Got thinking about chainsaws and?

[Exhaustgases]

Not sure if I asked this question here before. But how old were you when you ran one by yourself? And remember the older you are now the heavier the saws were when you was a youngin. I was around 10 when I did. I ran it younger but dad had to start it for me, 8 then.
Gosh 9 year old grand kids, would never let them even try it, even with a small super light weight one, for many reasons, beside it would likely scare em anyway.
I know an old logger guy that was demonstrating the very first one man chainsaws made, at a local fair back in the early fifty's I think he said he was 10 or 12 years old then. The saw I ran was listed as 18 lbs with out the 18 inch bar and chain, it was one of the smallest in the day.

 

[TheLastWord]

My aunt in her 90's used an electric type for small trees. I wouldn't think about talking her out of it.

Small like 14" or so.

Born in 1900, died in 2000 just short of her hundred year birthday.

 

[spasm3]

I was 13, cutting firewood to heat our house. Homelight XL blue. Manual oiler, it was loud, no hearing protection.

 

[FT92]

I think I was in my early 20's when i first used a chainsaw and yeah, they were a lot heavier then . if memory serves it was an old homlite 18-inch bar. these day I'm pushing 70 and have a Stihl 16-inch bar, a lot lighter I just don't use a chainsaw as much anymore

 

[billt460]

When it comes to operating potentially dangerous tools and firearms, age takes a backseat to common sense and maturity. I've seen a few 16 year olds with more maturity and common sense than some 40 year olds.

 

[E150GT]

Ah I can still remember my first time. The year was 2023. I was 39 years old. Yup. Never used a chainsaw until then. The smell of leather gloves and bar oil brought back childhood memories though. I used to go with my dad to his property and he has an old Stihl chainsaw that weighs a ton he would use. Even as a teen I was never allowed to use it because it's heavy for one and two it has no brake. One day I will own that saw.

 

[JeffKeryk]

I used a small electric saw in my teens, but ran lots of 2 cycle power saws for years in my 20's.
You have to respect the tool.

 

[maineiac]

I was 13 or 14. Ran dad's small Homelite XL (red!) first and then he rented a Stihl Farmboss to clean up after an ice storm. I ran that thing for 2 days straight. I wonder what dad thought about that. So began a lifelong infatuation with the things (and zero injuries... sound of knocking on wood!).

 

[doitmyself]

I was 13, cutting firewood to heat our house. Homelight XL blue. Manual oiler, it was loud, no hearing protection.

Back when Homelight and McCullough were legitimate very high quality saws. But even then, the European makes like Jonsereds, Stihl, etc. were moving forward faster with improvements.

Age 19 was first time in college for me. Prof was p.o.'ed when I cut into brand new pair of chaps.

 

[maineiac]

Back when Homelight and McCullough were legitimate very high quality saws. But even then, the European makes like Jonsereds, Stihl, etc. were moving forward faster with improvements.

Age 19 was first time in college for me. Prof was p.o.'ed when I cut into brand new pair of chaps.

I remember getting a Husqvarna 266SE (67cc saw) back in the early 80s and never looked back at any domestic saws - today it's a Stihl, Husqvarna world with an occasional Echo thrown in there.

 

[WobblyElvis]

I was 10, perhaps younger, using a saw by myself. It was the 60's and they were not light. Looking back I think that was foolish.

 

[DriveHard]

Chain saw...not until high school, guessing 14-15ish. Axe or splitting maul...now that I started about age 9-10.

 

[spasm3]

Back when Homelight and McCullough were legitimate very high quality saws. But even then, the European makes like Jonsereds, Stihl, etc. were moving forward faster with improvements.

Age 19 was first time in college for me. Prof was p.o.'ed when I cut into brand new pair of chaps.

I think we also had a sachs-dolmar saw, it was more powerful, and my dad only had me use the homelight xl7.

My experience now, having used chainsaws a lot, and having a very powerful saw, is that the light less powerful saws can be more dangerous.

In the 70's we didn't have any chaps, no one around us had any sort of chaps.

I wear them now though!

 

[Exhaustgases]

Yeah, can be dangerous stuff, in the wrong hands. I think the light weight small saws are the worse, especially the top handle types, if your holding one hand. Chaps never had any, but now being older I'm getting some soon, read too many horror stories online.
I feel the very heavy older saws are a bit safer, especially slow running gear drive saws.

 

[UncleDave]

about 8 - helped grandpa clearing wood from a recently acquired piece of land.

Pretty sure it was a Mculloch.

My skills were declared "ok, for a city kid".

 

[Silverado12]

I first used a chainsaw at 28 years old after we had a tornado in 1989 but shot a gun at 10 way back in 1971 LOL.

 

[BrianF]

Back in the mid 90's as a teen. My dad showed me how to run my uncles poorly running, dull chained saw. We were clearing bush on some farm land. He taught me some safety tips to control that dull POS.