I can vouch for that, many years ago I badly broke a finger when an Alfa torsion bar let go and had to have two pins put through it to keep it in place, now in cold weather it can feel odd/numb & tingly.
My chiselling accident...
- Thread starter chrisbenjy
- Start date
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A plaster first maybe?
When I was serving my apprenticeship many moons ago, safety was drummed into you.
We were continually told about the danger of wearing a ring and shown hospital photographs of a chaps hand and fingers.
He had been running to catch a bus, the type with the footplate at the back and a vertical stainless steel tube for grabbing hold of.
The tube was assembled in two sections with a collar half way up held in place with a small screw.
This chap ran after the bus as it was leaving the stop. He jump ed forward to grab the tube but fell as the bus moved along. The small screw caught in his ring and pulled the ring off his wedding finger ripping all the flesh off all the way round as he was dragged along.
The photos showed the mans finger, which was now just a bone, after A&E admission. Horrible.
Far too many people don't realise what dangers are lurking in our workshops, and introducing machinery without mastering the basic safety measures is asking for trouble.
Remember. There is always another way to cut wood without removing the riving knife on a table saw.
We were continually told about the danger of wearing a ring and shown hospital photographs of a chaps hand and fingers.
He had been running to catch a bus, the type with the footplate at the back and a vertical stainless steel tube for grabbing hold of.
The tube was assembled in two sections with a collar half way up held in place with a small screw.
This chap ran after the bus as it was leaving the stop. He jump ed forward to grab the tube but fell as the bus moved along. The small screw caught in his ring and pulled the ring off his wedding finger ripping all the flesh off all the way round as he was dragged along.
The photos showed the mans finger, which was now just a bone, after A&E admission. Horrible.
Far too many people don't realise what dangers are lurking in our workshops, and introducing machinery without mastering the basic safety measures is asking for trouble.
Remember. There is always another way to cut wood without removing the riving knife on a table saw.
Nigel Burden
Established Member
I snipped a bit off the tip of my ring finger years ago pruning the Fuchsias. I now have a slight lump that is slightly numb.
Early on in my wood mangling journey, I was using a wooden jointer. Stupidly I had my fingers wrapped around the end of the plane. My shed is only 8 x 6 and my bench is not far from the door. I pushed the plane through a tough bit of wood only to continue on, smashing the plane into the door frame with my fingers in between. Ouch, I split the finger along the side of the finger nail. I washed it off and put a plaster and some Micropore around the plaster. Fortunately I've had no ill effects.
Nigel.
Early on in my wood mangling journey, I was using a wooden jointer. Stupidly I had my fingers wrapped around the end of the plane. My shed is only 8 x 6 and my bench is not far from the door. I pushed the plane through a tough bit of wood only to continue on, smashing the plane into the door frame with my fingers in between. Ouch, I split the finger along the side of the finger nail. I washed it off and put a plaster and some Micropore around the plaster. Fortunately I've had no ill effects.
Nigel.
I first had to learn that lesson when I was eight, and being a bit thick had to relearn it a few times afterwards.
I was trimming side shoots from a stick using a penknife. We were allowed things like that then. Unfortunately I was holding the stick in my left hand at the bottom. With my right, I was carving along the stick towards my left. Too much effort cutting off a side shoot resulted in the blade opening up the length of my third finger along the top, like a split sausage at a barbecue.
I was trimming side shoots from a stick using a penknife. We were allowed things like that then. Unfortunately I was holding the stick in my left hand at the bottom. With my right, I was carving along the stick towards my left. Too much effort cutting off a side shoot resulted in the blade opening up the length of my third finger along the top, like a split sausage at a barbecue.
samhay
Established Member
Having had to have those tendons repaired myself, I say well done on stopping where you did. Clean cuts can take a while to knit back together, do be patient with it.
Pineapple
Established Member
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Last edited:
Sundial Colin
Member
Working in school workshops all my life the 2 chiselling rules; all fingers behind the cutting edge and cutting away from you and down, have prevented many injuries I’m sure.
