Stupid, stupid me... just got my chisels to where I could count my
nosehairs in the back and bevel, and was screwing around with squaring the
corners in a practice mortise for bed hardware... and was being stupid,
didnt have the piece in a vise, and the chisel slipped and went THROUGH
the pad of my thumb... owowow. I ran to the kitchen and wrapped it in
paper towels, and was searching for some tape and I blacked out and
fell... woke up probably seconds later from weird dreams wondering where
the hell I was...
fun night, lessons learned
> Stupid, stupid me... just got my chisels to where I could count my
> nosehairs in the back and bevel, and was screwing around with squaring the
> corners in a practice mortise for bed hardware... and was being stupid,
> didnt have the piece in a vise, and the chisel slipped and went THROUGH
> the pad of my thumb... owowow. I ran to the kitchen and wrapped it in
> paper towels, and was searching for some tape and I blacked out and
> fell... woke up probably seconds later from weird dreams wondering where
> the hell I was...
>
> fun night, lessons learned
Lesson #2 Keep first aid stuff AT HAND in the shop.
I try to never be more than a few steps from a first aid kit...and I have
several of them spread out though the house and garages.
Lesson #3 Carry a phone WITH you in the shop. SWMBO may or may not be
able to hear you yell.
My dad went to the basement a few days ago...very hard of hearing and uses
oxygen, but he was just going to be puttering around. A pipe clamp fell and
caught him on the thumb and index finger of the right hand. Lost a lot of
blood that he can not afford to lose and my mom wasn't due home for 3 hours.
Thankfully, mom got off work early and was able to call 911.
Dad's going to be OK and he now carries a phone with him that has my cell
phone number programed in. If I get a call from their house and no one says
anything, I can be there in 5 minutes.
Now I just need to hope that I never get that call.
Luck
Mike
In article <[email protected]>,
Jim Moyseenko <[email protected]> wrote:
> Anyone else cut themselves within the last few days?
I sliced'n'diced myself when I first tried out scary sharp. Innocently
turned in my chair from table to buffing wheel, left hand moved a
little faster than right, just bumped the plane iron. ouch. More of the
same over the next few days, til I learned to use much wider, slower
motions. Scar tissue in the tip of my index finger hurts when I press
down on thin chisels. Constant reminder, it's a Good Thing(TM) ;)
--
"Keep your ass behind you."
Chisels collect more blood than the Red Cross, ask any woodworker.
Greg
"tmbg" wrote in message ...
>
> Stupid, stupid me... just got my chisels to where I could count my
> nosehairs in the back and bevel, and was screwing around with squaring the
> corners in a practice mortise for bed hardware... and was being stupid,
> didnt have the piece in a vise, and the chisel slipped and went THROUGH
> the pad of my thumb... owowow. I ran to the kitchen and wrapped it in
> paper towels, and was searching for some tape and I blacked out and
> fell... woke up probably seconds later from weird dreams wondering where
> the hell I was...
>
> fun night, lessons learned
Groggy wrote:
>
> Chisels collect more blood than the Red Cross, ask any woodworker.
>
And it ain't just the obvious scary sharp edge that can get you!
Two examples of less than obvious dangers - BOTH with a Wilson
beefy mortising chisel (the ones Steve Knight use to carry)
1. Initial mortise cut - left hand holding the chisel down at
the cutting end - Right On The Line - thumb and middle finger
touching the stock, right hand swinging the nice big wood mallet.
First blow drove the chisel into the wood - pinching my flesh -
between the intersection of the bevel face and the side face
of the chisel and the wood. That bevel face/side face edge is
nice and square AND sharp. It does cut - wood, and flesh. It's
supposed to cut wood - contrary to those who bevel the edges
of their mortising chisels. It's not supposed to cut flesh.
2. Chopping down approaching the bottom of the tenon - drove the
chisel in and it stuck. Tug - nothing. Yank - nothing. Foot
on the board, both hands grabbing the chisel handle white
knuckled, biceps, triceps, latissumus dorsi contracting -
chisel pulls out finally - accelerating - as its handle
approached - my chin. There's a point on the chin, referred
to in boxing as "the button", which, when struck, will cause
the strikee to literally see stars. This one hit hard
enough to see several galaxies. Were it not for the padding
of my beard it would probably have been a knock out blow -
right on the button.
