# why where a forestry helmit when cutting fire wood!



## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

http://www.stihlusa.com/products/protective-and-work-wear/head-and-face-protection/sfhs/

cause when you least expect it you will be cutting some little 1 1/2 inch sapling out of the way and it will be holding the end of a branch you didn't see for all the leaves and It will cause the large branch that was up there to roll and drop and smack you in the head 

I should have been paying better attention to where I was but I had that happen to me this morning , luckily and for my helmet I suffered only a few scratches from something that could have been very very painful and a number of stitches to my head 

It hit me hard enough that it knocked my safety glasses off took me to my knees and while I might have lifted it off myself it was very helpful that a friend was close by to help lift it off of me 

I will be much more carefull around that type of half down tree in the future


----------



## Dixie Bee Acres (Jul 22, 2013)

Glad you are alright, and a good reminder. I don't yet have a helmet, but was just looking at ordering one the other day, as well as a set of chaps. They are kinda costly, but I ran a chainsaw into my knee earlier this year, and would prefer to not have to get stitches or worse again.
As soon as I have the cash, I will be ordering helmet, and chaps.


----------



## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

I also have the chaps , they are cheaper than stitches , last time we had stiches it was my daughter who did a flying leap off a bunk bed and needed 3 above her eye , 900 dollars I had to cover the 100 deductible and 20% and we have decent insurance . the gear is cheaper than the injury for sure

luckily my wife bought me the safety gear for Christmas the year I bought my saw and started cutting regular about 7 years ago when we got our wood stove


----------



## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

I was once almost knocked down by a small limb that fell off a tree that my partner was cutting. I was standing 10-15' away next to another tree but it still got me.


----------



## Chuck R. (Apr 24, 2008)

I have a Stihl helmet that my FIL gave me, I wear it religiously while cutting. Haven't had anything large drop on me yet, but the face-shield has saved me a bunch of times from chunks, and the earmuffs are pretty good to. I usually run my MP3 player ear buds under them. 

Chuck


----------



## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Good idea to have some one that can run a chain saw in the wood with you also. 
Several years ago a friend had his woods selected log off. Since he burned fire wood he was cleaning up the tops. One night he didn't return to the house for supper. Wife went looking for him when it got dark and he still hadn't came to the house. She found the tractor and trailer and finally did find him pined under a big limb dead. Seems he had cut a limb and the top rolled and another big limb caught him and pined his face & arms in the dirt.

 Al


----------



## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

I don't normally have the luxury of having someone who can help me , but I was lucky yesterday I was cutting at a friends farm we were clearing an area of storm damaged trees many that were snapped off 20-30 feet up , I would cut some to free them up then he would pull them out with the tractor 

most of the time i take my son who isn't big enough to run a chain saw yet , but knows how to call me help from the cell phone , and I get decent signal where I cut and If I am lucky he loads the smaller wood on the trailer , he gets better and better as he gets older , he is big enough to run the log splitter with close supervision he likes that , but it is slower than me doing it , but it's getting better


----------



## poorboy (Apr 15, 2006)

About 40 years ago I was cutting a large tall red oak. i made my directional notch then sawed through from the other side till the tree started to move...took a couple of steps back to the side to watch and wham I'm face down in the dirt...seems as how a 2+" thick "widowmaker" dead limb took that particular time to fall before the tree started to move..It just missed my skull and struck me with enormous force across my shoulder!:stars:


----------



## big rockpile (Feb 24, 2003)

Worse I ever had was a Tree flatten the Cab of my Pickup with me in it.  Not good, Hurt and Blood.

big rockpile


----------



## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

big rockpile said:


> Worse I ever had was a Tree flatten the Cab of my Pickup with me in it.  Not good, Hurt and Blood.
> 
> big rockpile


You too huh?

I did that once. It caved in the roof, broke the windshield and dented the hood but that's all.


----------



## K-9 (Jul 27, 2007)

Glad you are okay, helmets really do make a difference. I imagine you know this but you need to replace yours now, anytime they take a blow like that they should be replaced and every 5 years if they have taken a blow or not. Chaps are also supposed to be replaced every 5 years but for a person cutting a normal amount of firewood who keeps them clean and out of the sun when not in use you might get by with longer but the standard is every 5 years or when they get oil soaked which ever comes first. It sure gives a person a funny feeling though to feel something hit your helmet and think about what could have happened had you not had it but you know this very well now.


----------



## big rockpile (Feb 24, 2003)

fishhead said:


> You too huh?
> 
> I did that once. It caved in the roof, broke the windshield and dented the hood but that's all.


 Mine blowed the Back Window in, bounced my face off the Steering Wheel, put knot on my head, cut me up with the glass.

big rockpile


----------



## copperkid3 (Mar 18, 2005)

big rockpile said:


> Mine blowed the Back Window in, bounced my face off the Steering Wheel, put knot on my head, cut me up with the glass.
> 
> big rockpile


+ + + + + +
But . . . were you wearing your helmet?


----------



## big rockpile (Feb 24, 2003)

copperkid3 said:


> + + + + + +
> But . . . were you wearing your helmet?


 Yea sure and my Seat Belt ound: Not!

big rockpile


----------



## edcopp (Oct 9, 2004)

Free firewood, gott'a love it.


----------

