Tried a top-handle saw on a big oak removal and nearly wrecked my wrist

I thought I'd be slick and use my little top-handle Stihl for a 30 inch limb removal last Tuesday. Got about halfway through the back cut and the saw kicked back hard, almost pulling me off the ladder. Learned the hard way that top-handles are for pruning, not for heavy limb work where you need real torque. Has anyone else gotten humbled by using the wrong saw for the job?

3 comments

3 Comments

cameron5382mo ago

Did that ladder have any weight rating for that kind of sideways stress?

alex_nguyen2mo ago

Rating labels usually only cover what they test for in perfect conditions, just like everything else we trust too much.

victorb741mo ago

@cameron538 ladders don't care about sideways. Wrong tool for the job nearly killed ya.