Chainsaw User Manual

16
English / USA
MS 290, MS 310, MS 390
Low kickback saw chain and reduced
kickback bars
STIHL offers a variety of 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 obtain higher
cutting efficiency or sharpening ease but
may result in higher kickback tendency.
STIHL has developed a color code
system to help you identify the STIHL
reduced kickback bars and low kickback
chains. Cutting attachments with green
warning decals or green labels on the
packaging are designed to reduce the
risk of kickback injury. The matching of
green decaled powerheads under 3.8
cubic inch (62 cm³) displacement with
green labeled bars and green labeled
chains gives compliance with the
computed kickback angle requirements
of ANSI B 175.1-2000 when the
products are in their original condition.
Products with yellow decals or labels are
for users with extraordinary cutting
needs and 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 STIHL Quickstop chain brake
for both experienced and
inexperienced chainsaw users.
Please ask your STIHL dealer to
properly match your powerhead with the
appropriate bar/chain combination to
reduce the risk of kickback injury. Green
labeled bars and chains are
recommended for all powerheads.
Warning!
Use of other, non-listed bar/chain
combinations may increase kickback
forces and the risk of kickback injury.
New bar/chain combinations may be
developed after publication of this
literature, which will, in combination with
certain powerheads, comply with
§ 5.11 of ANSI B 175.1-2000. Check
with your STIHL dealer for such
combinations.
!Warning!
Reduced kickback bars and low
kickback chains do not prevent
kickback, but they are designed to
reduce the risk of kickback injury. They
are available from your STIHL dealer.
!Warning!
Even if your saw is equipped with a
Quickstop, a reduced kickback bar and/
or low kickback chain, this does not
eliminate the risk of injury by kickback.
Therefore, always observe all safety
precautions to avoid kickback situations.
Low kickback chain
Some types of saw chain have specially
designed components to reduce the
force of nose contact kickback. STIHL
has developed low kickback chain for
your powerhead.
"Low kickback saw chain" is a chain
which has met the kickback
performance requirements of § 5.11.2.4
of ANSI B 175.1-2000 (Gasoline-
Powered Chain Saws–Safety
Requirements) when tested in its
original condition on a selected
representative sample of chainsaws
below 3.8 cubic inch (62 cm³)
displacement specified in
ANSI B 175.1-2000.
!Warning!
There are potential powerhead and bar
combinations with which low kickback
saw chains can be used which have not
been specifically certified to comply with
the 45° computer derived kickback
angle of § 5.11 of ANSI B 175.1-2000.
Some low kickback chains have not
been tested with all powerhead and bar
combinations.
!Warning!
A dull or improperly sharpened chain
may reduce or negate the effects of the
design features intended to reduce
kickback energy. Improper lowering or
sharpening of the depth gauges or
shaping of the cutters may increase the
chance and the potential energy of a
kickback. Always cut with a properly
sharpened chain.