Safety Always...

[xairbourne]

Went out in the woods today with my little one and Welsh Triffid...I was in for a big surprise....
Made a shelter, started to collect firewood got my axe out to split the wood, but slipped and hit my hand :11doh: blood everywhere, luckily I had thought to pack my first aid kit :thinkerg:
Tip of the week - ALWAYS take first aid kit no matter how far from home you are going.

1/4" deep laceration, needed 8 stitches ouch!

Learn from my mistakes- Dont mess with the business end of Gransfors!

 

[Tony]

I'm glad you didn't loose some fingers or worse. It's a good reminder for the rest of us!

Hope it heals quick

 

[beachlover]

Went out in the woods today with my little one and Welsh Triffid...I was in for a big surprise....
Made a shelter, started to collect firewood got my axe out to split the wood, but slipped and hit my hand :11doh: blood everywhere, luckily I had thought to pack my first aid kit :thinkerg:
Tip of the week - ALWAYS take first aid kit no matter how far from home you are going.

1/4" deep laceration, needed 8 stitches ouch!

Learn from my mistakes- Dont mess with the business end of Gransfors!

I did it once too half a fingertip flapping about. It happened because I carried on cutting while looking at the dog messing about. My fault entirely.
How did your slip happen?

 

[RovingArcher]

Just think, when you're grandchildren ask about it, you can tell them all about your bushcrafting wound. :swordfigh

 

[AlbeoLupus]

Ouch

hope it heals quickly

Andy

 

[Longstrider]

You're lucky this turned into "tip of the week" and not "finger-tip of the week" !
You're right of course, packing the first aid kit might seem a waste of space on all those days when you don't use it, but when you need it you suddenly realise why you've been lugging it around all these months.

Something to think about r.e. your first aid kit. Pack it somewhere you can get to it fast and easily with one hand. Make it quickly and easily distinguishable as a first aid kit. You may need to direct someone else to get to it for you. It's no good telling someone that "It's in a green plastic box" if you've got half a dozen of them in your pack!

Hope you heal soon xairborne.

 

[xairbourne]

I was very lucky i didnt hit anything major. i was holding the log and had the axe on the top I went to tap it down together just to get a start and it bounced off and hit my hand. :twak: silly i know...now!

I just hope the wildlife out the back of my house dont get a taste for human blood it was everywhere...lol

I will post a pick of my hand if you like when i get the dressing changed.

 

[missy mycelium]

Yeah, always have your first aid kit to hand (no pun intended). I was using a spoon knife in the woods last year and just about took my thumb off........ Silly mistake..........my knife skills weren't that good at the time!(scalpels...yes.......knives...no!!!!) Needless to say they are impeccable now. I had a dressing down from Yarrow, made me feel about 2yrs old. Won't ever forget that in a hurry!) I was real glad he was there, I was very shocked at what I'd done! Live and learn is all I have to say.

 

[KevB]

Xairborne - my sympathy's - know how you feel. Did it myself last year whilst out on my own. Luckily I only needed 3 stitches in my finger but the nerves still havn't healed properly.
I always carry a first aid kit howqever shot the trip but this was the first time I'd needed it for anything serious. I've also learned an important lesson (aside from the axe mistake - my fault entirely). Although the first aid kit was easily accessible in a side pocket on my pack, by the time I'd fudged it out and opened it whilst trying to keep one hand clenched to keep the wound shut. I'd got an awfull lot of blood over my gear and the contents of the first aid kit before I could get a bandage on.
I now always carry a sterile bandage on my person (e.g. in a pocket) so that it's there immediately. Quicker response and less cleaning up !
Hopefully I've learnt my lesson well and wont be needing It !

Kev

 

[Brian]

Hi,

Glad your not too bad mate and good to see you had your FAK with you. The other thing to bear in mind is that you may need to open your FAK with one hand as the other is the injured part of your body, so to make sure it isn't too difficult to open. Just a thought, might have to go and have a look at mine now.

