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Well, TIL as the saying goes. I assumed chainsaw trousers were a kind of metal mail armour, but no. From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chainsaw_safety_clothing
by throwaway_pdp09 7y ago
Well, TIL as the saying goes. I assumed chainsaw trousers were a kind of metal mail armour, but no. From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chainsaw_safety_clothing https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chainsaw_safety_clothing
"The outermost layer [of chainsaw protective fabric] can be made both tough and slippery, to protect against minor damage which could compromise the filler material. Beneath this, long, loose fibres of polyester, Avertic, ballistic nylon or Kevlar are laid in layers. When a saw contacts the trousers, the outer layer is immediately cut through but the inner is drawn out and wraps around the saw's drive sprocket, locking it solid and halting the chain, limiting damage to the operator's leg"
- jccooper 7y agoA video for the curious: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZWsv3Jp8Cs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZWsv3Jp8Cs
- wool_gather 7y agoThat's a pretty clever mechanism. Is it possible to clear all that stuff out, or is the saw completely sacrificed in the process of saving your leg?
- throwaway_pdp09 7y agoNah, follow wiki link, it tells you more "After stopping a saw, the damaged trousers must be scrapped, having done their job. The saw must be field-stripped to remove the fibres, and to allow it to run again."
- dylan604 7y agoThanks for this. I too was curious about chainsaw pants, but not quite curious enough to go look it up on my own since I have no plans of becoming a lumber jack. However, since you did do the leg work, I'm too realized that what my imagination concluded these pants were was nothing like reality.