Shindaiwa 502s User Manual

3

WARNING!
Kickback can 

happen lightning-fast!

Your chain saw is equipped with a chain 

brake that is designed to stop the chain in 

the event of a kickback. The chain brake 

reduces the risk of acci-dents, but only 

you can prevent them.

The chain brake can be activated manu-

 

■

ally by your left hand pushing against 

the hand guard or automatically by the 

inertia release mechanism, in the event 

of kickback, stopping the saw chain.
Activating the chain brake tightens 

 

■

a brake band around the chain drive 

mechanism, stopping the chain rotation.

The function of the front hand guard is 
to reduce the risk of the chain hitting 
your left hand if you loose the grip of 
the front handle.

Either of the following reactions could 

cause you to lose control of your saw while 

cutting, possibly resulting in serious injury! 

Kickback can occur whenever the guide 

1. 

bar nose or tip contact an object while 

the saw is running. Tip contact may 

cause the guide bar to kick upward and 

back toward the operator with a light-

ning-fast reaction! 
Pinching the saw along the top of the 

2. 

guide bar may push the guide bar rap-

idly back toward the operator! Pinch-

ing can occur whenever wood closes in 

around the moving chain! 

Do not rely exclusively on the safety 

devices incorporated with your saw. As a 

chain saw user, observing the following 

steps will also help you to avoid accident 

or injury on the job:

Sudden surprise can contribute to 

 

■

accidents! With a basic understanding 
of kickback, you can reduce or elimi-
nate the element of surprise.

Clear obstructions from the work area 

 

■

before cutting. Remove any log, branch, 
or other obstruction that might contact 
the guide bar tip during cutting opera-

tions.Grip the saw firmly with your right 
hand on the rear handle and your left 
hand on the front handle, thumbs and 

fingers encircling the handles whenever 

the saw is running. Don’t let go: A firm 
grip will help you to reduce kickback 
while maintaining control of the saw.

Accelerate the saw before the chain 

 

■

contacts the work area, and always 
maintain high engine speeds through-
out the cut.

Do not overreach or attempt to cut 

 

■

above shoulder height.

Follow the manufacturer’s instructions 

 

■

for sharpening and maintenance of 
the saw chain. 

Use only the replacement bar and 

 

■

chain combinations specified by the 
manufacturer. 

Never stand directly over the saw 

 

■

while cutting! 

Use low-kickback chain, chain brakes, 

 

■

or special guide bars to reduce the risk 
of kickback. Low kickback chain is chain 
that has met the kickback performance 
requirements of ANSI B175.1-2000 
(American National Standard for Power 
Tools-Gasoline Powered Chain Saws-
Safety Requirements) when tested 
on the representative sample of chain 

saws below 3.8 c.i.d. specified in ANSI 
B175.1-2000.

WARNING!
Faulty cutting equipment 

or the wrong combination of bar 
and saw chain increases the risk 
of kickback! Only use the bar and 
chain combinations recommended 

in the “Specifications” section.

WARNING!
Brake engagement and 

oper-ation depend upon proper 
chain brake condition! See “Chain 
Brake Testing” for procedures..

■

The smaller the guide 

bar tip radius the lower the chance 

of kickback.
Low kick chain.

■

 Low kickback 

chain is designed to reduce the 

force of a kickback.

CHN-16