Can confirm. Chainsaw is sharp....

[Daniel Meyer]

Can confirm, chainsaw is sharp....

Chainsaw kicked back and down yesterday. Bang! Just that fast. Actually thought I'd just banged my leg with the butt of the saw...but no.

Linked pic instead of embedded for graphic/wound content....
http://lifeisaroad.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/chainsaw_cleaned.jpg

REALLY lucked out...no apparent nerve damage. Did not cut the artery, which is a miracle, since at least 3" of it is exposed. Could see/feel it pulse. May not have made it if I had...we're at least 1/2 hour from the nearest ER, and ambulances...maybe 15-20 minutes, depending on how busy at the time.

Was wearing over the ankle boots, so saved me some carnage at least. Didn't *think* I was in a bad position, but the results speak for themselves.

Since I've had somewhere north of 1000 stitches over the years, they went with staples for some variety

Again, linked instead of embedded for (slightly less graphic) wound content
http://lifeisaroad.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/chainsaw_stapled-scaled.jpg

Filled my boot full of blood...there's bloody footprints all over the place. Wife drove me to ER (30 miles). She parked under the ER awning, and went in to get a nurse and a wheelchair. Little 100 pound nurse says, "Hey what ya got?" and I uncovered the wound briefly (had a towel/pressure on it). "Ah Sh**, another chainsaw!" so apparently I wasn't the only one having a bad day.

They gave me exactly ONE real pain pill...since there's a war on patients...ur...drugs nowadays, and a scrip for Tylenol 3...which ain't touching this. Unpleasant night last night. Likely tonight too, but I'll probably be good after that.

As long as I don't get infected, I should be fine in a week or so. Staples out in 8-10 days.

[carolinarider09]

Good you did not have "serious" injuries.  I have a chainsaw, use is sparingly but understand what it can and can't and what it might do.  Biggest problem I have is getting the chains sharpened.  Have not seemed to work out how to use the "sharper" I purchased. 

I was a Forestry major for awhile. In our introductory classes at Clemson (1966) there was one class called, I think, "Taxonomy of Woody Stems".

Basically the class (maybe 20 of us) were sent out to a forest area to cut down pines and hardwoods and then cut them up into (as I remember) four foot lengths and stack them. It was an all day thing on a Saturday.  Oh we had to count the rings on the pines then record their age. 

Our tools, axes and crosscut saws, and a wedge or two. Had to fell the trees and then "buck" them up.  No one was injured but.... It sure gives one pause to appreciate logging, one of the most deadly jobs out there. 

Right up there with being a "lineman". 

[RNFWP]

I've elected not to look at the photos. (thanks for the warning) I'll take your word for it...

Glad to hear that it wasn't that slight bit worse and that you're on the mend.

Years ago watched a kid (contractor) working on my house, cut his leg open with a circular saw. He almost passed out before the ambulance arrived.

[Jess from VA]

Sorry for your troubles Daniel.

That wound is so big, you could smuggle stuff in it.  

I cut off all but one small bit of skin of a last finger joint in machinery (not telling, it's too embarrassing), and was bleeding all over the place.  Called the ambulance (back when they were free), and when they showed up I asked one of the EMTs if he would wipe the blood off my front door, because my wife was due home, and she would lose her mind.  Blood ran down from the knob to the floor

We don't do housecleaning sir.

Sure as hell, she came home a half hour later and lost her mind.  

Even though the rookie resident at the ER said he did his best to sew it back on, he didn't think that last finger joint could be saved.  For a month that finger looked like they sewed a dead mans' finger on me.  But it was saved and I still have it.  Took about 10 years to get the feeling back though.

PS: You might invest in some chainsaw chaps.  Most of them are bright safety orange, but that seems pretty stupid since chainsaws can't see.  

[Daniel Meyer]

Sorry for your troubles Daniel.

That wound is so big, you could smuggle stuff in it.  

I cut off all but one small bit of skin of a last finger joint in machinery (not telling, it's too embarrassing), and was bleeding all over the place.  Called the ambulance (back when they were free), and when they showed up I asked one of the EMTs if he would wipe the blood off my front door, because my wife was due home, and she would lose her mind.  Blood ran down from the knob to the floor

We don't do housecleaning sir.

Sure as hell, she came home a half hour later and lost her mind.  

Even though the rookie resident at the ER said he did his best to sew it back on, he didn't think that last finger joint could be saved.  For a month that finger looked like they sewed a dead mans' finger on me.  But it was saved and I still have it.  Took about 10 years to get the feeling back though.

PS: You might invest in some chainsaw chaps.  Most of them are bright safety orange, but that seems pretty stupid since chainsaws can't see.  

