Sep 3, 2018 3 min read

I have recently learned to use a chainsaw. In fact, I am self taught. A friend gave me one this past spring in order to help me in my endeavor of cleaning up my dad’s property after his passing last fall.

There has always been something about those machines that kind of frightened me. The raw power an incredible cutting ability, perhaps? I’m not entirely sure, but duty calls, and there are many dead limbs and trees that need to be cut up before they fall and damage something.

So, one day, I fired it up and headed to the tree line. I started with a few small limbs that were on the ground to get a feel for it and gain some confidence. Next, a larger limb that leaned across another downed tree.

After a few of those were handled, I decided to try a larger tree that was dead and resting in the crook of a tree that still stands. I had to reach up to cut a length of the dead tree. It was challenging to cut overhead so I was not as fast, but after a few moments the section of tree fell to the ground.

That chunk had no more than hit the ground when the entire tree began to shift. Apparently, the end of the tree sticking out of the opposite side was now heavier than the side I was near. And like a seesaw, that end hit the ground.

Amused but undeterred, I walked around the tree line to that end of the tree. I proceeded to cut a chunk of wood off of its end. I had no more than gotten it removed, when the weight of the other side became more and the plane shifted on the fulcrum again.

Yep, that’s correct. I walked back and forth around a dead tree, cutting pieces off of both ends of it, until what was left was short enough to drag out of the vee holding it.

Eventually my chain came loose from my bar and I had to quit cutting to tighten it back up and refuel. That first day I had enough anyway. I put the wood I had cut into the shed and called it a day.

I have cut a few more times since then, gaining confidence each time. I even cut down a small dead tree from standing the other day. As much raw power and deadly cutting ability as a chainsaw contains, it is quite a bit empowering to use it successfully.

You’ll notice I wrote successfully and meant nothing about efficiently.