Cuts like a knife

Otto Carpenter

Otto Carpenter

Joined
Jun 24, 2016
Messages
416
How many more times must I cut myself before I learn? Just got bit on a kitchen carver 30-minutes ago, but my folders have caught me before also. It's all about paying attention, I know, but maybe there are ingrained strategies you veterans employ to avoid the avoidable.
 
Don't know if I am a veteran, but I would say muscle memory and smarts.
Example of the opposite of smarts- About 4 years ago I was cutting something similar to extra thick zip ties, in awkward position, cut 95% of the way through my index finger.
Smarts- I did cut away from me, but I should have not been in such a rush, or should not have my hand holding the plastic wire be anywhere near where the blade would slice through. Plus shouldn't have had that index finger in the shape of a hook out there asking to have a sharp edge get caught by it. Also should have used wire cutters since I was upside down in a tight spot working on a car, very bad position/angle/etc.

Since then I have only had about three very minor superficial cuts. Not sure why. I guess maybe I am paying more attention, taking my time, using the right tool for the tasks, and of course learn from my mistakes.

Kitchen work is tricky, big blades and are always trying to rush it seems. Not to mention this stock, very sharp blades. But muscle memory can help in the kitchen too! Stay safe!
 
Pics or it didn't happen :D
You will cut yourself many more times to several degrees. We all will. Expect it to happen, but give a try not to.
 
Shopping list for a Knife Knut

Mineral Oil
Flitz Metal Polish
Band aids
Microfiber cloth
Renaissance wax
Band aids
Sharpening stones
Strop
Band aids
Magnifying glass
Jewelers Loupe
Tourniquet
:eek: :devilish: :D
 
Otto Carpenter said:
How many more times must I cut myself before I learn?
Click to expand...

I dunno; but if you find out, let me know.
I've been carrying knives for well over 50 years. I still nick myself every once in a while.

Like you, it's always because my attention wandered.
 
knarfeng said:
I dunno; but if you find out, let me know.
I've been carrying knives for well over 50 years. I still nick myself every once in a while.

Like you, it's always because my attention wandered.
Click to expand...
Yeah, kinda know it's inevitable, but then the thought occurred to me that careful gun owners don't shoot themselves too often. That may or may not be a bad analogy.
 
Otto Carpenter said:
Yeah, kinda know it's inevitable, but then the thought occurred to me that careful gun owners don't shoot themselves too often. That may or may not be a bad analogy.
Click to expand...

The frequency of a Human error is directly related to its severity?
 
Last edited:
from jpm 2...The frequency of a Human error is directly related to its severity?

I don't think so...the opposite, perhaps.
A person cannot sustain himself with many severe cuts without bleeding out. I am more inclined to think that I cut myself fairly often, but in a minor way...BECAUSE they are minor cuts and I don't pay much attention.
The majority of my cuts are to the tip of my thumb, because I tend to close the blade when my thumb is still in the way. Just often enuf to be mildly upsetting...but seldom needing a bandage.
"Too large or too long" a blade might be my problem. I noticed quite a bit when I first got a new Sebbie 25. I sold that thing while I still had some RBC's.
 
r redden said:
Shopping list for a Knife Knut

Mineral Oil
Flitz Metal Polish
Band aids
Microfiber cloth
Renaissance wax
Band aids
Sharpening stones
Strop
Band aids
Magnifying glass
Jewelers Loupe
Tourniquet
:eek: :devilish: :D
Click to expand...
TOURNiQUET!! Yikes!:eek:
 
My wife now complains if the kitchen knives aren't sharp; long gone the days when I had to warn here that I had sharpened them as she would always get bitten when I had.

A folding knife, or penknife, or pocket knife, should need two hands to open. Its thinking time.... Saves time in the long run as clearing up the claret takes an age.

Sheath knives and hunting knives should have a prominent guard, well at least a prominent lower guard.

If a cut is tough you are doing it the wrong way. Axes want to get you.

I live by the Chris Reeve motto: think twice, cut once. Sometimes twice is not enough :o
 
I'll probably regret this because any time I post in one of these threads I seem to nick myself shortly thereafter.

That said, I rarely ever cut myself with a knife or other sharpened tool. As a kid I cut myself using a gouge while trying to hold a piece of wood in one hand and carving toward it with the other. It slipped off the wood and gouged my hand instead! I didn't tell anyone at the time because I was afraid of getting in trouble and having my pocketknife taken away. Ever since I've had a healthy respect for any sharpened implement and am very deliberate about how I cut things. It's something I do almost subconsciously now and it makes me extremely uncomfortable to cut towards myself in any way.

When I cut myself, it's usually on things that you wouldn't expect. These include things such as a ratcheting cargo bar, a metal broom handle unexpectedly snapping, cardboard boxes, and other random objects that you wouldn't think would be sharp.
 
Sonnydaze said:
from jpm 2...The frequency of a Human error is directly related to its severity?

I don't think so...the opposite, perhaps.
Click to expand...
I figured the average accidental gunshot is much more severe than the average cut, so people are more careful with guns.
 
Doggone it, now I have that Bryan Adams song stuck in my head. I have nicked myself more than a few times over the years, and a few of those were more than nicks. Every time it happened it's because the knife did exactly what I told it to, and I was being an idiot. Fatigue, high emotion, or stress, these are the things that have ended up in blood for me. On the bright side, once I realized this I haven't cut myself in quite some time. On the negative side, I am way overdue for good self-imposed injury and I need to get it over with before all my Woundseal packets expire.
 
I have wound seal, fabric knuckle and fingertip band aids in every bathroom, my truck and both cars.....I'd like to say just in case, but I know better!! It is inevitable!!
Stabbed myself in my left thumb yesterday at work. Installing an outdoor AC unit sweating like a dog. Pac Salt SE slipped and wound up stuck in the pad of my thumb! Anyone tells me the tip on that knife isn't stabby is getting a smack!! It stabbed just fine!!
Ugh
Joe
 
I was wiping down my Scagel earlier, and noticed blood......I didn't even realize I cut myself. I will admit that I was daydreaming about something else at the time.
 
My law on knives. The more careful try to be the more likely you are to get cut. Trying to be careful distracts your mind too much. Just be relaxed and careless when cutting and you'll be fine. Ain't been cut by a knife for 7 years. Ain't cared wether I cut towards or away from myself in seven years


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
You are asking for disaster. I sincerely hope you're trying to be funny...
 
If you ever quit cutting yourself it's only because you quit using your knives. Really, I once went 3 months without cutting myself and then all of a sudden I'd get nicked from just looking at the damn things and then back to not getting nicked too often. It's part of knife handling.
 
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