Chisel slippage

[Rknott2007]

I broke the most fundamental safety rule when using hand tools, hand BEHIND cutting edge I'd routed out a shallow 1mm pocket for a hinge plate, and I was just squaring the corners up, my board was over hanging my bench and my other hand was underneath.

This was the result

I ended up with 5 stitches no movement and its completly numb.

Its a good half way through my finger I very nearly lost the end and it was all my own stupid fault, we all need to remember hand tools can cause damage jus as much as power tools.

 

[yetloh]

There but for the grace of good fortune go most of us. You have my sympathy - be sure to take advice on measures you can take to ensure you get back to as near normal sensitivity in it as possible. I had a nasty accident with a router several years back and still do not have normal sensitivity in the finger most affected.

Jim

 

[ondablade]

Hope it'll be OK Knotty, and that it's not going to be disabling - can't see which hand it is. Brave of you to post. So easy to do, and not due any blame. It's basically a statistical possibility for all of us.

I've a long scar along the ball of my left thumb where i dropped a sharp chisel i was using only about a foot. It just clipped through the skin as it fell under its own weight - missing my thigh by a whisker.

 

[Rknott2007]

its my left index finger

 

[JonnyD]

hope it gets better soon. I have used woodworking machines petty much everday for about 15 years and have had 2 bad accidents which needed stitches both of which were caused by chisels slipping and going into a finger or thumb. Its easily done and hurts.

cheers

jon

 

[wobblycogs]

Hope you get some feeling and sensation back in your finger. That's a nasty looking cut.

The closest I've come to a bad accident in the shop was sharpening a plane blade. Just putting the final edge on it on the stropping wheel of the Tormek and the blade slipped off the edge of the wheel. Cue a huge cut across the pad of my right thumb. Fortunately it wasn't deep so only selotape was needed. Taught me to be much more careful with hand tools!

 

[dickm]

If you've lost movement in the end of the finger, get your GP/Nurse to check that you haven't severed the tendon. If you have, it's some serious surgery to get it repaired, but it does work. I severed the tendon that works the top joint of my left thumb about 40 years ago, and an excellent surgeon in Oxford did the repair work so that it still works almost 100%.

 

[studders]

Pah, I'd have dipped it in Bleach, wrapped it in Masking Tape and got on with the job. :^o


Nearly came a cropper maself yesterday. Cutting a bit of board with my CS when it dawned on me to look and see where the cable was. :shock:
I had it right in line with the cut. :shock:
Then, having moved the cable I started cutting again and thought 'Getting a bit dusty???' Does help if you remember to switch the extractor back on.

Yesterday was not a good day.

Hope it heals up OK

 

[Rknott2007]

dickm, I have got tendon damage the nurse told me when i went to the ER, because i couldn't apply pressure, I've been given a pysiotherapy ball to squeeze to try and regain movement.

 

[Ironballs]

I have 2 chisel scars on my left index finger, thankfully only flesh wounds. Finally drummed in the rule about always having both hands behind the edge.

Hope your tendon recovers

 

[ondablade]

Hmmm. So for all the safety waffle we hear maybe chisels are a greater accident risk than power tools. Ban them i say, ban them...

 

[woodbloke]

Nasty I'm OK with chisels, it's Stanley knives riding over the edge of a rule onto my thumb that I have to be careful with - Rob