So many sharp edges - such a limited amount of blood - relatively
speaking.
charlie b
That reminds me of some old Army electronics instructor saying if you drop your
soldering iron, don't try to catch it..some did and a lesson was learned.
Philski
Preston Andreas wrote:
> I dropped a freshly sharpened 1/4" chisel. It was on its way to hitting
> point first on the concrete floor. But I was fast and I reacted without
> thinking (obviously). I quickly raised my leg up and stopped it with my
> thigh. And it only went in about an inch.
>
> Preston
>
> "tmbg" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> >
> > Stupid, stupid me... just got my chisels to where I could count my
> > nosehairs in the back and bevel, and was screwing around with squaring the
> > corners in a practice mortise for bed hardware... and was being stupid,
> > didnt have the piece in a vise, and the chisel slipped and went THROUGH
> > the pad of my thumb... owowow. I ran to the kitchen and wrapped it in
> > paper towels, and was searching for some tape and I blacked out and
> > fell... woke up probably seconds later from weird dreams wondering where
> > the hell I was...
> >
> > fun night, lessons learned
tmbg wrote:
> Stupid, stupid me... just got my chisels to where I could count my
> nosehairs in the back and bevel, and was screwing around with squaring the
> corners in a practice mortise for bed hardware... and was being stupid,
> didnt have the piece in a vise, and the chisel slipped and went THROUGH
> the pad of my thumb... owowow. I ran to the kitchen and wrapped it in
> paper towels, and was searching for some tape and I blacked out and
> fell... woke up probably seconds later from weird dreams wondering where
> the hell I was...
>
>
That's a strange coincidence. I had to go to the hospital on Sunday because my
hand slipped while using a chisel and I made a very deep cut into my thumb. I
guess I was lucky the chisel was sharp because the flap of skin layed right
down and with pressure there was minimal bleeding. They used a type of super
glue on the thumb to keep it sealed for a few days. So, been there, don't want
to do that again. I felt stupid for making such a blunder. But it happens.
Anyone else cut themselves within the last few days?
Jim Moyseenko
[email protected]
On Mon, 02 Feb 2004 08:14:04 GMT, "Groggy" <[email protected]>
scribbled:
>Chisels collect more blood than the Red Cross, ask any woodworker.
>
>Greg
My only woodworking scar is 1" long on the pad of my thumb (i.e., the
fleshy part on the hand). From a dull chisel though. I was trying
carve a piece of wood that I was holding in my hand, 14 years old at
the time. Dumb.
Luigi
Note the new email address.
Please adjust your krillfiles (tmAD) accordingly
Replace "nonet" with "yukonomics" for real email address
At least you did it to yourself. When our firstborn was a wee tyke we
used to put her in her baby seat on the end of the kitchen counter
while we prepared meals (it was a large kitchen and well away from the
stove or sink). Once I turned around and caught her daintily
inspecting a (sharp) paring knife. I jumped reflexively, grabbed the
knife by the handle and quickly drew the dangerous object away from
our precious one, leaving a nasty gash across her palm and a look of
disbelief on her face. SWMBO almost forgave me until about a week
later when her hand hand swelled up with an infection and her fever
peaked at 104! Took a while to put THAT one behind us.
Bridger <[email protected]> wrote in message news:
<[email protected]>...
> sharpening a kitchen knife once... got it nice and sharp... shifting
> hands, dropped it. automatically grabbed for the handle... missed.
> took the edge in the web between forefinger and thumb. heavy, quality
> 12" chef's knife. cut deep....
Super glue! On a somewhat related subject, I wouldn't recommend it for a
deep cut though.
I have perfected my sharpening of carving gouges to the point that razors
hide their heads in shame. As a result I also find myself bleeding from all
sorts of places getting them to and from the tool rolls.
Seems like it's always in a painful slow to heal place. So, having gobs of
CA for my model planes, I started gluing myself back together again, so to
speak.
