Stihl MS 441 Instruction Manual page 15

English
Devices for reducing the risk of
kickback injury
STIHL recommends the use of the
STIHL Quickstop chain brake on your
powerhead with green labeled reduced
kickback bars and low kickback chains.
!
Warning!
To reduce the risk of injury, never use a
saw if the chain brake does not function
properly. Take the saw to your local
STIHL servicing dealer. Do not use the
saw until the problem has been rectified.
STIHL Quickstop chain brake
STIHL has developed a chain stopping
system designed to reduce the risk of
injury in certain kickback situations. It is
called a Quickstop chain brake. The
Quickstop chain brake is standard
equipment on your STIHL chainsaw.
14
When a kickback occurs, the guide bar
may rotate around the front handle. If the
cutting position is such that the
operator's left hand is gripping the front
handle behind the hand guard, and if the
left hand rotates around the front handle
and makes a sufficiently forceful contact
with the front hand guard, which is the
Quickstop activating lever, this contact
will activate a properly maintained
Quickstop chain brake. The chain brake
on newer STIHL chainsaws can also be
activated by inertia. If the kickback
forces are sufficiently high, the hand
guard is accelerated towards the bar
nose even without hand contact. See the
chapter entitled "Chain Brake" of your
instruction manual.
!
Warning!
Never operate your chainsaw without a
front hand guard. In a kickback situation
this guard helps protect your left hand
and other parts of your body. In addition,
removal of the hand guard on a saw
equipped with a Quickstop chain brake
will deactivate the chain brake.
!
Warning!
No Quickstop or other chain brake
device prevents kickback. These
devices are designed to reduce the risk
of kickback injury, if activated, in certain
kickback situations. In order for the
Quickstop to reduce the risk of kickback
injury, it must be properly maintained
and in good working order. See the
chapter of your instruction manual
entitled "Chain Brake" and the section
"Maintenance, Repair and Storing" at
the end of these Safety Precautions. In
addition, there must be enough distance
between the bar and the operator to
ensure that the Quickstop has sufficient
time to activate and stop the chain
before potential contact with the
operator.
MS 441