15MSE 220
English / USA
Please ask your STIHL dealer to
properly match your powerhead with the
appropriate bar/chain combinations to
reduce the risk of kickback injury. Green
labeled bars and chains are
recommended for all powerheads. See
your "STIHL Bar and Chain Information"
leaflet for details.
!Warning!
Use of other, non-listed bar/chain
combinations may increase kickback
forces and increase the risk of kickback
injury. New bar/chain combinations may
be developed after publication of this
literature, which will, in combination with
certain electric chainsaws, comply with
§ 30 of UL 16 62 / § 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 (Safety
Requirements for Gasoline-Powered
ChainSaws) 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.
Reduced kickback bar
STIHL green labeled reduced kickback
bars are designed to reduce the risk of
kickback injury when used with STIHL
green labeled low kickback chains.
!Warning!
When used with other, more aggressive
chains, these bars may be less effective
in reducing kickback, and may result in
higher kickback forces.
Bow Guides
!Warning!
Do not mount a bow guide on any STIHL
chainsaw. Any chainsaw equipped with
a bowguide is potentially very
dangerous. The risk of kickback is
increased with a bow guide because of
the increased kickback contact area.
Low kickback chain will not significantly
reduce the risk of kickback injury when
used on a bow guide.