Asked my doctor if this was sane and he said sure, or you can spend ten
times as much and buy the same thing from a rock climbers supply store.
m
"tmbg" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> Stupid, stupid me... just got my chisels to where I could count my
> nosehairs in the back and bevel, and was screwing around with squaring the
> corners in a practice mortise for bed hardware... and was being stupid,
> didnt have the piece in a vise, and the chisel slipped and went THROUGH
> the pad of my thumb... owowow. I ran to the kitchen and wrapped it in
> paper towels, and was searching for some tape and I blacked out and
> fell... woke up probably seconds later from weird dreams wondering where
> the hell I was...
>
> fun night, lessons learned
Philski <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:
> That reminds me of some old Army electronics instructor saying if you
> drop your soldering iron, don't try to catch it..some did and a lesson
> was learned.
>
Do NOT hold your soldering iron up in front of your nose to see if it is hot
yet - DAMHIKT.
Jerry
Please read other stories in the Accident Survey and contribute your's
at http://www.woodworking.org/. Some of these stories will scare you
sh*tless! And make you think think think before you do something.
Layne
On Mon, 02 Feb 2004 07:32:51 GMT, tmbg <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>Stupid, stupid me... just got my chisels to where I could count my
>nosehairs in the back and bevel, and was screwing around with squaring the
>corners in a practice mortise for bed hardware... and was being stupid,
>didnt have the piece in a vise, and the chisel slipped and went THROUGH
>the pad of my thumb... owowow. I ran to the kitchen and wrapped it in
>paper towels, and was searching for some tape and I blacked out and
>fell... woke up probably seconds later from weird dreams wondering where
>the hell I was...
>
>fun night, lessons learned
Well, at least you only hurt your thumb. I shudder to think what could have
happened while you were counting nose hairs :^)
JK
tmbg wrote:
> Stupid, stupid me... just got my chisels to where I could count my
> nosehairs in the back and bevel, and was screwing around with squaring the
> corners in a practice mortise for bed hardware... and was being stupid,
> didnt have the piece in a vise, and the chisel slipped and went THROUGH
> the pad of my thumb... owowow. I ran to the kitchen and wrapped it in
> paper towels, and was searching for some tape and I blacked out and
> fell... woke up probably seconds later from weird dreams wondering where
> the hell I was...
>
> fun night, lessons learned
Luigi Zanasi wrote:
> My only woodworking scar is 1" long on the pad of my thumb (i.e., the
> fleshy part on the hand). From a dull chisel though. I was trying
> carve a piece of wood that I was holding in my hand, 14 years old at
> the time. Dumb.
I can only think of two woodworking scars. I acquired both of them last
year.
One is on my left ring finger, the segment of the finger where the wedding
ring lives. I poked a freshly-sharpened 1/4" chisel into that, spawning
the "we look like chicken inside" thread. That one scarred, but not much.
The other, the middle segment of my left index finger has a diagonal scar.
Looking at the palm side, divide the finger into quarters from palm to
fingertip. The scar runs from the leftmost quarter all the way around to
the middle of the back side of the finger. I did that one *guillotining* a
backsaw into my finger when I slipped while showing my son how to cut a M&T
joint. The work slipped in the vise, and the saw swung down in an arc,
catching my off hand as it hung innoncently at my side. That one scarred
big. I still haven't figure out how the hell I managed to do that to
myself. I guess next time I'll have to put my off hand behind my back.
--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan <[email protected]>
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/
On Mon, 02 Feb 2004 07:32:51 GMT, tmbg <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>Stupid, stupid me... just got my chisels to where I could count my
>nosehairs in the back and bevel, and was screwing around with squaring the
>corners in a practice mortise for bed hardware... and was being stupid,
>didnt have the piece in a vise, and the chisel slipped and went THROUGH
>the pad of my thumb... owowow. I ran to the kitchen and wrapped it in
>paper towels, and was searching for some tape and I blacked out and
>fell... woke up probably seconds later from weird dreams wondering where
>the hell I was...
if it was sharper it would not hurt (G)
my sister cut herself passed out on the floor and was snoring with her eyes
open. funny as hell (G)
--
Knight-Toolworks & Custom Planes
Custom made wooden planes at reasonable prices
See http://www.knight-toolworks.com For prices and ordering instructions.
I dropped a freshly sharpened 1/4" chisel. It was on its way to hitting
point first on the concrete floor. But I was fast and I reacted without
thinking (obviously). I quickly raised my leg up and stopped it with my
thigh. And it only went in about an inch.
