Stihl MS 261 Instruction Manual page 25

6 Kickback and Other Reactive Forces
￭ An improperly maintained chain brake may increase the
time needed to stop the chain after activation, or may not
activate at all. For the Quickstop chain brake to reduce the
risk of kickback injury, it must be properly maintained and
in good working order.
– Read and follow the instructions on engaging and
disengaging the chain brake, @ 12, and
maintaining and repairing it, @ 12.3.
2. Low Kickback Saw Chain and Reduced Kickback 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 kickback injury. Other chains
are designed to achieve higher cutting performance or
sharpening ease, but are more prone to kickback and may
kick back with more energy, making it more difficult 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 original condition.
– Products with yellow labels are for users with
extraordinary cutting needs, who have experience and
specialized training for dealing with kickback.
STIHL recommends the use of its green-labeled reduced
kickback bars, green-labeled low kickback chains and a
chain saw equipped with a STIHL Quickstop chain brake for
both experienced and inexperienced operators.
STIHL recommends green-labeled bars and chains for all
chain saws. See your "STIHL Bar and Chain Information"
leaflet for details.
0458-573-8621-C
New bar and chain combinations may be developed after
publication of this literature, which will, in combination with
certain 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 kickback forces as well as the propensity for
kickback and increase the risk of kickback injury.
– Please ask your authorized STIHL servicing dealer
to properly match your chain saw with the
appropriate bar and chain combination to reduce the
risk of kickback injury.
￭ Reduced kickback bars and low kickback 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 kickback 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 ANSI/OPEI B175.1 when
tested according to the provisions specified in ANSI/OPEI
B175.1.
WARNING
￭ Some low kickback chains have not been tested with all
chain saw and bar combinations. There are potential saw,
bar and low kickback chain combinations which have not
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