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Woody girl

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Mar 31, 2018
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Did a nice slicing action on my pinky today. Bled so much I couldn't first aid myself, so popped over the road to the surgery who fixed me up nicely. They couldn't move fast enough when despite elevation and pressure, I had blood down to the elbows. Wanted to rush me to hospital for stitches, but I managed to get them to sterristrip the cut to death and bind me up nicely. I was the calmest one there!
Anyway, one tetanus jab later and my finger throbbing like a goodun, all sorted.
I'm gonna give up trying to carve spoons with knots in the wood!!!!20240730_180916.jpg
 

Woody girl

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I'm fine, had all the gubbins at home to deal with it, but no third hand, as every time I let the pressure off, it started gushing blood, which made things impossible on me ol lonesome.
Luckily, I live a few yards from the surgery, and it was still open.
I think they panicked more than me! It is very deep cut, almost the whole length of the finger.
I had just sharpened the knife only seconds before, so it's a clean cut. Should mend nicely.
Who's a silly bunny, trying to carve out a knot. Should have given it up and started again with a new bit of wood, but I'm a stubborn sort.
Hey ho.first real cut in many years.
 

Pattree

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Jul 19, 2023
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Very well done on negotiating your treatment. There is a certain amount of overkill in the NHS.
It’s something that I have done from time to time.

Hope it heals quickly.
 
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Nice65

Brilliant!
Apr 16, 2009
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I’m sure it looks a little shorter than it ought to be? ;)

Well done for getting them to avoid stitches, Steristrips are brilliant things. And superglue, though it’s hard to close a wound bleeding profusely with glue. @beachlover stuck the end of his thumb back on with superglue, literally the whole end, it was impressive.

I’d imagine, as you posted earlier tonight the throbbing may have got more throbby?
 
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Woody girl

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Actualy, the tetanus jab is giving me more hassle than the finger....untill I forget, and try to do something which knocks or stretches the finger.
Then it's a big... oooooh dam! that, I should not have done!
Not as bad as the time I nearly severed my finger and thumb with an axe mind!!!
Each cut is a lesson in being more careful. If I see a knotty bit of wood in future, I will NOT try and carve a spoon out of it!
(It was a good excuse to eat half a packet of choccy biccys though. :) )
 

Paul_B

Bushcrafter through and through
Jul 14, 2008
6,271
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I tried to take my index finger off on my left hand with an industrial bandsaw once. So I feel your pain (in memory). A glove and fast reactions limited it to a cut on the joint one down from the knuckle that was to the bone I think. There is nothing else white in a the area of a finger joint right?

Dropped off by a guy at work at the A&E then told to go to the minor injuries clinic up the road. That put me in my place even though I was dripping blood, only a minor injury!!

Still, 4 steristrips and a really good dressing later I left disappointed that I had to go back into work theey did it all so quickly!! I was not so happy when trying to get my local surgery nurse to reedress it every day and especially not happy when it felt funny so I opened the dressing up to see what looked like a swollen finger, dark red and snot coming out of the swolle wound when I touched the flesh to the side of it. I got this iodine based ointment and the doctor gave me antibiotics for the infection and it went in a day or two.

Learn from my mistake and keep it clean and the dressing change often. Do not get an infection, apart from it hurting it also looks disgusting to see the gunk coming out!! Also took a long time to heal and whilst the scar has gone now after a couple of years for a long time the scar was a tight and irritated bit of hard skin/flesh for a bit of time.
 

GreyCat

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Nov 1, 2023
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I'm fine, had all the gubbins at home to deal with it, but no third hand, as every time I let the pressure off, it started gushing blood, which made things impossible on me ol lonesome.
Luckily, I live a few yards from the surgery, and it was still open.
I think they panicked more than me! It is very deep cut, almost the whole length of the finger.
I had just sharpened the knife only seconds before, so it's a clean cut. Should mend nicely.
Who's a silly bunny, trying to carve out a knot. Should have given it up and started again with a new bit of wood, but I'm a stubborn sort.
Hey ho.first real cut in many years.

Cut resistant gloves are your friend when carving wood. I use one on the hand holding the wood. You can also get little thumb stalls for paring protection.

Saved me from a deep cut recently, whilst a sharp blade can cut the knitted fabric (they are cut RESISTANT), they still turn a big whoopsie into a minor nick.

I think I have a spare pair somewhere, if I can find them I'll stick them in the post to you @Woody girl

GC
 
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Woody girl

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Cut resistant gloves are your friend when carving wood. I use one on the hand holding the wood. You can also get little thumb stalls for paring protection.

Saved me from a deep cut recently, whilst a sharp blade can cut the knitted fabric (they are cut RESISTANT), they still turn a big whoopsie into a minor nick.

I think I have a spare pair somewhere, if I can find them I'll stick them in the post to you @Woody girl

GC
Thank you, I don't realy carve as much as I'd like, so I blame my technique, and lack of concentration for this injury. Might be a good idea to have some protection in future. I'm always having near misses, but usualy I'm lucky. Had to happen at some point !
Off on seaside hols for a week tomorrow so no rush . Cheers.
 