Heh...the wife was nearby and took me to the er, so at least I didn't have to worry her with a bunch of unexplained blood.

Chainsaw chaps or pants are definitely on the shopping list....I did not *think* I was in a vulnerable position, and I've got decades of messing around with sharp spinny things...but the results speak from themselves....

[Valkorado]

Pretty gnarly, Daniel.  Even though you were, I'm sure you didn't feel too lucky at the time.

If I remember correctly, another fellow VRCC member tangled with a chainsaw and was also lucky.  Maybe us Valkyrie riders should stay away from such perilous activity and keep within the sheltered realm of motorcycling.

[Rams]

Chainsaw chaps or pants are definitely on the shopping list....I did not *think* I was in a vulnerable position, and I've got decades of messing around with sharp spinny things...but the results speak from themselves....

Chaps and over the ankle leather boots are always good have along with some thick leather gloves, eye and hearing protection.   Considering what a chain saw does to a tree, one knows it'll do some real damage on human flesh and bones.   Glad it wasn't any worse that it is.

Rams

[Willow]

Ouch, Daniel!  That hurt just looking at it.

I am definitely an amateur casual chainsaw user.  It scares me.  With you, yourself and Joe, experienced users getting cut that way makes me think maybe I should keep my distance from those evil tools.

Get better and don't do that again.  There are less dramatic ways to come up with a new story.

[Moonshot_1]

First, most important, glad you got out of that with the damage done. Obviously could have ended really bad. Do everything you can to not let that get infected and to let it heal well.

Second, FREAKING AWESOME!!! Dodging death, knarly wound, and getting into the local chainsaw club at the ER. This is how legends are made.

Third, need to come up with some great story. Fighting off mad squirrels with the chainsaw and battled them to the end. While on the Valkyrie. Could photoshop some great photos.

Get well soon!


 

[cookiedough]

wow, that is nastly gash.  I have only worked chainsaw 2x's in my life, enough for me.  Last weekend borrowed neighbors chainsaw cut up 2 truckloads full of oak tree that fell.  Took a heck of a lot less time loading up truckbed completely full and emptying it vs. taking 1.5 hrs. cutting 6ft trunks into 3 sections about 100x's. 

No incidents but did stupidly point once while running at idle the chainsaw blade towards my wife standing next to me.  She yelled at me rightfully so me swinging my body around to her, accidents can and will happen eventually.

consider yourself lucky for sure.  After seeing the pro doing it from his bucket truck 40 ft up tying off huge limbs that came crashing down like a dagger 1 ft. into the grassy dirt below, I am not ever going to do that.  He was swinging his pretty small lightweight stihl around with one hand only like a crazy person having near 18 years experience doing it. 

[The emperor has no clothes]

That was pretty deep. I hope they took care of stitching up the cut muscle before they stapled you up.

It’s good to have a wife who doesn’t fold under pressure. Getting you there quickly, in one piece is important.

[Jess from VA]

I have no chainsaw.  I rarely need one.

I had some dead (and real hard) 5" VA red ceder to cut yesterday.  I thought about using my circular saw (from both sides).  The circular saw scares me more than a chainsaw, working while holding back the spring loaded safety cover.  

So I said nope, and used my bow saw.  My old shoulder wasn't sore enough.  And sure enough, it got sorer.


Years ago, I was working with a (borrowed) chainsaw up a tree on a 25 foot extension ladder.  I knew enough to tie the top of the ladder to the tree.  But when the big limb came swinging down, it knocked the ladder out from under me.  So I was dangling 25 feet up, hanging onto the limb stub with one hand, and holding the screaming chainsaw in the other, trying to keep it away from my legs. (I should have just dropped it, but I didn't want to break a borrowed tool.)

The wife hears the commotion and comes running down the yard, looks up and proceeds to give me a stern lecture on being more careful.

Honey, I'd be glad to listen to your lecture on safety, but could you please put the ladder back under me so I could stop hanging from the tree with a running chainsaw.  Then I'll climb down and you can give me a good lecture.

Wives.  You can't live with them, and you can't chop them up and bury them in the back yard.  

BTW, chainsaw chaps are not so tough they defeat the saw, they are made of a ballistic fiber that fly out when struck and jam the chain from spinning (and maybe stalling the motor). 

[98valk]

sorry to hear about your mishap. praying for a quick healing for you and the wife.

after Joe's mishap, I wear chaps and chainsaw gloves always now. I always wear the chaps over my carhartt double knee canvas jeans, with steel toe boots.

gloves I use

https://www.echo-usa.com/chainsaw-accessories/chainsaw-gloves

bought Labonville chaps, at the time considered one of the best and still top rated.
https://cspforestry.com/collections/labonville

[matt]

All I can say is Dam!!!!!