Always work behind the cutting edge of any tool. I did something similar with a chisel at school many years ago.
pidgeonpost
Established Member
Painful! The nastiest injury I've sustained was from a humble tenon saw. I had my left thumb steadying the sawblade along the marked cut, and had just begun to cut when I inadvertently withdrew the blade too far and immediately began the next forward stroke. The lower corner of the blade went through the end of my thumb about halfway down the length of the nail and a good way through it. It did smart more than a little.
It was patched up with the first aid kit, but on the way home on my motorbike the dressing began to leak, and the blood congealed inside my glove. Getting the glove off wasn't a fun experience either.
It was patched up with the first aid kit, but on the way home on my motorbike the dressing began to leak, and the blood congealed inside my glove. Getting the glove off wasn't a fun experience either.
Phill05
Established Member
Welcome to the club Chris, when you see two renowned people conversing about how best to sharpen blades you now have full bragging rights to jump in on the subject.
quintain
Established Member
A works engineer after a similar accident could readily have ordered 3 pints and two halves by just holding his hand in the air. (if he hadn't been so tight with money)
Glad yours is just a lesson which we all need.
Get well soon, good whisky is helpful for the healing process !!!
Glad yours is just a lesson which we all need.
Get well soon, good whisky is helpful for the healing process !!!
treeturner123
Established Member
Hi All
This is why wood turning is so safe (as far as cuts from tools is concerned!!) You always have your hand behind the sharp part!
HOWEVER.... Just be careful of chuck keys, chucks, putting your finger inside the tool rest, turning a natural edge and PARTICULARLY....
Cutting wood with a band saw when you are too lazy/tight to change the blade when you should.
Lesson NEARLY learned!!
Phil
This is why wood turning is so safe (as far as cuts from tools is concerned!!) You always have your hand behind the sharp part!
HOWEVER.... Just be careful of chuck keys, chucks, putting your finger inside the tool rest, turning a natural edge and PARTICULARLY....
Cutting wood with a band saw when you are too lazy/tight to change the blade when you should.
Lesson NEARLY learned!!
Phil
tulogngham
StillJustAboutGotAllMyFingers
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Is it just me , or everyone was waiting for the picture !! Thats a good one.
thick_mike
Wood Shortener
I did very similar with a 2tpi rip saw I’d just sharpened. For some inexplicable reason I had my thumb just under the slot as I ripped a board to test it out. Caught the thumb nail between the wood and the saw and left a deep jagged rip straight through the thumbnail and deep into the nail bed. Plenty of claret, I had to kneel on the floor to stop myself from passing out.
Safe until someone shows a YouTube video boasting of their new skew made out of a large untempered file!
Hopefully they have the camera running when it breaks in half.
johnny
Established Member
glad it wasn't a worse injury. As I read through your story I could see visions of a chisel stuck in your arm and blood everywhere.
Excellent story ....brings to mind that time when Ray Mears was sharpening something on his knee slipped and stabbed his knee with a very sharp knife.
My motto is always work away from self never towards any part of your body
Lons
Established Member
Nasty but lucky as well.
I cut through the tendons on the same knuckle and have the scar to prove it, was just a kid using a very sharp knife when I wasn't allowed to and they had to stitch it all back up, no problems except very occasionally it clicks and locks up when a little painful manipulation is required to get thinks working again.
I cut through the tendons on the same knuckle and have the scar to prove it, was just a kid using a very sharp knife when I wasn't allowed to and they had to stitch it all back up, no problems except very occasionally it clicks and locks up when a little painful manipulation is required to get thinks working again.
pidgeonpost
Established Member
This clicking and locking is both inconvenient and painful. I have the problem on the middle finger of both hands. It worsens if I do some heavy work or clench my fist. The r/h one isn't so bad as it unlocks reluctantly but without assistance. Had it for years.
The left one is a different matter and needs assistance. Was due to see a specialist - then along comes Covid.
