6 Kickback and Other Reactive Forces
► Read and follow the instructions on engag‐
ing and disengaging the chain brake,
and maintaining and repairing it,
2. Low Kickback Saw Chain and Reduced Kick‐
back Bars
STIHL offers a variety of guide bars and chains.
STIHL reduced kickback bars and low kickback
chains are designed to reduce the risk of kick‐
back injury. Other chains are designed to ach‐
ieve higher cutting performance or sharpening
ease, but are more prone to kickback and may
kick back with more energy, making it more diffi‐
cult to control the chain saw.
STIHL has developed a color code system to
help you identify the STIHL reduced kickback
bars and low kickback chains.
– Cutting attachments with green labels on the
packaging are designed to reduce the risk of
kickback injury.
– Matching green-marked or labeled chain saws
with green-labeled bars and green-labeled
chains provides compliance with the computed
kickback angle requirements of the chain saw
standards when the products are in their origi‐
nal condition.
– Products with yellow labels are for users with
extraordinary cutting needs, who have experi‐
ence and specialized training for dealing with
kickback.
STIHL recommends the use of its green-labeled
reduced kickback bars, green-labeled low kick‐
back chains and a chain saw equipped with a
STIHL Quickstop chain brake for both experi‐
enced and inexperienced operators.
STIHL recommends green-labeled bars and
chains for all chain saws. See your "STIHL Bar
and Chain Information" leaflet for details.
New bar and chain combinations may be devel‐
oped after publication of this literature, which will,
in combination with certain electric chain saws,
comply with the chain saw standards as well.
WARNING
■ Use of bar and chain combinations not listed
in the STIHL Bar and Chain Information leaflet
(or other combinations that do not comply with
the chain saw standards) may increase kick‐
back forces as well as the propensity for kick‐
back, and increase the risk of kickback injury.
► If you are unsure which bar and chain com‐
bination to select, ask your authorized
STIHL servicing dealer to properly match
your chain saw with the appropriate bar and
0458-022-8201-A
chain combination to reduce the risk of kick‐
back injury.
15,
■ Reduced kickback bars and low kickback
15.3.
chains do not prevent kickback, but they are
designed to reduce the risk of kickback injury.
► STIHL recommends green-labeled bars and
green-labeled chains for all chain saws and
all users.
■ Even if your saw is equipped with a Quickstop
chain brake, a reduced kickback bar and/or
low kickback chain, this does not eliminate the
risk of injury from kickback.
► Observe all safety precautions discussed in
this manual to avoid kickback situations.
a. Low Kickback Saw Chain
Some types of chain have specially designed
components to reduce the propensity for kick‐
back and the force of kickback if it occurs. STIHL
has developed low kickback chain for your chain
saw.
A "low kickback chain" is a chain that has met
the kickback performance requirements of
CSA Z62.3 when tested according to the provi‐
sions specified in CSA Z62.3.
WARNING
■ Some low kickback chains have not been tes‐
ted with all chain saw and bar combinations.
There are potential saw, bar and low kickback
chain combinations which have not been spe‐
cifically certified to comply with the 45° com‐
puter-derived kickback angle of the chain saw
standards.
► STIHL recommends green-labeled bars and
green-labeled chains for all chain saws and
all users.
► Please see your STIHL Bar and Chain
Information leaflet for the appropriate bar
and chain combinations for your saw.
► If you are unsure which bar and chain com‐
bination to select, ask your authorized
STIHL servicing dealer to properly match
your chain saw with the appropriate bar and
chain combination to reduce the risk of kick‐
back injury.
■ A blunt or incorrectly sharpened chain may
reduce or negate the effectiveness of design
features intended to reduce kickback energy
and the propensity for kickback. Improper low‐
ering or sharpening of the depth gauges or
changing the shape of the cutters may
increase the risk and the energy of kickback.
► Always cut with a properly sharpened
chain.
English
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