Whoops!

[Steve Trauthwein]

I was starting a new project yesterday and as usual I tend to charge in. I have a roll around cart that holds the tools that I am using, and some that I have finished with. I started to roll it closer to my position at the lathe and a freshly sharpened roughing gouge, a tool over one pound, fell off. Not to worry, the edge was not damaged by the concrete floor, as it was cushioned by my shin.

I picked the gouge up and ignored the slice as I examined the edge. It looked good. It was then that I noticed the blood flowing into my sock. Not wanting to quit on the new project I went to the work bench and grabbed a paper towel. Five minutes did not stop the blood flow, so I taped the paper towel on with some duct tape and went back to my project.

It was probably an hour later that the wife noticed the duct tape and asked about it. She then wanted to know if I had cleaned the wound. I told her that as far as I knew the paper towel was clean. Evidently that is not good enough, as soon as the duct tape and paper towel came off the blood started again. Ended up with three stitches, a tetanus shot and a compression bandage to keep the blood from flowing.

The new project is going well, but my darn leg is hurting!

Regards, Steve

[Tim Rinehart]

Sorry to hear about the cut Steve. I'm notorious for walking past one of my gouges sitting in a tray next to my lathe, and the longest one (a 5/8 Thompson in a Oneway 24" handle) that is always sharp...gets me more often than I care to tell.

[Thom Sturgill]

I guess we don't have to wonder about your sharpening skills! Steve, I had a catch pull the gouge out of my hands and it sliced a toe, so I know you pain!

I would like to make a suggestion though, add something along the lines of this to the cart - it might prevent future roll-offs:
207520

[Steve Vaughan]

That's a funny story! Well, I mean, it ain't funny, but yeah, it's funny. I'm guessing that lots of us have somewhat ignored the blood loss so we can keep turning some wood. The other day I sliced the end of my thumb wide open from a gouge. After I washed it up a bit, I superglued it shut to keep the blood in. That worked just long enough to get that piece rough-turned which is all I needed! No stitches though...

[Bernie Weishapl]

Ouch. Guess we know that the gouge was sharp?

[Bill Bolen]

I guess most of us have similar stories. But it does make a guy feel good that he is NOT the only one. My question: why is the wifes first question always "did you wash it"? She has to know that if a paper towel is stuck in a hole in your leg you didn't wash anything! Why should you if the said paper towel was taken off of the fresh roll and not out of the trash!!

[Betty Fox]

Anybody watch Monty Python's Holy Grail? "T'is but a scratch!"
Which reminds me, I need a tetanus shot. Glad you're retaining all your blood now.

[Jim Underwood]

I hate it when I start leaking like that!

Glad you're still in one piece and on the mend... Pretty soon it'll be a scar you can show off...

[ray hampton]

the tool will need to be resharped after it cut you

[Tom Wilson66]

Most of my projects get enough blood on them from nicks and scratches to perform DNA testing, proving that I made them. Glad to hear the cut was not more serious than it was. Hope you finish healing soon.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Duct tape... Red Green would be proud!!

Glad it wasn't any worse!! Get well soon!!

[James Combs]

I can empathize with you very well. I am very familiar with needing to finish the project first before the first aid. I was moving one time and had a washing machine on a refrigerator dolly. The load was on a sloping trailer, when I tilted the dolly up to lift the washing machine it rolled back toward me and I jammed my right foot at its base to stop it, missed it and my foot almost went under the dolly's platform but not quite, the platform caught just enough of my tennis shoe to roll my big toe up and back. Hurt like the dickens and I new it wasn't going to be pretty when the shoe came off so I gritted my teeth and after a few choice words under my breath I went back to work unloading the trailer. An hour or so later I am done unloading and decide I better take a look at the toe since the top of my tennis shoe had eventually turned red. Took the shoe off and of course it was full of blood. The edge of the dolly platform and weight of the machine had ripped my big toe nail off so completely I had to turn the sock inside out to find it. Needless to say, every time I have moved since I have worn heavy shoes.

Be careful out there folks there are all kinds of gotchas waiting for you.

[Steve Kubien]

I'm glad you are alright and I am also thrilled that you have your priorities well established... Nothing like a quick field-dressing in the shop when there are shavings to be made.

[David DeCristoforo]

Whoops indeed! But, like Steve, I'm laughing. Not because you got cut but because I have cut myself so many times and the first thought is always a bit of panic over whether or not any blood got on the wood! Stopping the bleeding? Infection? Who worries about those things? Is that not why we need wives?

[Vernon Oberle]

My wife is worried about my retireing this year, because I will be in the shop all day without proper supervision. My motto is all pieces are signed with DNA. I buy bandaids by the case.

Vernon