Brian

 

[martin]

A good way to avoid injury in the first place is to ask yourself "where is this knife/axe going if I slip/miss" and change position acordingly.
I got this tip from Gary at Bearclaw this summer in Sweden (Vildmark course, brilliant and not to be missed) and since then I've not cut myself and I've had more stitches than Frankensteins Monster. :yikes:

 

[scanker]

Glad to hear you'll live! Hopethe little 'un wasn't too traumatised by the cursing.

I think maybe you should keep photos of your axe wound to yourself!

 

[xairbourne]

A good way to avoid injury in the first place is to ask yourself "where is this knife/axe going if I slip/miss" and change position acordingly.
I got this tip from Gary at Bearclaw this summer in Sweden (Vildmark course, brilliant and not to be missed) and since then I've not cut myself and I've had more stitches than Frankensteins Monster. :yikes:

good point one i will take on board

 

[bambodoggy]

A good way to avoid injury in the first place is to ask yourself "where is this knife/axe going if I slip/miss" and change position acordingly.
I got this tip from Gary at Bearclaw this summer in Sweden (Vildmark course, brilliant and not to be missed) and since then I've not cut myself and I've had more stitches than Frankensteins Monster. :yikes:

I was on this trip too and also attended the lecture on knife, axe and saw safety. I've been using all three tools most of my life and very rearly cut myself but I still picked up a few tips from Gary's lecture to make me even safer.

I have a first field dressing taped to the left shoulder strap of both my bergans and also my day pack. I have my small home made fak in the right breast pocket of my swannie ranger at all times, it is virually flat and often forgotten abuot until I need it...I don't wash my swannie so it never needs to come out and so I can't forget to put it back in.

Further to this I legally have to carry an HSE approved foresty FAK on my person while using a chainsaw and so I have adopted carrying this on my belt more or less whenever I am in the woods. I back all this up with a full basecamp kit in my truck and on longer walking trips a gregson pack in my bergan. Might sound like overkill but none of it weighs much and although I can't remember the last time I had to use it on myself I often have to patch up others.
The HSE Forestry FAKs might be a good idea for you lot to carry too...they don't cost much and are pretty good kits if you add some latex gloves and a field dressing to the kit.
Here's mine:

and here it is in green close up:

One of the HSE's better ideas I think.

Hope your finger heals soon,

Bam.

 

[philaw]

I'm definitely a fan of taking along first aid stuff when I'm out and about. The most hardcore trip I've done involved one day of about 12-13hrs walking on steep slopes at 3000m, and whilst I didn't use the kit on myself, others in the group had everything from blisters to leeches, and so did a couple of unprepared strangers.

 

[Bob]

Further to Bambodoggy's suggestion -

I too carry one of these FAK's on the belt of my chainsaw trousers. They are good but can be improved further by adding 'Bloodstopper' bandages (available form most of the arb. suppliers). These are for use in chainsaw-related injuries where a lot of blood and gore might be involved and contain more padding than your average wound dressing - something you might be glad of if you injure yourself with an axe.

Also include a whistle (i.e. Fox 40) so you can alert others to your plight.

Regards

Bob

 

[Phil562]

I totally agree with what everybody has said about carying FAKs and Bam you are spot on about army first field dressings, lets hope you don't have to use one for real

However theres no point in carrying a FAK if the limit of your first aid knowledge is using an aspirin or a sticking plaster.

I would highley recommend getting some hands on first aid training. This said I hope you will never have to use it on yourself or your loved ones

xairbourne, I'm sure you've suffered worse, if your log in name is what I think it means

I hope it did'nt smart to much

 

[R-J]

get well soon! a tip i got from yarrow is to wear an old pair of leather gloves when slpitting, might not stop a major blow, but it has saved me from a nick while out n about. also good if you need to rearannge/lift stuff off you fire

 

[Topcat02]

Xairbourne, I've had a "kiss" from a Gransfors too, man are they sharp. I now have a very healthy respect for sharp objects.

Hope it heals well.

 

[WelshTriffid]

I can vouch for it being quite a considerable "kiss" by the old gransfors. Was a very important lesson to be learned by all present and I shall be investing in a more comprehensive kit than the first field dressing I currently carry. I did get value for money mind as I got to see the nurse poking around in the wound before it got stiched up!!!:Wow:

Just lucky it was your left hand eh mate!!!!