Safety and First-Aid Contest - WINNER DECLARED

Most of the injuries (not just knife injuries) that I or any friends or family members have had stemmed from two reasons.
1.) Being tired/stressed
2.) Rushing and losing focus.

So my tip is this....Stay calm and relaxed. Be mindful of your every action, your surroundings and the actions of others around you. If you are tired or stressed this can be tantamount to performing while intoxicated. Don't rush. Speed kills safety.
 
Referencing Oregon FALer's use of piss: Only if you're not currently suffering a urinary tract infection (think loads of bacteria). OTOH, piss is useful for treating jellyfish and fire coral stings, particularly when you have to scrape off clinging tentacles. The uric acid deactivates the stinging cells and relieves pain.
 
Most here know the importance of taking care of their knives. But be sure when you're out there, you know how to take care of yourself. This is very broad, it can be from packing the right amount of gear to the situational awareness of conditions. Where you are, how the weather will be, not getting dehydrated etc. Or the awareness to realize that if you are tired and dehydrated, adding a knife to the situation is not going to help. Your time will be better spent taking a 20 minute break, cooling off, getting some fluids in you. Then doing you knife work after you've rested.

I actually finished my first aid kit from the contest entry a while back. While I didn't get it done for the contest, it's done now. So I'm not really interested in winning this one. Thanks anyway. Good luck all!

BH#144
 
The solution to pollution is dilution.

Always carry a syringe with your FAK to flush a wound. Aggressive flushing AND scrubbing reduces the concentration of harmful bacteria, enabling the bodys immune system to knock the remaining bacteria down.

BH - 30
 
This came to me today as I was doing a bit of impromptu trail maintenance with my BK2. When making snap cuts, don't use your free hand to hold the branch you want to cut - use your walking stick or something like it - kind of like using a push block with a table saw.


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Beckerhead #42
 
As an alternative to taping a blade while cord wrapping, fold some cloth around the blade and clamp the blade in a vice, bar clamp, etc. This prevents cuts and holds the knife steady for wrapping.
 
Prepare all your firewood before drinking that first adult beverage so you are not tempted to use sharp tools under the influence.

Thanks for the contest Guyon!

Beckerhead #93
 
Make sure someone knows where you are when hiking or camping.(leave a planned destination and time that you expect to be back)
Try to avoid doing anything dangerous while alone.(like heavy chopping)
 
Always Carry Ever-clear or some form of high % alcohol with you.
Great for:
1.) Sterilizing wounds. Sterilizing knives for cutting/digging in wounds.
2.) Starting a Fire
3.) Alcohol stove Fuel
4.) Drinking (not when cutting, starting a fire, using an alcohol stove, sterilizing wounds, or when digging in wounds)

I'm a Friend of Becker Knives
 
If you have no alternative but to make use of batoning to expose dry wood or break wood down into smaller pieces then at least crouch down onto your knees, place(NOT hit) blade on wood then use controlled reasonable & minimum blows to drive blade through. Use blade & baton to re-arrange fallen pieces instead of placing blade on ground & risk injury when picking it up without focussing.

When hiking no doubt you will be using the smallest axe possible like a scout axe etc. Nr 1 rule when using small axe - go down on your knees when chopping! Remember you don't need much force when chopping with axe. Heck you don't even need to 'chop' as such. One fool proof method I saw was holding axe head & log together length ways then simply beat down onto a larger log on the ground in front of you. This will spilt wood & you can simply twist axe side to side split wood in half.
(Larger axes can be used while standing so in case you miss the wood then axe head will hit the ground.)

I like contests like these coz even if you loose the contest you still win since you walk away with knowledge which is the best tool!
Thanks Guyon for this opportunity!
BH#116
 
Thanks for all the great responses!

This one is a done deal. I ran a random integer hunt between 2 and 31.
DerekH, you won. 10 was the lucky number. Email me with your address.


SafetyContestWinner.png
 
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