Preston
"tmbg" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> Stupid, stupid me... just got my chisels to where I could count my
> nosehairs in the back and bevel, and was screwing around with squaring the
> corners in a practice mortise for bed hardware... and was being stupid,
> didnt have the piece in a vise, and the chisel slipped and went THROUGH
> the pad of my thumb... owowow. I ran to the kitchen and wrapped it in
> paper towels, and was searching for some tape and I blacked out and
> fell... woke up probably seconds later from weird dreams wondering where
> the hell I was...
>
> fun night, lessons learned
Preston Andreas writes:
>I dropped a freshly sharpened 1/4" chisel. It was on its way to hitting
>point first on the concrete floor. But I was fast and I reacted without
>thinking (obviously). I quickly raised my leg up and stopped it with my
>thigh. And it only went in about an inch.
Ouch. I learned about quick, unthinking reflexes at Parris Island. Dropped my
razor while shaving one morning. Caught it, and laid the palm of my hand open
for a couple inches. Not deep, but painful. Went from there to a couple days
pugil stick practice, where I got my right thumb dislocated (popped right back
in with the assistance of a drill instructor who liked seeing the boots' eyes
widen) trying to avoid getting that hand hit. The next day, we had
hand-to-hand-combat training. Next several days, in fact.
I've never forgotten, of course, and even my reflexes remembered.
Charlie Self
"All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence, and then success is
sure."
Mark Twain
http://hometown.aol.com/charliediy/myhomepage/business.html
This reminds me of a story Jesse Ventura told on one of the talk
shows...Letterman I think. He was in one of those instensive Navy SEAL
training ordeals that last something like 3 straight days with no
sleep.
Anyways, the day's training caused everyone to have blisters on their
thumbs. The drill instructor had everyone line up and asked them if
anyone had blisters. No one raised their hands, but like an "idiot"
(his words) Jesse Ventura raised his. The instructor called him to the
front and asked which hand had the blister. "Both", Ventura said. The
instructor then asked him if he was right or left handed. I think
Ventura said right-handed. The instructor then ordered him to rip off
the blister on his left thumb with his right hand. Ventura, in
agonizing pain did it. The insturctor asked him if it hurt. Ventura
said no. Then, the instructor ordered him to now rip off the blister
on his right thumb with his left hand. Ventura painfully did that. The
instructor told him to get back in line and asked the rest of the
group if they had blisters. Needless to say no one said a thing.
Okay, this story had nothing to do with dropping a razor....
Layne
On 02 Feb 2004 19:05:39 GMT, [email protected] (Charlie Self)
wrote:
>Preston Andreas writes:
>
>>I dropped a freshly sharpened 1/4" chisel. It was on its way to hitting
>>point first on the concrete floor. But I was fast and I reacted without
>>thinking (obviously). I quickly raised my leg up and stopped it with my
>>thigh. And it only went in about an inch.
>
>Ouch. I learned about quick, unthinking reflexes at Parris Island. Dropped my
>razor while shaving one morning. Caught it, and laid the palm of my hand open
>for a couple inches. Not deep, but painful. Went from there to a couple days
>pugil stick practice, where I got my right thumb dislocated (popped right back
>in with the assistance of a drill instructor who liked seeing the boots' eyes
>widen) trying to avoid getting that hand hit. The next day, we had
>hand-to-hand-combat training. Next several days, in fact.
>
>I've never forgotten, of course, and even my reflexes remembered.
>
>Charlie Self
>"All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence, and then success is
>sure."
>Mark Twain
>http://hometown.aol.com/charliediy/myhomepage/business.html
Atta boy!!! Saved that edge!!!
Way to go!!!
On Mon, 02 Feb 2004 18:06:10 GMT, "Preston Andreas"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>I dropped a freshly sharpened 1/4" chisel. It was on its way to hitting
>point first on the concrete floor. But I was fast and I reacted without
>thinking (obviously). I quickly raised my leg up and stopped it with my
>thigh. And it only went in about an inch.
>
>Preston
>
>"tmbg" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>>
>> Stupid, stupid me... just got my chisels to where I could count my
>> nosehairs in the back and bevel, and was screwing around with squaring the
>> corners in a practice mortise for bed hardware... and was being stupid,
>> didnt have the piece in a vise, and the chisel slipped and went THROUGH
>> the pad of my thumb... owowow. I ran to the kitchen and wrapped it in
>> paper towels, and was searching for some tape and I blacked out and
>> fell... woke up probably seconds later from weird dreams wondering where
>> the hell I was...
