Note to self, buy gloves to use when handling raw lumber.

[Brian Runau]

Impaled myself yesterday morning. This was the diameter of a toothpick and 3/8" long. Buried in my left index finger. Doctor is using the tweezers to make the hole bigger and digging around trying to find it. I said, "Doc I think it is closer to the skin", and then he found it.

Brian

Splinter.jpgsplinter 1.jpg

[Charles Lent]

Well that hurt, didn't it?

My son is a machinist/welder/metal worker and somehow ended up with a similar shaped piece of metal in his arm just below his elbow, but it was in deeper and the hole through the skin was very tiny. When he was sitting in the ER and the doc was looking at it he asked my son why he thought he needed to come to the ER for it. My son pulled out a small rare earth magnet from his pocket and waved it over the splinter hole, raising a large bump in the skin. Both the doc and the nurse were quite surprised at how large the bump was. They became instant believers, and went immediately to work opening up the hole to remove the metal splinter. They used the magnet again to make certain that they had gotten it all out. A pain killer, and an antibiotic shot later and we were headed back to my son's house.

It's a shame that in cases like this, that wood splinters are not magnetic. In fact, they aren't even easy to see in an X-ray. Yes, gloves are needed when handling lumber and are a good idea, but not when close to moving machinery where they can get caught and drag your hand into the machine. I'm also glad that the doc got it out for you and you didn't loose much of that precious red stuff. I have gloves in many locations in my shop and also my truck with the right kinds nearest the work that I use them for. Many kinds, and placed near wear that glove design is needed. You need to get in the habit of wearing gloves and changing them to the proper ones as your work changes, but it's also not always a good idea to wear gloves for some kinds of work. We have to train ourselves to make the choices as the work we are doing changes.

I wear gloves often when working, but still usually manage to leave a little DNA on almost everything that I build. Fortunately, it's usually just a scratch and the blood stains can be hidden under the finish or sanded off.

Charley

[Andrew Seemann]

Yep, there are always a couple pair of gloves on the center seat of the pickup, more behind the seat, more in the shop, and still more in the garage. You never want to be caught without them available.

I've never understood how I can be so needle-phobic in the doctors office, yet in the shop I can pull one of those out with my teeth without a second thought and keep on working.

[Brian Runau]

Well that hurt, didn't it?

My son is a machinist/welder/metal worker and somehow ended up with a similar shaped piece of metal in his arm just below his elbow, but it was in deeper and the hole through the skin was very tiny. When he was sitting in the ER and the doc was looking at it he asked my son why he thought he needed to come to the ER for it. My son pulled out a small rare earth magnet from his pocket and waved it over the splinter hole, raising a large bump in the skin. Both the doc and the nurse were quite surprised at how large the bump was. They became instant believers, and went immediately to work opening up the hole to remove the metal splinter. They used the magnet again to make certain that they had gotten it all out. A pain killer, and an antibiotic shot later and we were headed back to my son's house.

It's a shame that in cases like this, that wood splinters are not magnetic. In fact, they aren't even easy to see in an X-ray. Yes, gloves are needed when handling lumber and are a good idea, but not when close to moving machinery where they can get caught and drag your hand into the machine. I'm also glad that the doc got it out for you and you didn't loose much of that precious red stuff. I have gloves in many locations in my shop and also my truck with the right kinds nearest the work that I use them for. Many kinds, and placed near wear that glove design is needed. You need to get in the habit of wearing gloves and changing them to the proper ones as your work changes, but it's also not always a good idea to wear gloves for some kinds of work. We have to train ourselves to make the choices as the work we are doing changes.

I wear gloves often when working, but still usually manage to leave a little DNA on almost everything that I build. Fortunately, it's usually just a scratch and the blood stains can be hidden under the finish or sanded off.

Charley

Yep, I've seen this as a salesman calling on maintenance guys. Did he save the metal piece? Brian

[Brian Runau]

Yep, there are always a couple pair of gloves on the center seat of the pickup, more behind the seat, more in the shop, and still more in the garage. You never want to be caught without them available.

I've never understood how I can be so needle-phobic in the doctors office, yet in the shop I can pull one of those out with my teeth without a second thought and keep on working.

