest to the fact that claps will stop a chain. But I have seen others not quite so fortunate. Hearing protection can be a bother. However, when I reach for ear plugs some of my friends simply remove their hearing aids. Some dangers are short term. others long term or cumulative.

 

[Brian Gustin]

Hearing protection can be a bother. However, when I reach for ear plugs some of my friends simply remove their hearing aids. Some dangers are short term. others long term or cumulative.

Yeah that is one thing I always forget to mention to others - I have no need of hearing protection (I have no hearing to lose - 96% sensorioneural hearing loss - in other words, deaf as a brick wall) although, a good brain bucket set up for logging that includes face shield & helmet, often relies on the ear muffs attached to help hold the whole thing securely in place on your head, so I do use that...

 

[hughie]

I generally harvest in the field and often whole trees, so I use gloves a generic kevlar/stainless wire the type that are sold on eBay relatively low cost so I can change them regularly .

 

[Michael Edelman]

About hearing conservation: Those who remove their hearing aids rather than wearing ear protection are risking what little hearing they have left. (I spent several years working in a hearing research lab in my grad school days, and one of our major lines of research was hearing loss from industrial noise.)

 

[Karl Loeblein]

One more tip I see people often ignore. If the chainsaw is running then always engage the chain brake before walking around. This will prevent the chainsaw from accidentally revving up If you trip. If the chain brake doesn’t work then get it fixed.

 

[Michael Edelman]

One more tip I see people often ignore. If the chainsaw is running then always engage the chain brake before walking around. This will prevent the chainsaw from accidentally revving up If you trip. If the chain brake doesn’t work then get it fixed.

Very good advice! I notice that pros often stop and start their chainsaws frequently.

 

[robo hippy]

I always engage the chain brake when starting the saw. I don't do the drop start either, saw on the ground, foot in the handle, brake, and then pull. I have dulled chains from the throttle going at high speed on the start.....

robo hippy

 

[Bill Boehme]

Pay attention to chain tension and bar tip condition (a loose chain can throw off the bar and then swing under the saw and catch you in a leg or worse, the family jewels)

Thanks for the heads up. My Stihl chaps protect my legs, but not my "or worse".

 

[Jay Simmons]

. . . ."seems like a lot" . . Yes it may seem so. However, I can attest to the fact that claps will stop a chain. But I have seen others not quite so fortunate. Hearing protection can be a bother. However, when I reach for ear plugs some of my friends simply remove their hearing aids. Some dangers are short term. others long term or cumulative.

I have had a warning from experienced users that an electric chainsaw will not stall when it contacts your chaps. What is the experience/advice on precautions with an electric versus gas?

 

[Dave Landers]

I haven't found a great answer re: chaps with electric saws. Most chaps were kevlar, and not intended to be "armor", but designed to shred when contacted by the chain. The shredded fibers clog up the sprocket and stall the saw. I think there are newer materials being used now in some chaps. But the traditional chap is shredding kevlar.

Electric saws work differently than gas - they have much higher torque, so the shredded fibers don't help stall the saw like they do with a gas model.

I think there's also an aspect of "certification" here too. It's pretty well established how chaps work with gas saws. Maybe not so much with electrics. I'm just guessing here.

Electric saws also stop quickly when you release the trigger. So if it were me, I'd wear that kevlar as if it were armor anyway. I'm ok with the chaps giving me an extra second for the saw to stop before ripping into my leg.

I did find one review - https://chainsawguru.com/best-chainsaw-chaps/ - that did claim some chaps work better for electrics (and dings some for not).