Such a fool - noob reminds himself of safety the hard way

S

Sharphur

Joined
Sep 11, 2011
Messages
18
I'm not posting this to inform people of safety, I know you are all probably safer than I was, but rather to remind myself and those like myself that ignoring safety is a foolish choice.

I dropped a blade in my lap today. It fell a maximum of eight inches but still sliced open an inch section of my thigh. It should probably get stitches but maybe I deserve a bigger scar on this one.

I was holding it up with a bit of rayskin to see how much rayskin to cut off the whole piece. The blade fell but the rayskin stayed in my hands. Upon feeling a surprisingly unremarkable pinch I looked down and saw my own fatty tissue poking out of my jeans (someday I'll write a poem about the moments between seeing my flesh and identifying my flesh for what it was. I actually went through at least two theories before figuring it out in less than half a second or so). Had I been leaning back and holding this close to my face instead of leaning forward and bringing my face to the work, well I suppose you can imagine on your own where the blade could have fallen. Had the angle been slightly different I think the blade would have stuck in my leg and held the blade straight up (it's a relatively heavy blade, the largest I've worked with so far, and I'm thinking about going smaller now, LOL).

Of course I now have the same blade well wrapped in tape and cardboard as it should have been in the first place. I should have had the blade in a vise so I wouldn't have to hold the blade at all and kept both hands on the rayskin.

Woulda, shoulda, coulda....didn't. On the bright side, I learned the lesson hard but relatively cheap. I took for granted what I was doing and let myself become careless.

Least I know the blade will work for processing meat...
 
Reminder scar aside, you don't want to get an infection over this mistake, consider the stitches if it's a deep cut.
 
Butterflies will do what stiches do if it isn't in a bad spot, but make sure it's absolutely clean first, and close it up tight. If you let a scab form between the edges of the wound before you close it it will take a lot longer to heal.
 
Pour a little Dale's in there and hold your leg over the grill. It will cauterize and smell tasty all at once. Glad you didn't get hurt worse. Thanks for the story.
 
Less chance of infection if you just keep it clean and don't close it. Unless you go to a clinic and have it done professionally.

I know we all "know" the safety rules.... but

Of course I now have the same blade well wrapped in tape and cardboard as it should have been in the first place. I should have had the blade in a vise so I wouldn't have to hold the blade at all and kept both hands on the rayskin.
Click to expand...

Sharpening the blade should be the LAST thing you do, bro. Cardboard and tape are there only to protect the blade finish, not you... it is a false sense of security.

Rick
 
@ Rick, it was a store bought blade so it arrived sharpened. I figured the carboard over the cutting edge would at least slow down a cut. It might not be much, but it's something.

@ pokesalad, I do love me some BBQ!!
 
What were you doing with the rayskin? I'm assuming this was a Japanese styled, cord wrapped knife?
 
Good thing it wasnt a spey blade! Be careful out there.I always have some small cut healing.Often i wash them out with alcohol or peroxide and put a dab of ca to close it up.Not recommending that ,but it works.
 
I tell me sharpener customers that using the sharpeners will make the knife dangerously sharp.

Thus I have to agree with Rick Marchand, use a file and dull the blade, finish your customizing, then re-sharpen.
 
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