In the truck is a great suggestion thanks Brian

[Jack Frederick]

Some time back, Bill Carey, on one of the favorite tool threads suggested the Grammercy Sliver Kit. On that recommendation I purchases the kit and it has proven to be excellent. I keep a razor blade in the kit to expose things a bit better, but I think it a really good value.

[Ryan Yeaglin]

It's a shame that in cases like this, that wood splinters are not magnetic. In fact, they aren't even easy to see in an X-ray. Yes, gloves are needed when handling lumber and are a good idea, but not when close to moving machinery where they can get caught and drag your hand into the machine. Charley

I work with Stainless steel, so it like wood is NON-magnetic (At least the kind I use, lower grades and stainless for high temp is magnetic). Gloves are a must when working with things that will bitch up your hands, sharp edges, rough surfaces, friction. I also advocate using leather gloves, not the stretchy cloth kind for pulling weeds as they do nothing to protect your hands except maybe from dirt.

[John K Jordan]

Some time back, Bill Carey, on one of the favorite tool threads suggested the Grammercy Sliver Kit. On that recommendation I purchases the kit and it has proven to be excellent. I keep a razor blade in the kit to expose things a bit better, but I think it a really good value.

Have several spinter extractors but sometimes the spinter is too deep. I generally use a #11 blade in a scalpel to cut down to expose and extract deep splinters. (Scalpels are readily available on Amazon) A low-power stereo microscope helps for those in the hands. I've tried to get my wife to do it buy she just looks like she's gonna faint and leaves the room.

But yes, gloves.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Just before I retired in 2011, my employer issued "cut resistant" gloves for everybody, several pairs. I was using a pair a couple years later while unloading some lumber and ran a red oak splinter through the glove into my hand. It hurt like crazy trying to get the glove off so I could remove the splinter! Cut resistant? Maybe. Splinter proof? No! I now have a pair of leather gloves in the shop I use for unloading lumber.

[Jim Becker]

[John K Jordan]

Just before I retired in 2011, my employer issued "cut resistant" gloves for everybody, several pairs. I was using a pair a couple years later while unloading some lumber and ran a red oak splinter through the glove into my hand. It hurt like crazy trying to get the glove off so I could remove the splinter! Cut resistant? Maybe. Splinter proof? No! I now have a pair of leather gloves in the shop I use for unloading lumber.

It could be worse.

I used to volunteer to assist our large animal vet when on calls in our area. My job was primarily to hold the baby and fetch things.

Once we went to a friend's farm to look at his horse, being treated for an eye irritation. Looking with a strong light she said "I need some tweezers". We found tweezers on the truck and she pulled a 1-1/4" splinter out of the horse's eye.

JKJ

[Aiden Pettengill]

It could be worse.

I used to volunteer to assist our large animal vet when on calls in our area. My job was primarily to hold the baby and fetch things.

Once we went to a friend's farm to look at his horse, being treated for an eye irritation. Looking with a strong light she said "I need some tweezers". We found tweezers on the truck and she pulled a 1-1/4" splinter out of the horse's eye.

JKJ

Ouch! I can only imagine how bad that hurt.

[Charles Lent]

Yep, I've seen this as a salesman calling on maintenance guys. Did he save the metal piece? Brian

Yes. He has it in a bottle on his desk.

Charley

[Charles Lent]

Just before I retired in 2011, my employer issued "cut resistant" gloves for everybody, several pairs. I was using a pair a couple years later while unloading some lumber and ran a red oak splinter through the glove into my hand. It hurt like crazy trying to get the glove off so I could remove the splinter! Cut resistant? Maybe. Splinter proof? No! I now have a pair of leather gloves in the shop I use for unloading lumber.

"Cut Resistant" is not Cut Proof or Puncture Proof. It's just harder to cut the glove on sharp edges.

Charley

[Jim Fox]

I've never understood how I can be so needle-phobic in the doctors office, yet in the shop I can pull one of those out with my teeth without a second thought and keep on working.

Ditto here.............horrible childhood Dentist and Dr experience growing up. But a sliver...........I have no problem poking, digging, cutting, etc. to get it out.