- Joined
- May 10, 2000
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- 3,351
Someone once told me that a blade is never truly yours until it has "kissed" you. Unfortunately, my Rogers' Rangers Spike Hawk decided to give me a big wet kiss on the leg this past weekend, and, well, I suppose it's now officially mine.
I was attending a friend's party in Rhode Island on Saturday when I mentioned to him that I had a tomahawk in the car. He wanted to see it, and was so impressed that he just had to show all his buddies at the party. He started playing with it a bit, and in his usual reckless and irresponsible manner, let rip an "air chop" that didn't end in the air. Thanks to a woeful misjudgment of distance, the bottom corner or the cutting edge entered my thigh just above the knee, and boy did that sucker bleed!
The wound looked pretty superficial - only about a half inch long - but it was much deeper than it appeared. The wound, being a puncture as opposed to a simple laceration, was inflicted with enough force as to cause bruising on my leg. It certainly could have benefitted from a stitch or two, but we didn't have any stitches on hand, nor did we feel like going to the ER on a Saturday night, so I cleaned it up and wrapped it tightly with a bandage. If this had happened in the field, however, it certainly would have been a much greater inconvenience.
We did manage to snap a picture, but please, do NOT click the link if you are bothered by the sight of blood!
Though a painful and completely avoidable lesson in physics, the experience gave me a much greater appreciation for the damage that can be inflicted by a sharp tomahawk. The mass and energy behind even a minor chop can translate into a lot of force. That force, delivered by means of a hard, sharp point, can cause more damage than you might imagine. Though I'll admit I'm quite ashamed that I let this happen, what I learned this weekend about the dangers inherent in the irresponsible use of a tomahawk will certainly make me think more carefully about how I handle such a potentially dangerous tool in the future.
I was attending a friend's party in Rhode Island on Saturday when I mentioned to him that I had a tomahawk in the car. He wanted to see it, and was so impressed that he just had to show all his buddies at the party. He started playing with it a bit, and in his usual reckless and irresponsible manner, let rip an "air chop" that didn't end in the air. Thanks to a woeful misjudgment of distance, the bottom corner or the cutting edge entered my thigh just above the knee, and boy did that sucker bleed!
The wound looked pretty superficial - only about a half inch long - but it was much deeper than it appeared. The wound, being a puncture as opposed to a simple laceration, was inflicted with enough force as to cause bruising on my leg. It certainly could have benefitted from a stitch or two, but we didn't have any stitches on hand, nor did we feel like going to the ER on a Saturday night, so I cleaned it up and wrapped it tightly with a bandage. If this had happened in the field, however, it certainly would have been a much greater inconvenience.
We did manage to snap a picture, but please, do NOT click the link if you are bothered by the sight of blood!
Though a painful and completely avoidable lesson in physics, the experience gave me a much greater appreciation for the damage that can be inflicted by a sharp tomahawk. The mass and energy behind even a minor chop can translate into a lot of force. That force, delivered by means of a hard, sharp point, can cause more damage than you might imagine. Though I'll admit I'm quite ashamed that I let this happen, what I learned this weekend about the dangers inherent in the irresponsible use of a tomahawk will certainly make me think more carefully about how I handle such a potentially dangerous tool in the future.
I have a feeling your friend won't be playing with your tomahawk anymore. Hope you heal well!
That tomahawk kiss sure left a lot of red lipstick 
If they are reckless, they could damage your baby (though with ATC quality that's unlikely). I wonder what exactly was your friend's reaction to his unintentional assault on you? How many times did he say he was sorry? Did he pay your medical bill? Just curious...
No medical bills to speak of, other than the cost of gauze pads...
