Alright... First things first... Those are fancy pants are called chaps. They contain Kevlar and they are in threads, fairly loosely bound, and they're meant to clog the chain very quickly. What they do is they bind up and this prevents the blade from cutting through them - the saw will stop almost instantly. Get some. That's not really a suggestion - but you don't *have* to listen to me. They will save your limbs and your life. If you ignore the rest of this, don't ignore the above. (I have the full outfit - which I'll explain in a moment.) Logging is the most dangerous industry on the planet, where such numbers are kept. Logging is more dangerous - counting ONLY deaths - than every other industry, globally. It's more dangerous than mining, fishing, crabbing, or even being in the military. Yes, logging is more likely to kill you than being an enlisted member of an active military. It doesn't just kill - it also maims. If you're not an expert, ask a logger for some free lessons. In my case, seeing as I have logging done on my land, I went out and had them teach me how to safely fell trees, how to accurately fell them, how to identify them, how to process them, etc... I wear a helmet. My helmet has muff-style hearing protection that attaches to it. They fit in those fancy little slots on the side of a hard hat. My helmet has a full-face shield. It's a screen. I wear Kevlar gloves - but those aren't *really* required. You *must* wear gloves. They needn't be Kevlar gloves that cost $120 a pair - any work gloves made of something like leather will do. I wear steel-toed boots. They do have fancy boots that also have Kevlar in them - don't bother, unless you're going to be a professional logger. Instead, you can get heavy steel tips that go *over* your boots. So, I have both boots and the special toe caps made of steel. Chaps... Chaps are a requirement. They should be in good condition, fit properly, and be worn properly. There should be no loose attachment clips that flop around, none of the loose material should be on the front, and they should only be as long as is required - never should they be too short. You can have them a little too long, but the solution is to simply hike them up. Learn to notch properly and plunge cut. A Humboldt notch and plunge cutting is probably all you'll need. You never cut all the way through. Have you ever seen a stump left by a real logger - and not one on someone's lawn? They leave a "hinge." When you fell the tree, you want to leave that hinge. That helps prevent the tree from jumping back and lets you control the felling process. You can actually leave one side longer than the other and that will help the tree fall at an angle and/or rotate, so that you can start felling in an area and have more places to drop the trees safely. A tree that doesn't hit the ground on the first try is a potentially deadly mistake. It's important to not just control the felling, but also to ensure the felling is complete. This is something learned in time and with experience. It often starts with a key tree. After you fell that one, you have places to fell the rest and can work your way out from there. If you want to know if your chain is sharp, look at the chips it throws. Depending on the style of chain, they'll be a different shape. But, if nothing else, they should all be the same shape - and that shape should remain consistent. They're usually (as you're not a professional logger) going to be about the same width as they are length. On your chainsaw, flip it on its side. There's a line. That line will tell you where the tree is likely to fall. Assuming all other things are equal, that's the direction you want your notch cut to end. Line that up with where you want the tree to fall when you're cutting your notch. There are several types of notches, the Humboldt is probably the best one for you. It's the least complicated, safest, and most universal for felling - except for some very rare circumstances that you're unlikely to face in the woods. With 50 acres, don't fuck around with a cheap saw from Walmart. Get a Husky or a Stihl. Get a bunch of good files and at least two good "rake" files. Get several new chains. This will help prevent kickback. Kickback will kill you. It's simple to avoid - normally. Never have the chain in motion when there's the chance that anything will touch the front of the bar - in the top 1/4 of the bar. In other words, where the tip of your bar is, nothing should EVER come in contact with that front 1/4 of the half-circle that is the front of the bar. That's the danger zone. I can probably keep typing this stuff for hours, but that's just the tip of the iceberg. Be very, very careful about kickback during the limbing process. That's usually where kickbacks occur. It's possible to all of these and go just as fast as any other logger. If I go back into the woods and find someone out there violating these rules, there's no second chance. They are not my employees - and I only get paid a percentage of their profit, but these are just a few of the rules they told me. I am under full instructions to fire any offender - including the boss and owner himself - if I spot a single violation. Chainsaws do not give second chances. Chainsaws don't care if they're cutting trees or humans. In fact, cutting humans is much easier than cutting trees. Be safe and if you want more advice, consult a local logger. It can, and might, kill you. I live in logging country and the stories are numerous. I spent *months* learning to do it properly - and I'm still not a professional logger. The goal is to make it out of the woods alive. Also, always look up. Up in the trees, there are often unattached branches. They call them "Widow Makers." They call them that for a reason. Also, you're probably gonna die! Nah, just be smart and you should be fine. Seriously - if you listen to nothing else in my post, get chaps. Chaps are $60 to $120 and a set will last you until they save you. They're cheap, compared to having a stump for a leg or a funeral. The damage a chainsaw does to human leg is not pretty - it's called "catastrophic." Mine are branded by Husqvarna. They're high vis orange and I have multiple sets. I'd probably consider offering to send you a set, but they're only $60. Seriously... Wear chaps! When you're done, and you return with a nick in your chaps, I want you to come back and say, "Thank you, David." If you don't wear chaps, even if you end up not getting hurt, I'm probably gonna call you names. That might not mean much, but I'm probably gonna. It seems REALLY likely. Wear chaps!