Kickback Safety Features; Maintain Control - Partner Formula 400 CHROME Instruction Manual

S Keep your saw chain sharp and properly
tensioned. A loose or dull chain can increase
the chance of kickback occurring. Follow
manufacturer's chain sharpening and main-
tenance instructions. Check tension at regu-
lar intervals with the engine stopped, never
with the engine running. Make sure the bar
clamp nuts are securely tightened after ten-
sioning the chain.
S Begin and continue cutting at full speed. If
the chain is moving at a slower speed,
there is greater chance of kickback occur-
ring.
S Cut one log at a time.
S Use extreme caution when re-entering a
previous cut.
S Do not attempt cuts starting with the tip of
the bar (plunge cuts).
S Watch for shifting logs or other forces that
could close a cut and pinch or fall into chain.
S Use the Reduced- -Kickback Guide Bar
and Low- -Kickback Chain specified for
your saw.

MAINTAIN CONTROL

Stand to the left of
the saw
Never reverse
hand positions
Elbow locked
Thumb on underside of
handlebar
S Keep a good, firm grip on the saw with both
hands when the engine is running and
don't let go. A firm grip will help you reduce
kickback and maintain control of the saw.
Keep the fingers of your left hand encir-
cling and your left thumb under the front
handlebar. Keep your right hand com-
pletely around the rear handle whether
your are right handed or left handed. Keep
your left arm straight with the elbow
locked.
S Position your left hand on the front handle-
bar so it is in a straight line with your right
hand on the rear handle when making
bucking cuts. Never reverse right and left
hand positions for any type of cutting.
S Stand with your weight evenly balanced on
both feet.
S Stand slightly to the left side of the saw to
keep your body from being in a direct line
with the cutting chain.
S Do not overreach. You could be drawn or
thrown off balance and lose control of the
saw.
S Do not cut above shoulder height. It is diffi-
cult to maintain control of saw above
shoulder height.

KICKBACK SAFETY FEATURES

WARNING
: The following features are
included on your saw to help reduce the hazard
of kickback; however, such features will not to-
tally eliminate this dangerous reaction. As a
chain saw user, do not rely only on safety de-
vices. You must follow all safety precautions,
instructions, and maintenance in this manual to
help avoid kickback and other forces which
can result in serious injury.
S Reduced- -Kickback Guide Bar, designed
with a small radius tip which reduces the size
of the kickback danger zone on the bar tip. A
Reduced- -Kickback Guide Bar has been
demonstrated to significantly reduce the
number and seriousness of kickbacks.
Reduced Kickback Symmetrical Guide Bar
Small Radius Tip
Symmetrical Guide Bar
S Low- -Kickback Chain, designed with a con-
toured depth gauge and guard link which de-
flect kickback force and allow wood to gradu-
ally ride into the cutter.
Low-Kickback Chain
Contoured Depth Gauge
Elongated Guard Link
Deflects Kickback
Force And Allows
Wood To Gradually
Ride Into Cutter
S Handguard, designed to reduce the chance
of your left hand contacting the chain if your
hand slips off the front handlebar.
S Position of front and rear handlebars, de-
signed with distance between handles and
"in-line" with each other. The spread and "in-
line" position of the hands provided by this
design work together to give balance and re-
sistance in controlling the pivot of the saw
back toward the operator if kickback occurs.
WARNING
: DO NOT RELY UPON
ANY OF THE DEVICES BUILT INTO YOUR
SAW. YOU SHOULD USE THE SAW PROP-
ERLY AND CAREFULLY TO AVOID KICK-
BACK. Reduced- -kickback guide bars and
low- -kickback saw chains reduce the chance
37
Large Radius Tip