I read your completed scene first, ukelelejack, before coming here.
The Poulan XXV works but the running joke back then was: “Yup, it’s a Poulan… I’ve done poulan ‘er and poulan ‘er and she still don’t start!” There’s a similar one regarding a Homelite salesman and a band of pygmies. Also a saw from ’72 would make him around 51 years old. If you want older try a Pioneer P40. Overall, you have the condition down well.
As for the advantages of a rear handle over a top - I’ll leave that one alone. Plenty of bars have lost their licenses over the ensuing brawls borne of that discussion. It’s kinda like the Ford/Chevy thing. I’ll get one dig in though - using a top handled saw in a tree is like going at a whale with a pen knife!
As for the ‘butts - Not too many of the old guys would flick his ‘butts out on the lawn. Sawdust, stumps and heel marks are all that’s left behind. But I’ve never saw one crush one out on the tree. Most would crush them between their thumb and finger then stuff it in their shirt pocket. I know one who would chew his cigar butt when done smoking it. Sounds disgusting but it didn’t take long for the groundguys to learn to keep looking up!
