A
allenC
, It is easy for folks to forget that knives are sometimes used as tools for work. Not just for opening a tough FedEx package, not for scaring "sheeple", not for slicing an errant clothing thread for a co-worker or for slicing up citrus, or for playing with while watching television.
The same sneering lack of understanding from those who don't use tools for a living runs through the DIY/tool community. I have heard guards on saws referred to as "training wheels" by those that brag "back in my day we were taught how to use saws the right way" and deliver their stock "some people just shouldn't us power tools". Good to be an
real expert that uses tools a few hours a week at best, no doubt. Easy to chime in with an expert opinion when you have completed a birdhouse, dog house and a small bookcase over a year or two of time.
One of my best friends is an excellent cabinet maker, and when rushing to get a job out, he found himself behind his deadline and was working late for a few days in a row to catch up. He cut his thumb off a the joint, so it cold not be reattached. He now has a SawStop table saw that will instantaneously stop the blade if contacted with flesh.
I laughed myself silly when one of my co-workers lit himself up when he picked up his saw. This was years ago when not all plugs were grounded, so you had to have an adapter in your truck when working on someone's house. He pulled out the grounding leg of the saw plug so he didn't have to carry an adapter. I warned him... at that time I had been on site for about 20 years... but he didn't listen. He got such a shock it clamped his hand shut on the saw and sizzled him up for about 30 seconds. He was so undone by that he went home for the day. After that I called him "Electro", but he wasn't very fond of it.
Over the last 50 years, I have seen all manner of accidents, some awful, from people using tools that have had their safety features removed or disabled. That being said, I have seen more fellow blue collar guys that use tools for a living tell and live stories of how much they appreciated saw blade brakes, blade guards, auto disconnect features, cut limiters, and other kinds of safety devices. It gets late in the day and you have been pushing hard, you are tired from too many work hours/days, your muscles aren't responding correctly ( have arthritis) and you are ready to put a job to bed are all conditions that are dangerous and foster accidents. I have been in many on site accidents and been hurt many times. The times my tools with safety devices on them have saved my bacon have been many, and I am glad to have safety devices on them.
Likewise with my knives. Reviled by many here as the socially acceptable thing to do, Cold Steel knives never fail to impress when I use them out on the job site. Someone almost always asked to see the one I am using that day, and they completely admire the lock up. They have all had knife lock failures, and almost every single time they were using the knife in a manner not intended, or their were careless/tired and they slipped up and hurt themselves. After seeing my knives, there are a lot more Cold Steel (and a few older ZTs and a couple of Benchmades) out on the job. Some of those guys are unmerciful with their knives and I try to remind them their knives still shouldn't be used as a pry bar, screw driver, mud scraper, etc. As for them, they are finally glad they found a good knife that locks up like a "bank vault" so they can used the hell out of them. Now, they will pay MORE to get a knife that has a good lock on it.
Better than a gas station knife or some such garbage I see packed around on the site.
But, you better not try and find out until the day comes when you can go to Walmart and buy some more fingers.
