left handed handlebar

[NeTree]

They are? Most of the knives I've seen have the bevel on the right edge. They're meant to be used right-handed.

 

[sierratree]

wowzers..............guess i opened up a can of worms........but great info.............i do see, however, that using the saw leftie places the bar closer to the sawyer since with a rightie grip the powerhead is between the bar and sawyer. You could also say the same when you use a pushing chain cause you flip the saw over to use the top of the bar.....really makes you think of the outcomes.....

 

[woodworkingboy]

I think that kickback is an over rated problem if you extend the concern to professional sawyers. It is easily avoided if you know what you are doing with proper handling when the risk is there, as applied to yourself and knowing what you can handle i don't see that cutting position is the culprit, if you adapt your control to any given method. If people become complacent then cut when sawing, the problem is something that they have created themselves. Talking about basic reasoning here, even a strong person holding the saw firmly, doesn't want to go stick their face down by the bar and 9000 rpms in the cut..

 

[SkwerI]

Jay, most accomplished sawyers have developed a habit over the years of keeping their body out of line with the top of the bar as much as possible. I'm constantly aware of the orientation of the bar and whether or not my body is in line with any potential kickback forces. If an operator only learns how to run a saw left handed and never holds the saw correctly, then that person will have some part of their body in line with potential kickback forces almost 100% of the time they are cutting. Therefore when the inevitable kickback event occurs, they won't be lucky enough to escape with a scare and a lesson learned.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Agreed, positioning is a wise precaution and certainly doesn't hurt, but holding the saw firmly seems to me to to take precedent over everything else, and greatly helps to mitigate concern about positioning and kickback. If a person might not be strong enough to support the saw against kickback, then it is a different matter, and every other precaution should be strongly adhered to. I think it is similar to one handing.

 

[SouthSoundTree]

The blade in relation to the handle is symmetrical. I don't think that single or double serration matter with either hand. I'd wager that it would work equally well with either hand.




Fatigue is a significant factor in pro saw injuries. Wildland firefighters work 16 hour shifts, day after day after day.

 

[stig]

I think Brian nailed it.
I get a bad kickback a couple of times a year, mostly from touching the tip of the bar to the end of a log below whatever I'm cutting ( going into endgrain unaware, will REALLY kick back!) but it never comes close to hitting me, because I'm positioned out of harms way.

On the other hand, I used to train karate with an emergency room surgeon. She loved to tell me about all the chainsaw injuries, she came across.
Most homeowners who got bit by kickback, had no idea what happened.

" It must have hit a nail or something!!!"

She told me a story about an old guy who practically split his face in two.
It even took out his front teeth, top and bottom.
Britt patched him up and sent him on to a plastic surgeon.

That is one story I always tell my apprentices.

 

[woodworkingboy]

With all due respect, if you have kickback to the point that the bar comes back and would have hit you if you were in line with it, the saw handling is inadequate for not being firm enough, imo. Alas though, it isn't a perfect world.

 

[NeTree]

The blade in relation to the handle is symmetrical. I don't think that single or double serration matter with either hand.

Suit yourself.

 

[stig]

No respect needed.
You are right.

But as an experienced sawyer yourself, you know that when you are cutting something that seems safe, you don't hold the saw as firmly as when cutting something that you know is unsafe.

That is when I get a kick back.

Sticking the bar (short as it is!) through something and hitting the end of a log underneath.

And like I said, maybe twice a year.
I log somewhere between 1000 and 1500 hrs a year depending on the call for logs, so two kickbacks ain't bad.

But I'll gladly agree that it is two too many.

And due to complacency, somewhat.

Don't think that I just go on working, when I have just had a chainsaw zipping by my face.
I analyze how I screwed up, and thank whatever gods I don't believe in ,that it didn't catch me.

I wasn't born pretty, no need to screw it up further.

As my dad said, when I had my nose broken for the umpteenth time doing karate, "Well, it wasn't too good looking to begin with"

 

[woodworkingboy]

I had a pretty nose until high school football. The coach used to shout over and over in a loud voice with a dumb grin on his face, "Reckless abandon....reckless abandon". It was his pet phrase. I can't believe we listened. :roll:

 

[sierratree]

now look what you've done....

 

[Burnham]

You absolutely have to be able to switch hit with a chainsaw on occasion...but I completely agree that the right-hand arrangement of the chainsaw provides by far the best work positioning when used right-handed.

 

[stig]

I agree completely.
Just like you have to be able to set a facecut from both sides of the tree.
It is all part of being a complete faller.

 

[squisher]

It seems to have all been said. I'm left-handed and only run a saw left-handed when the situation calls for it, otherwise it's right-handed all the time. I've never really thought of it as left or right handed though, just more like straight or switch.