Burnt Fingers !! Is there a cure ??

Normark

Normark

Joined
Nov 7, 1999
Messages
6,651
Hey Guys...

I'm burning the Living $@&% out of my index fingers...

I'm wearing insulated winter work gloves, and the grinder eats the living Crap out of the index fingers and I've got burns Ontop of Frigging burns.. It's the the point where I'm worried it's not going to heal...

What do you guys use to protect your fingers... ??

This is Frigging crazy,, brand new gloves to boot !!

My right hand glove was literally burning.. My son says,, "Dad,, your glove is on fire!!"

This only happens when I'm hogging... Generally I turn the grinder down to about 50 % then take the gloves off..
Still burn my finger tips a little but not too bad...

What the cure Guys ??

Thanks

Eric
O/ST
 
hope your finger gets better!

maybe the gloves were a defected chinese/asian/arab product.
 
i wear leather cow hide gloves..and have never had a problem...but that can just be me...?
 
Hey Guys...

Thanks...

It's not the heat when they are new,, it's the heat after the F-ing grinder chews the side of the finger out thats the problem...

I rest the blade on the side of my finger and push with my thumb.. Eventually the grinder chews through the leather leaving Exposed flesh...

Luckily I haven't pushed my finger into the grit of the belt yet!! (Just wait,, that will be tomorrows post!!! )

Maybe I'm just trying to grind too hard..., or I'm holding the blade wrong...

I'm not sure,, but I have to solve this somehow,, or I'm going to constantly have burnt fingers and add the price of a new pair of gloves into each knife !! LOL

Thanks

Eric
O/ST
 
i would say dont grind with gloves i dont. once the glove gets wet its like a heat magnet and burns bad. also when not using gloves you can keep an eye on the blade temp. i got into a habit to do 2-3 grind passes then dip in water. keeps blade nice and cool. some makers consider using gloves dangerus because the belt can grab them and suck your hand into the belt. use comon sence and be safe
 
whaaaaaa. i've been told you arent a knifemaker till you get stitches so be glad you're only dealing with burns:p. burns are part of the sickness anyways:D, at least thats what i have found out. how bad do you have the sickness? i'm not happy unless i'm eating sparks and smelling burnt flesh:eek::D. you'll get used to it eventually.:D
 
You need a push stick! Use a peice of wood to push against the blade instead of your finger! Cut and shape the end as needed to make it hold as you wish. you can get more wood not more fingers!
 
Sam Salvati said:
You need a push stick! Use a peice of wood to push against the blade instead of your finger! Cut and shape the end as needed to make it hold as you wish. you can get more wood not more fingers!
Click to expand...

That is what i use to Sam after the first time the blade slipped from my finger and made it shorter than the others:eek: i went to a push stick.
 
Grind more. You don't have callouses yet...and get a bucket, fill it with water and place it directly under the contact wheel for the obvious.

(After filling the bucket with water, put some Dawn dish detergent in the water to act as a dispersant so the filings won't float.)

Craig
 
I buy cheap leather and cloth gloves. After they get grinder holes I wrap the holes in the glove fingers with masking tape, and keep them going. I can go a year on two pair this way.
 
You won't catch me wearing gloves at the grinder EVER. It's not just your hand getting sucked into the belt that's a problem, but between the belt and the platen/wheel and then pulling the rest of your arm into the belt. Gives me the willies to think about!

If you're having real trouble, go for a push stick. The best deal for that I've seen yet is what Jim Siska does. He has what looks like a file handle with a small metal dowel (might have been a screw) stocking out of the end. Grind the end of the screw/dowel down until just enough of it is left to rest the tip of your blade on. Then, you have something to keep the blade from getting pulled down, and you can push with the stick if you need to apply pressure.

Personally, I don't use a push stick, but if I was going to, I'd use one like Jim does.

Take care and grind safe.

-d
 
Sam is right about the push stick. Frequent dipping the blade in water helps too. Keep a bucket beside the grinder.

Many (myself included) consider gloves a safety hazard. If the glove gets sucked down between tool rest and platen, you whole hand is going to follow until the machine stalls - and it would be very messy.:(

Rob!
 
Deker's right - don't EVER wear a glove.
Push stick or hold by hand.
I was given a little advice so as not to burn our steel that if it was too hot to hold - it was too hot.
Use sharp belts so you don't need to push so hard to remove material. If you are not removing material, put on a new belt!
Once you peel off the end of your thumb a few times, you'll learn HOW to hold that blade!
Slow down, take a deep breath, turn the radio off, get a bucket of water, pay attention to what you're doing, "feel" that blade against the machine, make a few passes and dip the blade to keep it cool.
You can do it.
 
I use a paint can for my water bucket, and now that it's winter, I fill it with snow instead of water. Cools the blade down faster and seems to stay cool longer. Karl hit the big one IMO... Sharp belts don't build up the friction and so produce less heat.
Matt
 
Once the skin toughens you will not notice the burns as much and the gloves help but be very careful with that tool rest it can be dangerous with gloves.

I suggest removing the tool rest when rough grinding and re installing it for finish grinding when you can work without gloves if necessary.

ALL of my grinding is done without a tool rest ......you can easily get used to it.

George
 
I wear insulated leather work gloves when hogging, and dip the blade when it starts to feel warm through the glove, I take the glove off after heat treat for finishing, and when it gets uncomfortable in the bare hand I dip it. If you're grinding your glove more than very occaisionally, you are probably not paying the right kind of attention to be working with your hands that close to the belt, perhaps a push stick or blade magnet isn't the worst idea

-Page
 
Grinding with gloves on is dangerus and its something I do not do. If you are getting your blade that hot. You maybe pushing to hard on the blade allowing heated to build up. perhaps you need to change the belt or speed up the grind. When you are grinding slow this can cause heat to build up in the steel.

When I grind I like to dip my knife in the water bucket about every other pass, this will keep your blade from getting to hot. I grind my blades hard after heat treat.

I would suggest putting on a new 50 grit belt and speeding up the grinder a little. This will help in removing the metal at a faster rate. Hope this was of help to you. Have a safe day out there. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. ------------:)
 
Wow, do this many people really wear gloves around rotating machinery?

I promise you will stop doing it the day you stop a machine to unwrap a glove that still has your buddies (or your) finger in it, even though your buddy is sitting across the room, pale as a ghost...

Cured me years ago.

Believe me when I tell you that even one horse is strong enough to pull your finger out.

By the root.

Develop callouses, accept the minor burns and cuts, dip in the bucket more often.

Base 9 math sucks, keep all your fingers....
 
Hey Guys...

Thanks much for the ideas and Thoughts....

As far as gloves go.. Is it still dangerous when working at the bottom of the wheel ??
Theres really nothing to get your hand caught in working at the bottom of the wheel..

George..

Well I already learned my lesson with the Frigging tool rest,, after I was grinding a thin tanto and it got jammed up under the toolrest and shot it out at my feet..

That thing came off right after that....

I'm freehand hollow grinding and using the "Organic Toolrest" as Kit Carson calls it.. LOL

I can see where the toolrest can become a hazard for sure...

I'll listen to you guys and stop wearing gloves on the grinder...
I'll even start putting the guards up.. Usually only use the top guard to keep the grit and sparks out of my face...

Thanks

Eric
O/ST
 
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