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GreyCat

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Nov 1, 2023
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Thank you, I don't realy carve as much as I'd like, so I blame my technique, and lack of concentration for this injury. Might be a good idea to have some protection in future. I'm always having near misses, but usualy I'm lucky. Had to happen at some point !
Off on seaside hols for a week tomorrow so no rush . Cheers.

Enjoy your hols!

I dug out my cut-resistant gloves after watching "Linker" on u-tube. Quite a few on-line carvers recommend protection of the hand holding the workpiece, as no matter how careful we are, it's easy to slip and carving knives are (should be) VERY sharp.

They have been most useful....

GC
 
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Woody girl

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Must admit I've not had much more than the odd nick for well over 30 odd years of using knives and axes. I'm usualy super careful. A plaster from my cuts kit always sufficed...untill now.! I've had one nasty axe injury, one chainsaw, never a knife...had to happen at some point.
Getting fed up with this bandage already, have you ever tried to wash your hair with a plastic bag on your hand.. :(
 

Nice65

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Apr 16, 2009
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Must admit I've not had much more than the odd nick for well over 30 odd years of using knives and axes. I'm usualy super careful. A plaster from my cuts kit always sufficed...untill now.! I've had one nasty axe injury, one chainsaw, never a knife...had to happen at some point.
Getting fed up with this bandage already, have you ever tried to wash your hair with a plastic bag on your hand.. :(
Get the gloves on and massively reduce the chances. You’ve twice said “Had to happen at some point” suggesting you know what you’re doing could damage you again and accept the inevitability.

Have a great hols, hope the coast has cleared a bit. Heading North or South?
 

GreyCat

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I think it's not surprising to not have such an issue with other use of knives, as it's easier to consistently use technique to avoid injury. Whereas with carving you're working much closer to the hand holding the work-piece.

That said, I do wear a protective left-hand glove when wielding a billhook/axe/skrama for hedging. That set of gloves is highly cut-resistant and thorn proof, and has padding over the back of the hand. Whilst a misplaced whack on a gloved hand would still hurt and bruise (possibly fracture) the hand, that's still MUCH easier to repair than if the tendons are severed by the blade....... and being thorn-proof is great when removing thorny brash- saves on nasty thorn punctures. (Yes those gloves were expensive, but not half as expensive as severing the tendons because I made a simple mistake).

GC
 

Woody girl

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Get the gloves on and massively reduce the chances. You’ve twice said “Had to happen at some point” suggesting you know what you’re doing could damage you again and accept the inevitability.

Have a great hols, hope the coast has cleared a bit. Heading North or South?

South Devon, sidmouth for the folk festival, and a big meet up with old friends who I've known for years through the folk scene. Over about 15 yrs. About 20 of us!

Finger healing nicely, and after helping a lady put up an awning, found out she was an ex a&e nurse, so she has taken charge of making me all better. Bless her.
Presently, everyone has gone to see a band and I'm chilling in my robens fairbanks, as I've done far to much walking on my wobbly pins.
Watching the sunset with a nice cuppa, and a packet of g/f choccy biccys.can hear the music in the background, but I'm for an early night tonight. Maybe star watch a bit later, sea air has worn me out. Fishing trip tomorrow, hope the bbq will have some nice fat ex swimmers on it Mmmmmm! I've already earmarked a huge bunch of wild sorrel for the sauce. Life is good.
 
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Nice65

Brilliant!
Apr 16, 2009
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That all sounds more than excellent, fingers crossed you get some mackerel or bass on the BBQ. Really is the only way to cook mackerel, straight from the sea and over the coals. Bit jealous :)
 

Jared

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Sep 8, 2005
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Also use a glove on the left/off hand, though not likely to help much when using a billhook.

Only one time clipped my hand with a billhook was building a footbridge on side of a valley in Rhondda Cynon Taff.
 

Laurentius

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Aug 13, 2009
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After a nasty cut where I injured a tendon I got myself a mail glove for my left hand to hold work. Unfortunately can't remember where I got it from but it does protect from blade slips.
 

GreyCat

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South Wales, UK
@Woody girl - let's know when you're back and I'll pop some protective gloves in the post. The fabric (kevlar) type are not 100% foolproof, but they shrug off most blade impact and even if a tip gets through it's a small nick not a deep cut. And they are reasonably comfortable to wear.

GC
 

demented dale

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Dec 16, 2021
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Did a nice slicing action on my pinky today. Bled so much I couldn't first aid myself, so popped over the road to the surgery who fixed me up nicely. They couldn't move fast enough when despite elevation and pressure, I had blood down to the elbows. Wanted to rush me to hospital for stitches, but I managed to get them to sterristrip the cut to death and bind me up nicely. I was the calmest one there!
Anyway, one tetanus jab later and my finger throbbing like a goodun, all sorted.
I'm gonna give up trying to carve spoons with knots in the wood!!!!View attachment 89402
How is the finger mending WG? x
 

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