Breakaway lanyards

A vague recollection of my 1st saw grab was probably a poor cut early in my work. The second one was leaning dead rotten spar tip that parted off a bit prematurely with a weird snap off. It was as high as I dare go so the piece had a bit extra lean power. I was tied to an adjacent tree but lanyarded to the rotten one.

Two full burgers is my protest of the take over of New England Ropes:)
 
Been doing lots of storm damaged trees lately with weird tensions and potential for big movements, There's been a few cuts where I unclipped my saw lanyard "just in case".
Agreed that everytime I've had a saw hang up has been an error on my part but we all make mistakes from time to time, especially when work positioning is poor or we are fatigued.
 
Any tool lanyard from my perspective should have a weak link before it effects my body adversely.
I agree that saw lanyards should be used and strong enough they won’t break under normal use. This isn’t a substitute for safe work practices and cutting.
The few saw snatches I’ve had gave me a strong tug but have always cleared themselves. Once at the expense of the bar even.
Typically there are two situations that causes saw snatch. A snap cut where the outward or upper cut is made last and it gets hung up in the curf. Or cutting through the hinge corner and making a bypass as the piece goes. Both are operator error and should be avoided.
 
One "the nature of the wood" oddity I encountered was a conifer spar snap cut that wouldn't snap. When I finally got the bugger to go I could see previously pruned branches grown over many years that formed an internal radial dowels system that had freakishly aligned with the "snap" wood. One vote for operator proficiency can't overcome all scenarios. My second vote was my rotten leaning anecdote. Few and far between but exist.

The inboard/outboard snap cut order/grab is well known IMO but often instructed as grab mode (?)
 
evo said:
Any tool lanyard from my perspective should have a weak link before it effects my body adversely.
I agree that saw lanyards should be used and strong enough they won’t break under normal use. This isn’t a substitute for safe work practices and cutting.
The few saw snatches I’ve had gave me a strong tug but have always cleared themselves. Once at the expense of the bar even.
Typically there are two situations that causes saw snatch. A snap cut where the outward or upper cut is made last and it gets hung up in the curf. Or cutting through the hinge corner and making a bypass as the piece goes. Both are operator error and should be avoided.
Click to expand...
Chasing a back cut can result in an error where the hinge is accidentally gutted by the tip.


Seems likely worse or possibly only a problem with Humboldt or open-face cuts.
 
Bart_ said:
One "the nature of the wood" oddity I encountered was a conifer spar snap cut that wouldn't snap. When I finally got the bugger to go I could see previously pruned branches grown over many years that formed an internal radial dowels system that had freakishly aligned with the "snap" wood. One vote for operator proficiency can't overcome all scenarios. My second vote was my rotten leaning anecdote. Few and far between but exist.

The inboard/outboard snap cut order/grab is well known IMO but often instructed as grab mode (?)
Click to expand...
Limb drop-cuts used to be taught as top-cut toward the outside. That seems riskier than top-cut positioned closer to the collar.
 
Dead on the top is fine, like standing on the edge of a roof is fine. Just don't go a smidge too far.


I was wondering if there is any risk of a dog-tooth release on a bored backcut (UK-style) compared to a lower, horizontal release.
 
I've had a saw snatched out of my hands... one time I can think of? It was a 20" 361 making a terrible cut on a big reach I shouldn't have done, but I was young, inexperienced and it was the end of the day. It actually bent and ruined the chain and I've never forgotten that mistake. I've also dropped a climbing saw (which was caught by the lanyard) a few times by missing the saw holder when trying to put it back on my belt for whatever reason. The other day my saw actually got caught on a branch and pulled out of my saw holder as I was moving over some limbs, only to fall and be caught by the lanyard. I've never dropped a saw, but stuff happens.
 
One major event for me. Yes it was definitely my fault. Poor position while performing branch end reduction led to sloppy cutting a heavy branch end. Pulled the saw hard enough that my brain said let go! Bent the chain but the lanyard held
 
Appreciate the technique of top cut dead-on aligned with under cut, but is that not technically a different cut than bypassing lower and upper cuts followed by e.g. manually breaking off and lobbing the cut piece into the (small) drop zone? I regard bypass style as the same for the cases limb/leader vertical/angled/horizontal with different snap wood strength constraints on each.

edit - fly in the lanyard strength ointment: petzl gear loops are only rated 10 or 15 kg - when you direct attach your saw "securely". wonder about other brand saddle gear loops

tree motion manual - 10 kg gear attachment but also mentions surviving 60 cm fall/catch so there's headroom built in i.e. not mbs
buckingham - 15lbs max chainsaw attachment
 
Last edited:
Bart_ said:
edit - fly in the lanyard strength ointment: petzl gear loops are only rated 10 or 15 kg - when you direct attach your saw "securely". wonder about other brand saddle gear loops

tree motion manual - 10 kg gear attachment but also mentions surviving 60 cm fall/catch so there's headroom built in i.e. not mbs
buckingham - 15lbs max chainsaw attachment
Click to expand...

Those are working loads, not ultimate breaking strength.

A proper chainsaw lanyard would be designed to breakaway at a 'specific' load and able to 'absorb' a dropped load of specific weight and height. The user would be confident of the design properties of his tool and so knowledgeably use it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

New threads New posts

Kask Stihl NORTHEASTERN Arborists Wesspur TreeStuff.com Teufelberger Westminster X-Rigging Teufelberger
Back
Top Bottom