A word about safety and fingers

[JTknives]

I have built my shop on a budget from day one. I do this by building most of my equipment. But as much as I advocate building and restoring old equipment it should come in second to safety. Our fingers are one of our most important and easly lost parts of our body. I had an axadent in my shop recently and was very lucky. The machine responsible was my bandsaw. But it was not the blade but the upper wheel. I got this saw for a great price and it has many issues including not having any guards as well as being directly driven with a gear reduced motor. Some how in adjusting the tracking while it was running I got my finger caught between the wheels spokes and the tension riser. At first I thought I lost the end of my finger. I was very lucky and kept all of my digit. Still had quite a bit of damage but it healed over time. But let this be a warning to every old and new knife maker that keep safety as your priority so you can enjoy this craft for a long time.

This is the saw in question.

Here is my finger after removing most of the blood.

After the incident the wife told me she does not care about the cost and is buying me a new saw. This is what I got. It's used but the guy only turned it one once. It has a rolling base as well to make it easyer to move it around. The saw new is $750-$800 and the roller base is $150. We got the saw for $445 which is much cheaper then reattaching a finger.

So let this be a learning experience that safety is more important then trying to pitch every penny. I know what we do is not considered a safe job but we need to do what we can to keep all our parts attached.

 

[LARRYZ10]

I did not clamp down a knife in my drill press and did this when it "helicoptered". I now have a 1/2 bolt sticking up through the plate on my press and I have a large locking hold down clamp next to the drill press. Larry

 

[NC Biker]

While safety is important, I think your story overlooks an even more important life lesson that I constantly impress upon my children and grandchildren. Who you choose as your life partner is one of, if not the most important choice you will make in your lifetime. JT, it would appear you chose wisely.

 

[Greenberg Woods]

Quick note i meant to text you about, check out timberwolf bandsaw blades, get the 2 or the 2.5 TPI, hooked tooth .5 wide blade.

 

[JTknives]

I am very lucky to have a women in my life who cares as much as she does for me. I have a tendency like I'm guessing most of you do, to become sucked into a project and overlook safety or personal condition. A few months ago I was forging out a large Damascus billet. It was 90° out side and I was forging all day inside the shop. Wife came in and rushed me out of the shop. She walked over and shut the gas off at the tank and dragged me out. It was so hot in the shop but I was out of it. I had stopped sweating and was delirious. And when I got outside I was shivering in the 90° sunlight. Rushed me inside and started cooling me down. So now she comes out and checks on me every hr or 2. In that situation I was so far gone that I did not have the mental capacity to relize I was In trouble.

 

[Willie71]

The spouse comments are very true. My wife is great with this too, and I spend looking for best bang for the buck. It's a two way street.

 

[Methuselah]

thanks for the reminder gents.

 

[AVigil]

Wow, you are lucky you never had a blade break on that saw and put your eye out.

Guards on bandsaws really are not an "option"

 

[irona]

I did not clamp down a knife in my drill press and did this when it "helicoptered". I now have a 1/2 bolt sticking up through the plate on my press and I have a large locking hold down clamp next to the drill press. Larry

That happened to me on my first knife, I was rushing and wanted to get the holes drilled fast. Sucks, right?


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[Brock Cutlery]

There should be a blood and gore sticky thread. I learned so much about safe driving from the graphic Highway Patrol magazines in high school.

Glad it wasn't worse for you! Remembering my little bandsaw run-in earlier this year.

 

[AVigil]

That happened to me on my first knife, I was rushing and wanted to get the holes drilled fast. Sucks, right?


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Am I the only one who drills holes in the tang before grinding the bevels?

 

[NC Biker]

Am I the only one who drills holes in the tang before grinding the bevels?

Even with no bevels a helicoptering blade will cut you up.

 

[TILLER]

Bandsaws will get you. I got about 8 stitches across the pad of my thumb right after I consciously thought, eh, I don't need a push stick, I've bumped my finger on the blade before and been fine. I was also using a worn blade, so I was pushing a lot harder than I should have needed to. Glad I didn't go through bone.

 

[irona]

Am I the only one who drills holes in the tang before grinding the bevels?

Mine was after grinding the bevels. Luckily, I didn't grind them very thin on that one.


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[daizee]

Am I the only one who drills holes in the tang before grinding the bevels?

Every single time.
Even so, drilling large holes in small pieces is stupid dangerous. Usually I work on a small press that I can stop with my hand, but for bigger holes... I don't do 'em often. Thought I had things under control, but the big Walker Turn threw the entire drill press vise at me. Luckly only some superficial scratches and a modest gouge, but mods are needed before using that bad boy again. I'm down to one band-aid from three.

 

[Nic.]

Am I the only one who drills holes in the tang before grinding the bevels?

Hmm, now there's a good thought!

 

[Stromberg Knives]

I reached across my grinder. Not a wise decision. Fortunately I escaped with just a chewed up sweater and a raised heartbeat.

Never doing that again. And I got a new, tighter, sweater.


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[KnuckleDownKnives]

I did not clamp down a knife in my drill press and did this when it "helicoptered". I now have a 1/2 bolt sticking up through the plate on my press and I have a large locking hold down clamp next to the drill press. Larry

Been there done that, just not quite as bad and not a knife, but a sharp thin piece of metal. .. Using my hand as a clamp while using a 4 1/2" grinder getting in a hurry and catching a corner. Almost cut the tendon.

 

[ron_m80]

That's a flesh wound. Not trying to one up you at all, but it can be much worse.

Even earlier than where I am now in the knife making venture, I injured a knuckle on my right hand trigger finger. It was just a very deep cut. Nothing much more. But due to the depth, and location, the human body is not very good at fighting infections there. A very nasty infection set in. MRSA, the doctors screwed up the MED's for the first SIX months, and necessitated another SIX months of antibiotics, all of which were delivered straight to my heart via a PICC line inserted in my arm. 6 months in one arm, 6 months in another.

I ended up spending a couple extra months in the care of an internal disease specialist also. The ammount of time spent receiving the special medicine, and getting care for the treatment alone was two full working days a week, if not for the profession and job benefits I had I would have been done for. (The reason I say in hindsight I would have just given up the finger at the second knuckle)

More than a year of my life lost to a stupid finger infection. I would rather have the damn thing cut off than do that again. The good news is now there is a permanent kink in the finger now that causes problems when working some angles. And it locks up at very bad moments when I want it to bend, and end up jamming it a bit from time to time.

JTKnives is right take care of your fingers. I was nearly done with knife making before I ever started.

 

[Rick Marchand]

Aside from my 2x72 and angle grinder, no machine I own is stronger than me. I have 3 drill presses, 3 bench grinders and 2 combo sanders. All of them stall out if they bind up.