Heal quick

[Avanti]

All I can say is Kevlar and I pray for healing and good health.

[..]

Many years ago and my first time using a friends chain saw helping her to cut some wood..

I was standing legs spread with my feet on the wood I was cutting.

THE CHAIN came off and swung up towards "Big Jim and the twins".

Missed.

Since that day I check a chain saw rigorously before use.

My Ryobi electric does what I need it to do. No large diameter cutting for me.

[DIGGER]

Dang Daniel.....really sorry to see that happen to ya.   I dont use a chainsaw very often but manoman I really focus when using one.  I know you were being as careful as you can and it still happened....scary stuff.  Thats a bad cut.   Sure hope there is no permanent damage.   Kind of like riding motorcycles....being as careful as you can and it still happened.   
I dont use one often but yesterday me and one of my neighbors used our chainsaws to help a disabled neighbor drop a tree in their yard and chopped it up and put on his burn pile.  No chain saw accidents but I was stepping off a ladder (didn't have a chainsaw) and stepping off the bottom step I stepped into a small hole and crumbled and landed flat on my back.  Age 72 coulda been serious but I was ok.   
Seeing your post and your injury will make me even more carefull next time I use one.   Sorry man.

[f6john]

I don’t currently own a chainsaw and since windstorms have taken all my trees big enough to need a chainsaw, I can do my trimming with a reciprocating saw. Sorry that happened and I’m assuming you lucked out on its severity. It’s possible if you play it right, you could upgrade to a new Wing with the 7 speed DCT due to lingering pain and discomfort in your ankle and foot?

[0leman]

Back in the "younger" days, I was working on a thinning project during the winter.  Supposedly were there to do a time study, for a contract would be prepared to do big thinning project.  We, being sort of young and foolish, would cut the young trees, 2-3" in diameter - 10' tall, so that they would form a teepee, then cut the holding trees till the whole thing fell down.  Yeah, playing.  Anyway, the last tree I cut caused the chainsaw to kick back.  Saw caught my pants across my left knee which was bent.  Not sure why I only had a cut across my knee.  Didn't catch the bone.  Had 8 stitches.  still have the scar.  Ruined a nearly pair of Levis.  Got my Boss in trouble because my personal jacket didn't show any chainsaw training, none of us had chaps on.  (we did have eye protection and hard hats).  I had been running a chain saw for a number of years at that time.

[Farside]

  OUCH! I'm not a big user of chainsaws and that's why. I'm lucky that my neighbors are though after all the hurricanes we've been through; you'd think I would be. I've used the little ones for small branches but that is about it. Keep and eye on it as you know infections can set back the healing process. Prayers for a speedy recovery. 

[da prez]

  First big scare was with a 27" maul saw. Cutting on a steep hill. Slipped and the saw came down on my knee. Thought I cut thru my knee cap. I could feel the blood pouring out of my knee. Got to the top , dropped my pants and there was only a surface cut. Did not even get stitches. The gushing blood was sweat.
 Fast forward a few years , I was chainsaw certified for a construction job. I still use a chainsaw , but have all the protection gear.  It has never been scratched. I am careful.

                                                   da prez

                                           

[john]

"Ah Sh**, another chainsaw!"     ........... whoa

[RP#62]

Yikes.  Glad it wasn't any worse and I hope you heal quickly.  I've found that you can make the chainsaw much safer by cutting up old railroad ties.  After a few passes, the saw will be so safe it will barely cut anything.


-RP

[Serk]

"Ah Sh**, another chainsaw!" so apparently I wasn't the only one having a bad day.

I shouldn't have laughed.

I'd never laugh at a comment like that.

I laughed.

Glad it wasn't worse, and I'll have to start training the triplets to use the chainsaw sooner rather than later to lessen my chances of doing the same!

[csj]

I'm just about to go out and knock down some dead sumacs with my chainsaw.
Good warning.

Heal up, man.

[Big Bear]

I have been thinking about buying some chainsaw chaps ever since I put a hole in my jeans near the ankle last year but I was lucky and had no skin damage.  The picture got me to order chaps now.  Something about 30 minutes away and bleeding out sounds important.

Thanks for the inspiration.  I hope it heals up well for you.

[Skinhead]

A gal I went to high school with had a brother who was cutting a tree and the chain saw kicked back and caught him in the neck.  My understanding is he bled out before the EMTs got there.  He now has a memorial bridge named after him on a former RR line converted to a bike trail.  Chain saws are serious.

