Jason Howell - cut during JS test

R

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Jul 1, 1999
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I recieved an email from Gwen Flournoy that Jason Howell had cut his leg during the rope cutting part of his Journeyman Smith performance test. He was cut very bad and required surgery. When he came out, it was reported that he was still wanting to make it to the Blade Show.
You just can't keep a good man down.
 
Sorry to hear that, Ray. Glad to hear he is well enough to want to make it to the show.
 
Hello Ray, Thanks for the well-wishes. I'm now back at home. It was on the follow through on my rope cut and it went in right at the top of my calf angling down through to the outside and down. Jarrell and his sons were there and get the bleeding slowed and got me to a local hospital, where I later transferred to a Victoria hospital and a vascular surgeon. It ended up cutting a couple minor vessels in my leg coming right off the main artery and ended up cutting my calf approx. 1/2 in two. They sewed the vessels and muscle back up and closed with staples. I'm looking at 3 to 4 weeks with NO weight on my foot and several weeks to months for rehab. I've got a LOT of cut up rope behind my shop with never even a HINT of anything like this ever happening. I'm convinced that if I'd been by myself, I'd have bled to death. With good first aid and quick action, they probably saved my life. Thanks go out to Jarrell, Jarrod, and Wesley for the quick action. Thanks to all those that have called and emailed. Times like this remind me what a close-knit community we have here in the knife world. Thanks.
 
Jason,

Good to have you "back on your feet" kinda sorta. ;)

Hope you come back doubly strong from this setback.
 
Glad to hear you're ok Jason.

As a side note to this, I hope all you guys have a first-aid kit and an emergency plan ready to go in case you seriously injure yourself. I've heard stories of people dying from artery cuts after traveling just a few yards. It would be awful dying on the way to your house from the shop trying to reach your first-aid kit and a phone. Even if it's just some gauze and a roll of duct-tape, it's better than nothing. Nothing beats true first-aid training and preparation though...

Tim
 
Jason,
First of all, best wishes for a speedy recovery!
What I'd like to know is the circumstances surrounding the accident? Can you give some details? Where you holding the rope in your off hand? Did you slip? Having supervised a bunch of tests, I know that it is a very nerve wracking time when taking the test, but the reason I ask these questions is to possibly prevent this from happening to someone else in the future.
 
yikes!!!!!!


a friend of mine did the same thing with a machete in his back yard. I think Ken Onion had sharpened it for him and he whacked off a BIG chunk of this calf, took almost a year to get better (got infected etc) Glad to hear you are doing well. We all need to be careful out there...............from beginning to end.
 
The rope was hanging from the rafters in his shop. Here's what Jarrell and I surnised...
With the excitement I just followed through a little more than I should have. The knife ended up angling down though the inside of my left calf angling to the outside and down some. I too want to prevent this in the future. ;) I've got a few weeks laid up to think about it, so I'll be compiling something. Thanks for the well wishes and we'll see you soon.
 
Get well soon Jason. I have always been uneasy about cutting rope, and this reinforces it. I am right handed, but,oddly, left dominant on some specific jobs, like shooting a bow. I have never been confortable cutting rope right to left with my right hand, but always cut left to right, right handed, with my off hand tucked safely behind me; starting with my knife hand on/over my left shoulder,and finishing with my knife hand fully extended away from my body and down to the right. Still gives me the willies. Glad it wasnt worse.
 
Well, I just got the call and I made the Journeyman class of 2002. Being at the house was probably a little less nerverwracking than being there in person. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I had STILL Jerry Fisk ribbing me about it.

Thanks again. I hope everyone there in Atlanta sells everything they took and buys everything they can.
 
Glad to hear your okay Jason and hope you have a speedy recovery. Congrats on your Journeyman.
 
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