Slow speed doesn't mean SAFE.

[Nathan Conner]

Tried out the new Jet slow speed sharpener last night. Did a couple of decent chisels, and they turned out exactly as they had on the old Tormek (I sold the Tormek, thinking, "I only use this every 2-3 months. Too much money for that!". Then, once it was gone, realized it was well worth it.)

I forgot, though, how cold your hands get with all that water splashing on them! Brrr!

(*Stop reading here...you know what's coming. Seriously. Don't continue. Find another thread. Take out the trash. Go away.*)

I have a pair of Japanese kogatana knives for marking, but neither would fit in the handful of jigs I got. So, I decided to do one by hand. Really long bevel, 2 1/4" angled edge on top of that. After some grinding and buffing on the first, it looked better than new, and had a beautiful edge on it. I started on the second, but there was something in the steel that was leaving marks on the wheel. Well, not really marks. Kind of a long streaking brown-ish smudge all over the wheel. I looked at the knife several times, and couldn't figure it out. I thought it was great steel!

Then, I figured it out. I was bleeding from not one...not TWO...THREE separate dime-sized ground-flat-and-then-some spots on my fingers. Didn't really hurt -- I'm a man's man. I can take it. So, I changed my angle and finished the bevel, then, of course, a few minutes to hone and shine (and clean off the mess).

The reason I couldn't feel it and it didn't hurt was my hands were numb from all the cold water. Boy, did THAT ever change as my hands started to warm up. Man's man? Pffffft. I got nuthin on the 3-year-old girl down the street. Advil, ice packs, Neosporin, and Band-Aids for everyone! Hey!

Apparently, slow and numb doesn't change my propensity for basic stupidity. Be CAREFUL with those grinders. They...grind!

DUH.

But the knives look great!

[Jim Becker]

OUCH....and I can understand how the cold water might delay reaction.

[Al Willits]

""""""""
OUCH....and I can understand how the cold water might delay reaction.
"""""""

I've been blaming the 60's all this time, but I guess cold water works too...:)

Good to hear it wasn't anything serious...well, it probably hurt like all get out, but as long as you didn't need stiches or amputate anything there's hope..maybe use warm water next time? :)

Al

[Heather Thompson]

Been there, done that, except only one finger and not the dime size description. I will say that I have never done it again! :D

Heather

[Rick Gooden]

Al, I blame the 60s for a lot of things also, you know they say if you can remember the 60s you weren't really a part of it. Oh, you were talking about age. Sorry, just a product of the 60s.

[Nathan Conner]

This, again, is one of those things I doubt I'll do again. I need my fingers for typing, and it's painful this morning, with lots of fat-fingering going on.

I love experiences like this - again, you GET the experience a split second after you needed it.

A little pain to learn a lesson like this seems worth it.

[alex grams]

chipping up porcelain tile can do the same thing. Small sharp edges hitting your forearms and you feel nothing, and then look at your arm and see about a dozen blood spots, and wonder what the heck? Then when you wash your arms later you scrub the cuts and they hurt like an SOB.

[Doug Shepard]

Yup. Been there, done that. I was using the belt/disc sander a few years ago in the middle of winter (unheated shop). My hands were so cold & numb I didn't realize I managed to sand a divot in the end of a knuckle. Kind of takes the fun right out of it.

[Michael Gibbons]

Better move the machine to a warmer part of your domicile.

[Al Willits]

No, I was talking about the 1960's, I'm told I had a great time back then...:D

Al

[Jim Solomon]

I can relate to the 60's anaolgy, if I could just remember some of it:confused: I can also relate to the grinder burn...eeeeouch. Brought to mind me a few years ago laying on my back under a JD backhoe. I was reaching up cutting off a bolt with an acetelyne torch when the dang thing left go(the nut) it proceeded to enter my cuff and worked it's way all the way to my arm pit. And even though that hurt like heck it was nothing compared to what happened next. In my moment of panic I lost my grip on the cutting torch and it proceeded to burn a nice hole in my left forearm. Now, I can stand broken limbs, and once cut my forearm neary to the bone with corragated tin, but nothing (for me) compares to the pain from a burn. Three things brings me to my knees, in no particular order, toothache, a burn( any size:o) and those dang paper cuts:eek:
Jim

[Bill Wyko]

Maby some warm water next time:rolleyes: I'm glad you were able to prevent me from doing this.:D