So, you don't think it can happen to you?

hmm. I'm going to go ahead and buy those chaps I've been thinking about.

Yikes! glad to hear he's OK...more or less.

madrone said:

hmm. I'm going to go ahead and buy those chaps I've been thinking about.

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I've kind of ignored all of the talk about chaps.... but this makes me think I should be seriously considering them. Fathers day gift?

That is why I wear my PPE. I am glad he is going to be ok.

i know i could hapen to me - hence the reason i always wear chaps when i start my saw

Ewww, I got myself once. You do not forget it!

I bought the chaps when I bought the big Stihl.

But shouldn't he have been on one side of the tree and cutting the other?

Have I read that right?

ppe! is much cheapier than the DR.

nasty nasty nasty-

LLigetfa said:

relic said:

But shouldn't he have been on one side of the tree and cutting the other?

Have I read that right?

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Ja, that's how I read it, that he was reaching across to the left side of his body. That is a position people should never get themselves in. When you look at the OSHA charts of the common injury points, Pete's injury is a classic and I'm sure in hindsight, he realizes it. My own experiences also bear that out.

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Daumn!

That's got to hurt.

At least he was man enough to admit it and kind enough to share it.

I think I'm smarter already just from looking at that wound.

My step daughter said "it's not that bad, I thought it was going to be hanging off". When she gets a paper cut its a screaming fest!

I had two close calls where I ripped the jeans but didnt hit the skin...........chaps are a good $70 investment.............nasty wounds

Wow! I've always thought about getting chaps, and have had some close calls myself.......think I'll be ordering me a set along with some steel toe boots.

Any ideas on where to find the best price on chaps?

Tfin said:

Wow! I've always thought about getting chaps, and have had some close calls myself.......think I'll be ordering me a set along with some steel toe boots.

Any ideas on where to find the best price on chaps?

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I started shopping around for prices and found not a whole lot of differences in cost really - with a few really out there. I'd suggest find the onest that fit that you can get your hands on today or as soon as you can before you forget your motivation and put off getting them. Trying to save $20-40 on something that likely you will use for several years to save a lot of pain and potentially far more expensive medical bills doesn't really make good economic sense.

I ended up paying more for mine (irked me a bit) buying them retail from where I had my saw serviced when I first bought it a month or so ago. Now I have no regrets - thankfully I have yet to nick the chaps (they are very dirty mind you! - about to try washing them, they do say machine washable) - but I know that had I not bought them right away I would have been cutting without them without a doubt. I can't imagine how hard it would be to get around to buying them once I had a habit of not cutting with them on. I think I'm at the point where I'd feel uncomfortable without them on (naked!).

I only wish I had bought the face shield at the same time so I'd have a habit of wearing it too... sunglasses probably don't offer nearly the same protection eh? I keep meaning to go back and get one but...

When I bought mine at my Stihl dealer, it said to wash them before use.............not sure why........but I did nick them a couple months into using them....

11 Bravo said:

When I bought mine at my Stihl dealer, it said to wash them before use.............not sure why........but I did nick them a couple months into using them....

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STIHL Pro Mark items are "Wash and Wear." They do not require dry cleaning as other brands do. It just means you can wash them in a washing machine

Nine layer STIHL chaps are $85. My leg is worth WAY more than that.
Caterpillar steel toed 3/4 length boots are $65. My toes are worth WAY more than that.
STIHL helmet with integrated face shield and ear muffs are $50. My eyesight and hearing are worth WAY more than that.

Whenever I see people wondering about the cost of PPE I always have to cringe. Seriously, why wouldn't you get the best stuff you can buy? No one thinks twice about spending $500 on an MS361 but then they go out and cut in sneakers and jeans.

My $0.02!

Good lord, relax.......I wasn't debating on whether or not I should purchase PPE! And I don't see a problem with inquiring how much they cost. If I can get something for $75 that's just as good as a $200 version but doen't happen to have a "name brand", then what's the harm?

No one's trying to put a price on appendages or life for that matter.

Steel toe boots aren't always enough protection.. Here's my story:

I was out cutting in my wood lot about a month ago and had a really close call. I was bucking a limb, maybe 3" in diameter or so. I was making the last cut, holding the short end down with my foot and the saw kicked and ran right back across my left boot, a fraction of an inch behind the steel toe. I was wearing my 12 year old steel-toe insulated Carolinas, which were my favorite boots. The saw cut through the leather, insulation, and came close enough to my toes that it took some fuzz off the top of my wool sock. It left a 3" cut in the boot. It happened quick, and it _hurt_. It scared the hell out of me, let me tell you. If the saw went about an inch lower it would have taken off my big toe, and at least a few others.

So, here's what I changed.. First, I ordered a pair of chainsaw boots, and I won't saw without them from now on. Second, I won't cut alone anymore if at all possible. Third, I don't hold limbs with my foot anymore.

Be careful out there.

Josh

Actually that was rather my point on the chaps - when I was looking around I didn't find a very wide range in price for the chaps. Seemed that they were as 'low' as $75 (online some shipping required) and as high as $130 for comparable. Differences in prices seemed to come with differences in length and coverage - i.e. if you want to wrap around your calves and come all the way down to cover tops of your boots you pay more. Perhaps there are some less known brands out there for less, but I didn't find any really significantly (i.e. 50%) cheaper ones that actually were comparable from a coverage point of view.

I expect, however, now that I have worn these - that someone out there must have invented a pair that offer good protection and are not so blasted hot or heavy. If so, I bet they get to charge a premium for those!

Oh - and to the argument of "$xx is worth it to protect your foot/arm/face etc" - Although I agree, it is somewhat of a rhetorical device isn't it? I can't put a price on my life or body parts but that doesn't mean I'll shell out every last dime I have to buy ppe to protect them. By that argument I'd have to give up cutting, driving, and all other fun things in life and live in a padded room eh? I see nothing wrong with balancing good fiscal responsibility with protecting myself.

When I was a kid I was bulletproof, fortunately I was able to dodge a lot of them (both in and out of the military!) without too much concern for ppe or commonsense. Now older with only slightly more wisdom, I saw the sense in chaps this spring when I started cutting wood in earnest to feed my Woodmaster. No close calls yet, but it's only a matter of time. Hopefully I won't have one of those stupid accidents where I run-up the saw for some silly little job and end up with serious consequences.
Interesting to note from that OSHA info significantly more head injuries from chainsaws than foot injuries; I wouldn't expect that.

Woodsman_WI said:

Nine layer STIHL chaps are $85. My leg is worth WAY more than that.
Caterpillar steel toed 3/4 length boots are $65. My toes are worth WAY more than that.
STIHL helmet with integrated face shield and ear muffs are $50. My eyesight and hearing are worth WAY more than that.

Whenever I see people wondering about the cost of PPE I always have to cringe. Seriously, why wouldn't you get the best stuff you can buy? No one thinks twice about spending $500 on an MS361 but then they go out and cut in sneakers and jeans.

My $0.02!

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there are some nicer helmet systems out there than the stihls(100.00+) and boots (250.00+) and up got to draw the line some where Good ppe will pay for its self, your on the right track but even the chepier stuff can save your @ss