>>
>> fun night, lessons learned
>
That's all too true... fortunately my chisel stopped when it hit the
table, unfortunately there was an inch of muscle in between...
got my tetanus booster this morning. Nurse said I may or may not regain
feeling in the end of my thumb.
On Tue, 03 Feb 2004 18:07:24 -0600, jev wrote:
> Thankfullly I have never(yet) cut myself with a chisel due in large
> measure to my first woodworking instructor who, upon noticing someone
> praticing poor technique, remarked: "Remember, if that chisel slips
> it's probably not stopping until it hits bone!!" A particulalry vivid
> picture and safety reminder.
sharpening a kitchen knife once... got it nice and sharp... shifting
hands, dropped it. automatically grabbed for the handle... missed.
took the edge in the web between forefinger and thumb. heavy, quality
12" chef's knife. cut deep....
On Mon, 02 Feb 2004 18:06:10 GMT, "Preston Andreas"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>I dropped a freshly sharpened 1/4" chisel. It was on its way to hitting
>point first on the concrete floor. But I was fast and I reacted without
>thinking (obviously). I quickly raised my leg up and stopped it with my
>thigh. And it only went in about an inch.
>
>Preston
>
>"tmbg" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>>
>> Stupid, stupid me... just got my chisels to where I could count my
>> nosehairs in the back and bevel, and was screwing around with squaring the
>> corners in a practice mortise for bed hardware... and was being stupid,
>> didnt have the piece in a vise, and the chisel slipped and went THROUGH
>> the pad of my thumb... owowow. I ran to the kitchen and wrapped it in
>> paper towels, and was searching for some tape and I blacked out and
>> fell... woke up probably seconds later from weird dreams wondering where
>> the hell I was...
>>
>> fun night, lessons learned
>
tmbg wrote:
> got my tetanus booster this morning. Nurse said I may or may not regain
> feeling in the end of my thumb.
Have heart. The finger I nailed with that backsaw was numb for a long time,
but the feeling has gradually come back. You might indeed regain some or
all of the feeling in that thumb.
--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan <[email protected]>
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/
On Tue, 03 Feb 2004 11:17:44 -0500, Silvan
<[email protected]> scribbled:
>Luigi Zanasi wrote:
>
>> My only woodworking scar is 1" long on the pad of my thumb (i.e., the
>> fleshy part on the hand). From a dull chisel though. I was trying
>> carve a piece of wood that I was holding in my hand, 14 years old at
>> the time. Dumb.
>
>I can only think of two woodworking scars. I acquired both of them last
>year.
>
>One is on my left ring finger, the segment of the finger where the wedding
>ring lives. I poked a freshly-sharpened 1/4" chisel into that, spawning
>the "we look like chicken inside" thread. That one scarred, but not much.
Yup, I remember washing off enough blood in the sink to see the meat.
White meat it was.
>The other, the middle segment of my left index finger has a diagonal scar.
>Looking at the palm side, divide the finger into quarters from palm to
>fingertip. The scar runs from the leftmost quarter all the way around to
>the middle of the back side of the finger. I did that one *guillotining* a
>backsaw into my finger when I slipped while showing my son how to cut a M&T
>joint. The work slipped in the vise, and the saw swung down in an arc,
>catching my off hand as it hung innoncently at my side. That one scarred
>big. I still haven't figure out how the hell I managed to do that to
>myself. I guess next time I'll have to put my off hand behind my back.
En garde! Fencing against the dreaded tenon using a scie à dos. Sorry,
that's the image that immediately came to mind when I read the last
line of your riposte. :-)
Luigi
Note the new email address.
Please adjust your krillfiles (tmAD) accordingly
Replace "nonet" with "yukonomics" for real email address
Thankfullly I have never(yet) cut myself with a chisel due in large
measure to my first woodworking instructor who, upon noticing someone
praticing poor technique, remarked: "Remember, if that chisel slips
it's probably not stopping until it hits bone!!" A particulalry vivid
picture and safety reminder.