About Us

The SawGuard chain saw guard is designed and built to give the owner protection not only from the sharp chain, but to protect other objects and surfaces that the saw might come into contact with.  Having a saw sit in the garage where children might come into contact with the exposed bar is dangerous.  Also the saw lying in the back of the truck unprotected will scratch the painted surface, but it will also dull or damage the chain itself.

 

The original chain saw guard was built over 30 years ago and is still in use today.  It was made of rugged “Harness Leather” as is the models of today.  It was built for longevity, strength and durability.  This will likely be the only chain saw guard that you will ever need to buy.  

 

The model that SawGuard is based on was created over 30 years ago.  When I purchased my first chain saw a Homelite Super XL with a 20 inch bar in 1978, I was always worried about the blade being uncovered.  The exposed bar was something that could cause damage or it could be damaged.  The exposed bar was dangerous to children as well as grown adults.  It could also cut, scratch or become dull with contact on hard surfaces.

 

I asked my grandmother who worked with leather if there was something that could be made to cover the bar.  It had to be something that would not be cut or damaged by the blade itself.  The sewing holding the case together would have to be protected from the sharp cutting blade of the saw.  She told me she would see what she could do.

  

Several months later she presented me with the final product.  It was two pieces of heavy duty harness leather laminated together with leather spacers and held together with stitching and rivets.  Over the years the case has held up well and the stitching has not failed.  

 

Since then I have worn out my Super XL and have replaced it with my Uncle Dwight’s Stihl 029 which was given to me by my Aunt Betty after his passing.  I still have both saws and both saws sill run and cut wood quite well.

 

 

The SawGuard all leather bar protector is constructed using specially made jigs that hold the leather in place during construction.  Leather spacers made of 9 to 10 ounce harness leather are sandwiched in between the two outer casing blanks and then sewn in place using black Polyester bonded thread.  The original saw case that was built in 1978 used only Lennon thread (see History).  This thread had low tensile strength, but over the years has not failed (see photo of original saw case).   This is likely due to the fact that the thread passes through the leather spacers and is not exposed to the sharp blades of the chain saw.  Also the natural oils of the leather help to keep it lubricated and preserve it against the elements.  Today’s Polyester Bonded thread is much tougher and has a higher tensile strength than the Lennon thread.   Because SawGuard uses this thread it was able to eliminate the rivets that were used in the original saw case without affecting the overall strength of the case.

 

Each SawGuard case is custom made to order.  The basic case consists of two 9 to 10 ounce side pieces that are laminated together using leather spacers.  Special bonding tape is used between the layers to assist in the strength and firmness of the case.  The case is then assembled in the master jig for alignment and clamping.  The case is then sewn together using large industrial sewing machines that have been specially designed to sew leather.  

 

When you order your SawGuard, you have a variety of different configurations.  The company name tag comes with all saw cases.  It is embossed using an industrial laser that burns into the leather the company logo, company name and most importantly a short safety message that reminds you to always remove the SawGuard before starting the saw.  If this safety procedure is not followed the SawGuard could be thrown off of the chain saw causing damage or injury to persons or property.

 

You also have the option of the ATV mounting system.  This system is made up of two leather mounting brackets that allow the user to use whatever attachment method they wish to anchor the SawGuard to, an ATV, horse saddle, motorcycle, pickup truck or just about anything you might want your SawGuard mounted to.  We recommend that you use a leather belt or strap (see Barbedwire Leather for belts and straps) to mount your SawGuard.

 

SawGuard also offers a custom name plate.  From the 12 inch model right on up to the largest model, you can customize your order with you personal or company name.  See our Custom Name plate instructions for requirements and limitations.

 

Harness leather is a thick oily leather that has great strength and a lot of resistance to tearing or cutting.  It has also been used as body armor in past centuries.  These are the properties that make the SawGuard chain saw guard so durable.  

 

Veg Tanned Leather
The company logo and safety name plate along with the custom or personalized name plate are both made of Veg Tanned leather.  This leather is softer leather than the harness leather and is engraved using an industrial table laser.  The lazar burns the leather just deep enough to leave a legible identification.  Unlike some name tags that are printed, the lazar has engraved the leather so the lettering will not wear off over time.

 

Industrial Sewing Thread
The thread that is used to hold the SawGuard case together is a polyester bonded twisted multifilament thread.  This thread can be found in the automotive, footwear, and luggage industries.  It is very UV resistant.  It is also resistant to acid, alkali, bleach and is very resistant to abrasion.

 

The red thread that is used to hold on the name plates is a Nylon monochord that is twisted.  It too has a high resistance to abrasion is resistant to acid, alkali.