- Joined
- Nov 9, 2003
- Messages
- 89
Perhaps this subject has been covered before, but it seems there ought to be
some general guidelines for cutting things. To be sure, there are cutting
chores where one must be creative, but some general guidelines might save
somebody a trip to the hospital. Here's a few things I've thought of:. I found it difficult to talk about how to cut without also discussing knife safety, so there's some of both in here. I
know there's a lot of brains and experience on this forum, so I'm sure
additions can be made. Please feel free to do so.
1. Always try to cut away from your opposite hand, and away from your body.
Reposition your body or the object you are cutting if possible, to achieve
this. My son and my son-in-law have both suffered severe cuts to the
opposite hand because of not following this advice. I thought they knew,
but they didn't.
2. Be sure a knife is the right tool for the job. As an example, I use
heavy duty scissors for opening plastic bubble packs of items, unless the
bubble is very thin. For prying, get something more substantial.
3. Be aware of the path of your blade both before and after the cut. A
slash can end up in your leg, or someone else's.
4. Be deliberate in using a knife or cutting implement, and be aware of
where you lay it in between cuts if more than one cut is needed. Use your eyes when reaching for a knife you have laid down. I once
knocked an Xacto knife off a table which speared my bare big toe perfectly.
Also be aware of the presence and movement of others around you.
5. It is altogether best not to unfold or unsheath your knife until you are
actually ready to cut.
6. Becareful when reaching for eyeglasses or sunglasses whether on your face
or not, i.e., reaching for glasses on a bench or elsewhere to put on your
face, and having a knife in your hand, can lead to serious injury. The above also applies when manipulating cigarettes or cigars when using a knife.
7. If cutting rope, or similar materials where you hold a loop in one hand
and cut through with the knife in the other, once again, cut away from
yourself with awareness of where
your blade will go after the cut.
8. Knives sometimes need more than one cut to do the job. Using extra
force to cut through in one motion can be dangerous. Let the knife do its
job.
9. If you are having to use a lot of force to cut something, consider that
you are using the wrong tool for the job. Stop and go get the right one so
as not to damage your knife or cause injury.
10. In general, use the tip of the knife for delicate cuts, and gradually
further back on the blade as more force is needed.
11. If you desire to push the point through something, once again, make sure your opposite hand is not in line with the knife on the other side of the object. Keep a good grip on the handle to prevent sliding down to the blade, and also to prevent the knife from tipping over from the force and cutting you.
12. When cutting, keep your hands as dry as possible for the best possible grip on your knife and the object you are cutting.
13. The object you are cutting should be as stable as possible, i.e., not subject to shifting, sliding, etc., during the cut. Any movement of the object increases the liklihood of an accident.
14. There are few reasons for a fast cut or slice. Almost always the job can be done with measured deliberateness, and much safer to all as a result.
15. Try to avoid cutting against your thumb, as in slicing off bits of an apple. A little bit better technique is to cut away from you partway through the apple slice, then twist the blade to break off the piece. If you must cut toward yourself, keep your thumb out of line with the edge and use the breakaway technique above.
16. Always look at your knife the whole time you are taking it out and putting it away. Again, be very deliberate.
17. Always ask yourself, where will the blade go if things go as planned? Where will it go if things don't go as planned?
some general guidelines for cutting things. To be sure, there are cutting
chores where one must be creative, but some general guidelines might save
somebody a trip to the hospital. Here's a few things I've thought of:. I found it difficult to talk about how to cut without also discussing knife safety, so there's some of both in here. I
know there's a lot of brains and experience on this forum, so I'm sure
additions can be made. Please feel free to do so.
1. Always try to cut away from your opposite hand, and away from your body.
Reposition your body or the object you are cutting if possible, to achieve
this. My son and my son-in-law have both suffered severe cuts to the
opposite hand because of not following this advice. I thought they knew,
but they didn't.
2. Be sure a knife is the right tool for the job. As an example, I use
heavy duty scissors for opening plastic bubble packs of items, unless the
bubble is very thin. For prying, get something more substantial.
3. Be aware of the path of your blade both before and after the cut. A
slash can end up in your leg, or someone else's.
4. Be deliberate in using a knife or cutting implement, and be aware of
where you lay it in between cuts if more than one cut is needed. Use your eyes when reaching for a knife you have laid down. I once
knocked an Xacto knife off a table which speared my bare big toe perfectly.
Also be aware of the presence and movement of others around you.
5. It is altogether best not to unfold or unsheath your knife until you are
actually ready to cut.
6. Becareful when reaching for eyeglasses or sunglasses whether on your face
or not, i.e., reaching for glasses on a bench or elsewhere to put on your
face, and having a knife in your hand, can lead to serious injury. The above also applies when manipulating cigarettes or cigars when using a knife.
7. If cutting rope, or similar materials where you hold a loop in one hand
and cut through with the knife in the other, once again, cut away from
yourself with awareness of where
your blade will go after the cut.
8. Knives sometimes need more than one cut to do the job. Using extra
force to cut through in one motion can be dangerous. Let the knife do its
job.
9. If you are having to use a lot of force to cut something, consider that
you are using the wrong tool for the job. Stop and go get the right one so
as not to damage your knife or cause injury.
10. In general, use the tip of the knife for delicate cuts, and gradually
further back on the blade as more force is needed.
11. If you desire to push the point through something, once again, make sure your opposite hand is not in line with the knife on the other side of the object. Keep a good grip on the handle to prevent sliding down to the blade, and also to prevent the knife from tipping over from the force and cutting you.
12. When cutting, keep your hands as dry as possible for the best possible grip on your knife and the object you are cutting.
13. The object you are cutting should be as stable as possible, i.e., not subject to shifting, sliding, etc., during the cut. Any movement of the object increases the liklihood of an accident.
14. There are few reasons for a fast cut or slice. Almost always the job can be done with measured deliberateness, and much safer to all as a result.
15. Try to avoid cutting against your thumb, as in slicing off bits of an apple. A little bit better technique is to cut away from you partway through the apple slice, then twist the blade to break off the piece. If you must cut toward yourself, keep your thumb out of line with the edge and use the breakaway technique above.
16. Always look at your knife the whole time you are taking it out and putting it away. Again, be very deliberate.
17. Always ask yourself, where will the blade go if things go as planned? Where will it go if things don't go as planned?
