Don't be an idiot like me

thurin

thurin

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I've posted before about my scandi Kephart and how I think it's an great carver (even if I'm not a great carver using it). Turns out, it works pretty well as a fillet knife as well. I post my embarrassing story as a reminder to be safe.

Last night as I was watching the last of the basketball games, I decided to work on carving up a spoon. Batoned the rough shape out of a chunk of firewood with my Bushfinger and set to work on it with my Kephart. The night's going pretty good. What could be better than March Madness (I'm in first place in my league after day 1 - wahoo), a cold Coors Light and carving on some wood with a really cool knife? Bad combination for me I guess. I got lazy, wasn't paying close enough attention to where the follow through would go if something bad happened, so guess what: something bad happened. Wood snapped in half, blade slipped and I'm driving myself to the ER with my left index finger wrapped in a towel.

Cut was pretty deep, but due to the angle of the cut, it missed the tendons and bone. It did a pretty good job of filleting the flesh away from the tendons. The doctor and nurse were amazed that there wasn't some more serious damage done. They commented on how clean the cut was. So I guess if you're going to try and fillet your finger, it's best to do it with a clean, sharp Fiddleback. 7 stitches, a tetanus shot and a few hours later I headed back home with some Daffy Duck bandaids covering up the stitches. Normally they use a specific finger dressing, but they didn't have any that fit my large paws :)

I know you guys all know this stuff, but moral of my embarrassing story: don't be an idiot like me - pay attention to follow through.

Linking to a picture instead of embedding it incase anyone doesn't like the sight of mangled, bloody fingers: http://i1327.photobucket.com/albums/u671/thurin_/IMG_1702_zpsbd536be0.png
 
I did something simular working on my deck The dr had the same comment on how clean the cut was. They tried to tell me a sharp knife doesn't hurt as bad as a dull knife. I'm not sure I believe them. Heal well.
 
That's rough. I almost took the top of my right index finger off while sharpening a TOPS. nerve and bone got clipped. I'm about 8 months after and my finger tip still feels spotty.

I echo texas....heal well.
 
I had a similar "moment" last year with my Swamp Rat chopper while tutoring my 9 yr old nephew. Getting sloppy I whacked my leg and had to turn the knife tutoring into a first aid class.
As long as you dont get mangled or die time usually turns incidents like this into good stories and memories.
Heal well!
 
Thanks guys.

I did get to see the Harvard game - them winning is probably what caused my momentary lack of concentration. That was one of the two games I mis-picked yesterday.
 
Man, you do good work! Sorry for the wound and I hope it heals up problem free. Note to self: learn from the mistakes of others, don't repeat or embellish them...
 
Same with me, recently cut my pinky and index of my left hand while cutting a kaiser in half. I guess we all use and sharpen knives more often than others and do it usually safe and controlled but pay less attention at other times when we think we are good.
 
I cut my same finger perpendicular to your cut a little over a year ago. Had numbness in a part of my finger. Then I would electrifying jolts when I bumped it. Ended up getting surgery to repair a nicked tendon and four nerves. Still lessened feeling in part of my finger, but otherwise fully fictional now.

Glad yours doesn't sound as bad as mine. I don't feel a dumb seeing others do similar stuff. :)
 
That part of knives really stinks. Of course, I'm cut up all the time, but not that badly very often. Thank God. I'll be tipping a beer later with thoughts of healing for you.
 
Geeze thurin, that was a bit of a nick! Glad to hear that you're OK and I too would like to wish you a speedy recovery. Damaging your finger can be horribly painful...it sounds like you really lucked out and didn't get yourself in too bad a spot. I knew a guy who split his finger with a circular saw and he could literally still feel phantom pain in the finger, and excruciating pain whenever he touched something with that finger, up to two years after the injury!

Also, I wouldn't call yourself an idiot: you are so not alone on this one thurin. I have had my share of knife injuries (I am shamefully clumsy some times) but have been pretty lucky. In classic style, my first knife injury came with my first knife: got a Swiss army knife for my tenth or eleventh birthday and closed that puppy on my index finger about 30 mins after I started playing with it :rolleyes: Spent my birthday in the hospital instead of eating cake but I was still playing with the knife when I got back home, so that says something :D

I also cut my index finger quite badly once: it was many years ago while butchering a pheasant at camp, nicked a vein and things got bloody and slippery and next thing I knew I had a big flap of skin hanging off the underside of my finger. Good times. This is why I now refuse to use a hunting knife that doesn't have some type of finger guard. Once burned I guess.

I have a bottle of single malt at home with my name written all over it. I was planning to enjoy a dram or two while I worked on some carving with my EDK, but your story has reminded me why I probably shouldn't mix carving with other things, especially alcohol. Maybe I'll just enjoy the dram and send good healing vibes your way instead ;) Enjoy the rest of March Madness and heal up quick.
 
Thanks all for the well wishes. And sharing your own knife injury stories. I'll lift a glass with you all tonight. Normally my diet dictates a wimpy light beer (when i actually can have one), but I think tonight calls for something nicer. We have some really nice micro brews here in CO.
 
Gnarly finger man! Cheers to a speedy recovery! I did a similar number on my thumb about 10 years ago with a SAK. Folded the pen blade over and it went straight through to the bone, ouch. Oh, you made my finger hurt looking at that pic!
 
Knives are sharp! ;) :D In all seriousness though, wishing you a full and speedy recovery.
 
Ouch. This hobby is dangerous, that's for sure.

I had a knife sheath in my left hand and was too quick in trying to put away a knife - ended up missing the sheath completely and stabbing the knife into my palm. Hurt like crazy.

Anyway, here's to a speedy recovery and hey, be careful!
 
Ouch! I cringe looking at that picture. Bud, I don't know if this is your first time with stitches or not, but I feel compelled to warn you that they hurt. More so the following days than what you'd expect. (I've had too many accidents, don't ask ;) )

I am VERY glad that you didn't hit bone or tendons. You are quite fortunate. I hope you heal well and get back to carving soon. These lessons are tough but I find thy have taught me things I will never forget.
 
Ouch!

If it's any consolation as I'm sitting here typing I've got a stab wound in my calf from an absent minded swipe at some brambles at work on Thurs, my wife is a nurse and she loved that one as I bled into the muscle for about two hours before it popped on the kitchen floor! I'm also cut on the top of my thumb from a pocket knife I nearly dropped whilst polishing the blade and instinctively tried to grab!

Despite nodding in all the right places whilst being told by your father in days of yore about how to use a knife in the right way use and confidence can make you and me complacent.

I work every week with a variety of potentially dangerous tools including a chainsaw. Interestingly figures show much higher chainsaw accident rates with experienced users than inexperienced people. Same problem.

Cheers:)

Sam
 
rnbtexas said:
I did something simular working on my deck The dr had the same comment on how clean the cut was. They tried to tell me a sharp knife doesn't hurt as bad as a dull knife. I'm not sure I believe them. Heal well.
Click to expand...

Sliced my finger open with a bad bread knife. He's right.
 
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