Chainsaw trousers can be an investment. The good ones don’t come cheap. This is why you need to make sure that the ones you pick out are going to be the best ones you can find for your money.
As you probably know, working with trees and chainsaws can be very dangerous. The hazards include losing a limb and death. There’s a lot of protective equipment that helps you stay safe. Even if you are trained, accidents happen all the time. An untrained person is at even greater risk. Although the safety equipment cannot guarantee your safety in every situation, it will protect you against the most common hazards that you’re going to be up again. Between boots, a helmet, sturdy gloves, and chainsaw trousers, you are as equipped as you can get to protect yourself.
To see what we need in the trousers, let’s first take a look at the chainsaw. The chain that goes around the chainsaw is designed to shred wood as it goes through. Each link in the chain has several small blades that cut through that would so efficiently. It works just as efficiently if it goes into your leg. It will cut right through it. It doesn’t leave a clean cut but shreds your flesh which makes it very difficult for a doctor to sew back together. It can cut deep, right through your leg if you’re not prepared.
So this is where chainsaw trousers come in. The first thing you need to look at is what type you need. If you’re a professional tree surgeon, you need to get the full trousers. These usually have straps over your shoulder and go all the way around your leg. If you just cut a couple trees down each year for firewood, you don’t need that much equipment. You can get away with just the chaps that tie to your legs.
Next you’ve got a look at the material that they are made out of. They’re going to be covered in a very sturdy thick material, much thicker than denim. This is essentially keeping the trousers together. This won’t actually protect you at all. You need the outer fabric to be resistant to any tears that may come along from chopping the wood.
Next you need to consider what’s inside them. Between the layers a sturdy fabric is shreds and shreds of nylon and Kevlar cord. When the chainsaw breaks through that top layer of fabric, it is exposed these cords of Kevlar and nylon. That Kevlar and nylon is going to get caught up in the chain links of the chainsaw. As the chain spins, it’s going to be brought to the gear that turns it. Once there, the chainsaw is jammed and stops. Consider how fast the chain makes one rotation. It jams the saw faster than it goes one rotation. So, unless your chainsaw is coming down really fast, it’s going to stop the chainsaw before it gets through your leg. Even in a situation where your chainsaw’s going really fast, it will stop the chainsaw before it gets further than a half inch into your leg. This is so much better than cutting your leg off.