[Daniel Meyer]

Well, here we are 13 days in and I've got about half the staples out. It IS progressing, and from my perspective looks pretty good and certainly hurts a lot less. Follow-up doc (NOT the ER) isn't so much...thinks it should be further along and that the ER should have done more like some internal suturing before stapling me up and maybe a drain for a couple days so it would heal better/faster. Too late for that now, unless it gets infected/necrotic and surgery is necessary. I don't think it's headed that way.

Another follow-up Monday with the doc, and a Tues appt with a wound care specialist to look it over.

[Rams]

Well, here we are 13 days in and I've got about half the staples out. It IS progressing, and from my perspective looks pretty good and certainly hurts a lot less. Follow-up doc (NOT the ER) isn't so much...thinks it should be further along and that the ER should have done more like some internal suturing before stapling me up and maybe a drain for a couple days so it would heal better/faster. Too late for that now, unless it gets infected/necrotic and surgery is necessary. I don't think it's headed that way.

Another follow-up Monday with the doc, and a Tues appt with a wound care specialist to look it over.

Based on the above, let's try to avoid that infection thing..........   Glad to learn you're progressing and looking forward to seeing you and attending a few of your classes in Roanoke.   I hope you're still a go for that?

Rams

[Skinhead]

I had my chainsaw out yesterday to remove a 14" limb from my oak tree.  I'm installing a storage shed ( if the city approves my permit) and this limb would have hit the shed.  Needless to say after your and Joe's mishaps, I was very apprehensive.  Good news is only oak was cut. 

I hope the healing goes well for you Daniel.

[Daniel Meyer]

Glad to learn you're progressing and looking forward to seeing you and attending a few of your classes in Roanoke.   I hope you're still a go for that?

Rams

That's still the plan.

[Daniel Meyer]

Needless to say after your and Joe's mishaps, I was very apprehensive.  Good news is only oak was cut. 

Heh...I've gotta admit...just passing the chainsaw (it still sits where the wife dumped it when I made her fetch it from the yard) the leg "twinges" a bit.

I'll get back on the horse for sure...but not till my chainsaw pants get here.

[carolinarider09]

My chainsaw pictured below.  I don't have chainsaw pants but I always were long jeans and long sleeves and use leather gloves, hard hat and safety glasses. 

I use ropes and block and tackle arrangements to control certain tree fellings.  Each time it is used, the thought is, what is the worst that can happen. 

My second chainsaw, first one was 16" blade.  This one is 18".   

Oh and I am left handed so.... there is that to worry about also. 

Glad you are moving forward. 

[Alien]

This is making me question my lifetime dream of becoming a nudist logger.  Glad you're  going to be ok.  Watch close for signs of infection.

Ride Safe,

Alien

[Daniel Meyer]

Well, here we are more than a month later...and it seems finally, the wound is closed. Not *healed* mind you, but closed. Still got filling settling and so on...

[carolinarider09]

 

[Oss]

Progress is good

Hope you have a complete healing

Girls like scars....hope your wife is no exception

See ya soon

[Jess from VA]

Well, here we are more than a month later...and it seems finally, the wound is closed. Not *healed* mind you, but closed.

In a related matter, I had a crown (molar) fall out of my head a couple weeks ago.

My torturer (the dentist) Xrayed it, and it can't be fixed (decay in the root).

So I get the shots and he digs the two roots (molars have 2) out of my head.

I ask if he will stitch the hole(s) closed and he says no they will heal.  Just lay off eating on and brushing the wound site.

Three weeks later, it's still not fully closed, but healing. 

I ought to go back and have him look at it.... but I don't want to. 

He'll just want to cause me additional pain and suffering so he can charge me another fee. 

[scooperhsd]

I HATE going to the dentist (and I goto 2 - my regular one and a periodontist for deep cleaning). I'm currently missing 13 teeth, most of them due to having them pulled for some reason or another. Then again there are other medical professionals I'm not too fond of either - G.I. for example (colonscopy / endoscopes for ulcers / treatment).

[3fan4life]

I HATE going to the dentist (and I goto 2 - my regular one and a periodontist for deep cleaning). I'm currently missing 13 teeth, most of them due to having them pulled for some reason or another. Then again there are other medical professionals I'm not too fond of either - G.I. for example (colonscopy / endoscopes for ulcers / treatment).

For some reason that made me think of this:

Fifty-one years ago, Herman James, a North Carolina mountain man, was drafted by the Army. On his first day in basic training, the Army issued him a comb. That afternoon the Army barber sheared off all his hair. On his second day, the Army issued Herman a toothbrush. That afternoon the Army dentist yanked seven of his teeth. On the third day, the Army issued him a jock strap............ The Army has been looking for Herman for 51 years.