Husqvarna 1153183-26, Operator'S Manual

GENERAL SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

8 – English

•

The front hand guard is not designed solely to activate 
the chain brake. Another important feature is that it 
reduces the risk of your left hand hitting the chain if 
you lose grip of the front handle.

•

The chain brake must be engaged when the chain 
saw is started to prevent the saw chain from rotating.

•

Use the chain brake as a ”parking brake” when 
starting and when moving over short distances, to 
reduce the risk of moving chain accidentally hitting 
your leg or anyone or anything close by.

•

To release the chain brake pull the front hand guard 
backwards, towards the front handle.

•

Kickback can be very sudden and violent. Most 
kickbacks are minor and do not always activate the 
chain brake. If this happens you should hold the chain 
saw firmly and not let go.

•

The way the chain brake is activated, either manually 
or automatically by the inertia release mechanism, 
depends on the force of the kickback and the position 

of the chain saw in relation to the object that the 
kickback zone of the bar strikes.

If you get a violent kickback while the kickback zone of 
the bar is farthest away from you the chain brake is 
designed to be activated by the inertia in the kickback 
direction.

If the kickback is less violent or the kickback zone of 
the bar is closer to you the chain brake will be 
activated manually by the movement of your left hand.

•

In the felling position the left hand is in a position that 
makes manual activation of the chain brake 
impossible. With this type of grip, that is when the left 
hand is placed so that it cannot affect the movement 
of the front hand guard, the chain brake can only be 
activated by the inertia action.  

Will my hand always activate the chain 
brake during a kickback?

No. It takes a certain force to move the hand guard 
forward. If your hand only lightly touches the front guard 
or slips over it, the force may not be enough to trigger the 
chain brake. You should also maintain a firm grip of the 
chain saw handles while working. If you do and 
experience a kickback, your hand may never leave the 
front handle and will not activate the chain brake, or the 
chain brake will only activate after the saw has swung 
around a considerable distance. In such instances, the 
chain brake might not have enough time to stop the saw 
chain before it touches you.

There are also certain positions in which your hand 
cannot reach the front hand guard to activate the chain 
brake; for example, when the saw chain is held in felling 
position.