I am complete and utter fool.....

[Dirty Karlos]

Never, ever have I been so angry with myself. I'm new to this bushcraft malarky but I made such a stupid error today and took out a big chunk of my thumb and have two stitches in my index finger.
I was having the most amazing day, scouting around Broxa forest in North Yorkshire. I Saw loads of wildlife and found some sites for future wild camps (my main reason for going).
I decided to have a bit of a play with my new knife by stripping some bark off some sticks, which came off nice and easy, Ooh isn't it sharp I thought. Then I decided to make some notches in the wood and slip, blood everywhere, half my thumb hanging off and mt finger sliced!!

I had a spare pair of socks, one I wrapped around my thumb the other around my finger. Then I had the pleasant task of running 4 miles back to my car with my left arm elevated, followed by a drive to Scarborough hospital (thank god for satnav!).

Like I said I have never been so mad at myself, I didn't think I could be sooo stupid.
I've been beating myself up all day and well I'm quite upset. I mean I've had accidents before but this was avoidable.
I have a habit of learning things the hard way.

Had to get it off my chest, sorry for being a numpty.

 

[-Switch-]

I think we've all done something similar at some point.

If you're using sharps then accidents will happen eventually. I don't know anyone who uses knives all the time and has never cut themselves, especially when first learning.
The best thing is to be prepared and carry a good first aid kit whenever you're gonna be using a knife/axe/machete etc.

Hope your thumb's ok

 

[Mike Ameling]

As they say:

Been there - done that - got the scars to prove it!

Mostly on my left hand, since I'm right handed. And a couple on my leg from cutting ... through ... something that wasn't supposed to be so "cuttable".

It happens. Now, if you really want to bleed, take up flint knapping. Lots of little ... nicks ... along the way, with the occasional deeper cut.

It's all part of life.

Now, if you want to talk about burns ... well let's talk blacksmithing!

Mikey - yee ol' grumpy blacksmith out in the Hinterlands

 

[Dirty Karlos]

I now have to wait for some skin to grow back, anyone got any angel dust? It took it off about a third of the way in, nail and everything, to down to just near the knuckle.
I have to say I've had many injuries and I'm usually ok with pain but I have wussed out now, it's throbbing like a ......... I just hope it's gonna be alright. I feel sick, got some good photos though (not of the half a thumb).

 

[chickenofthewoods]

Hope everything heals well - don't feel too bad.

Like Switch said, ' a slip can be easily done, even when you're being careful. Admitting you made a mistake doesn't make you a numpty, learning nothing from a painful lesson would.

But you won't ever forget will you, and I bet you'll make sure you have that all important 1st aid kit and mobile with you next time you go out and about.

 

[litefoot]

Happens to us all at some point,as long as you heal up ok and you learn from it then all`s well.And do not forget the first aid kit,and more importantly the skills to cope with something worse.
Litefoot

 

[Dan1982]

Yup!! had a couple of beauties myself. think of it as a way of christening the new knife. hopefully its out of the way now and it wont happen again

happy healing mate!

Dan

 

[John Fenna]

Join the club mate!
I just tried counting the scars on my left hand that have accrued over the years - scary total!

 

[Eric_Methven]

Been there, done that. Don't worry about it mate. I know it hurts right now but it is a valuable lesson. Remember to check your knife over and clean off any traces of blood left on the blade. There's nowt worse than blood to tarnish a blade.

Eric

 

[Bodge]

When I was 12 or 13 I was playing with my new sheath knife in my bedroom as I packed for scout camp. I thought I'd do a bit of cool knife juggling and dropped the knife in mid toss.
I didn't want the knife to thud on the floor alerting my mum to tomfoolery above so I stuck my leg out to catch it. I did catch it, in my shin bone
I quickly bandaged it up and finished packing and pulled on my 10 hole doc martins and tied them tight. I made my way to camp as intended only to find a few hours later that my right foot felt quite wet:yikes:

I spent the next 6 hours with my foot on the back of a chair whilst one of the venture scouts attempted to stem the bloodflow. It was fine after a few hours but turned septic after a couple of weeks. i had to bathe it in salt baths and take some anti biotics.

This taught me to not juggle knives, or more importantly not to catch falling ones, and was a lesson well learnt.

Bodge

 

[UKdave]

Photo`s,what about photo`s!!!

 

[Dirty Karlos]

Sorry there was too much blood spurting all over my Leica binocular case and rucksack to **** around getting a picture of it!
I did get some pics of the scenery here though:-
http://www.photoshopshowcase.com/ViewFlashMedia.aspx?AID=134988&AT=3


And a few questions for you.

1. See the photo of the river where it is flowing quickly, I assume that it would be ok to drink if boiled properly?? it looked clean enough.

2. The two funghi pictured, one of them looks like the stuff that is dried out and used for tinder? the other looks dangerously poisonous, can anyone identify them?

I also found several massive anthills and remembered bushtucker man collecting the larvae from them, I didn't try!

 

[Barn Owl]

Been there too Karlos,still manage a cut every now and then.

Good thing about a sharp cut is, when it heals there's not much of a scar (if you go the diy route and not stitches)

Sorry shouldn't really say that, always get proper medical advice then make up your own mind.:twak:

 

[Barn Owl]

The water looks as if it's near pasture land or cattle use.

I would filter with millbank bag,treat with iodine or chlorine and then boil too.

In fact I'd only use water from above scenario if desperate.

I'll leave the fungi to an expert although i've an idea.

 

[crazyclimber]

Join the club mate!
I just tried counting the scars on my left hand that have accrued over the years - scary total!

lol yup always that left hand that keep getting in the way. On a positive note it sounds like it could have been worse than it was rolleyes and you'll definitely take more care in future!!
Hope it recovers well

 

[Barn Owl]

The water looks as if it's near pasture land or cattle use.

I would filter with millbank bag,treat with iodine or chlorine and then boil too.

In fact I'd only use water from above scenario if desperate.

I'll leave the fungi to an expert although i've an idea.

I just don't trust water near cattle or farm use.

 

[Celt_Ginger]

I used to work in a butchers and have seen (and got) some beauties. Even people who work with knives all the time still cut themselves, usually when they are not concentrating.

 

[rozinante]

"And a few questions for you.

1. See the photo of the river where it is flowing quickly, I assume that it would be ok to drink if boiled properly?? it looked clean enough.

2. The two funghi pictured, one of them looks like the stuff that is dried out and used for tinder? the other looks dangerously poisonous, can anyone identify them?:"



Hello Karlos:-

I would agree with Barn Owl about the water... only if desperate and only after every precaution.

Can't be sure about the bracket fungi from that shot but the other one is a stinkhorn. Named for a very good reason. They give of the smell of rotting flesh to attract flies to distribute the spores. The Latin name of "Phallus impudicus" is also quite apt I think. I believe that they are edible at the egg stage but again, I would have to be desperate.

http://www.first-nature.com/fungi/id_guide/gasteromycetes/phallus_impudicus.htm

 

[Dirty Karlos]

Thanks for the info people, much appreciated.
My thumb (what's left of it) is bloody killing, the painkillers aren't working.
On the plus side I found out I could run four miles off road in half an hour-ish, though I wouldn't recommend my method of acheiving this.

 

[Staghound]

The fungus growing from the soil is a stinkhorn (phallus impudicus) they are not poisonous and the "egg" that the fruiting body grows from is said to be edible though I don't know of anyone who's been brave enough to try one.

Rozinante beat me to it