Parts of a Chainsaw – 15 Parts Labeled, Saw and Chain

All 15 parts on the diagram

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Start here: 8 main parts 8

Guide bar Supports and guides the saw chain.
Saw chain The loop of cutters and links that does the cutting. It is driven round the bar.
Rear handle The handle at the back of the saw. Held by the throttle hand.
Throttle trigger Squeezed to speed up the engine and drive the chain.
Starter grip The handle on the starter rope; pulled to start the engine.
Front handle The handlebar that wraps over the saw, held by the other hand.
Hand guard (chain brake) Shields the front hand. Pushed forward, by the hand or by kickback, it sets the chain brake and stops the chain.
Cutter The cutting tooth of the chain; cutters alternate left and right.

The saw 4

Chain catcher Catches the chain if it breaks or comes off the bar. The chain then cannot strike the user.
Throttle lockout Must be pressed before the trigger will move. That way the saw cannot rev by accident.
Air filter cover Holds the air filter in place over the carburetor. The filter keeps sawdust out of the engine.
Muffler Quietens the engine's exhaust; many have a spark arrester screen.

The chain, enlarged 3

Depth gauge Sets how deep the cutter bites into the wood.
Tie strap Plain side links that join the cutters and drive links.
Drive link Links whose tangs ride in the bar's groove. The sprocket drives them.

How this list was compiled: Read 2026-09-26. (1) US Forest Service, Chain saw and crosscut saw training course, chapter 3, https://www.fs.usda.gov/t-d/pubs/htmlpubs/htm06672804/page03.htm (parts figures from Stihl and Oregon): guide bar, chain sprocket, chain brake, clutch, chain catcher, starter grip, handlebar, hand guard, throttle handle, throttle trigger, throttle interlock, choke, air filter cover and air filter, oil and fuel caps, muffler, spark arrester; saw chain cutters, depth gauges, tie straps, drive links. (2) ThoughtCo, Important parts of a chainsaw, https://www.thoughtco.com/important-parts-of-a-chainsaw-1342751 : chain catcher, clutch, muffler, chain brake. (3) CutterZone, Parts of a chainsaw, https://cutterzone.com/parts-of-a-chainsaw/ : guide bar, front and rear handles, throttle trigger and lock, starter, muffler, chain catcher, chain brake and hand guard, air filter, stop switch, choke. (4) Oregon, Saw chain terminology, https://www.oregonproducts.com/c/saw-chain-terminology-s : cutters, depth gauge, tie straps, drive links, rivets. Licence: own work

The drawing: Drawn for this site by script, 2026-09-26. Own work, nothing traced. Licence: own work

How it works

These are the parts of a chainsaw as a saw safety course names them: the saw from the side, then a length of the chain enlarged to show its cutters and links. Start with the 8 main parts.

Read the full guide

The saw

The rear handle holds the throttle trigger and, on top, the throttle lockout, which must be pressed first. The front handle arches over the body, with the hand guard in front of it. The guide bar carries the saw chain; the chain catcher sits under it.

The chain

Cutters do the cutting, alternating left and right, each with a depth gauge in front setting how deep it bites. Tie straps join them, and drive links ride in the bar's groove.

The hand guard is also the chain brake: pushed forward, by your hand or by the saw kicking back, it stops the chain.

Questions and answers

What is the chain brake on a chainsaw?

A brake that stops the chain. It is set by pushing the hand guard forward, either by hand or by inertia when the saw kicks back.

What does the chain catcher do?

It is a small hook under the bar, next to the body. If the chain snaps or leaves the bar, the catcher stops it swinging back at the user.

What are the parts of a chainsaw chain?

Cutters, the teeth, each with a depth gauge in front; tie straps, the plain side links; and drive links, whose tangs run in the bar's groove and are driven by the sprocket. Rivets hold them together.