Blood in the workshop -- but I'm OK

[Bill Conerly]

I'm OK, but I did drip some blood in the shop. I was cutting bamboo with a Japanese saw. As best I can reconstruct, I probably pulled the saw back too far; then on the push stroke, the tip of the saw caught in the cut. As I pushed forward, the tip broke off; I later found it embedded in the cut. As I pushed forward, the saw sprung to the left, where my left hand was holding the bamboo. The left hand was a couple of inches away, but the saw has a log of spring. It all happened so fast I wasn't immediately sure what happened, just that my finger hurt and was bleeding like made.

Fortunately, the finger seems to work fine. She who wanted a bamboo garden trellis is a retired doctor and cleaned, disinfected and bandaged my finger. ("What were you doing?" she asked. "I was making a bamboo garden trellis," I replied so that blame would be properly assigned.)

I try to be cautious in the shop, but had never anticipated this particular possibility.

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[Steve Eure]

Glad you're ok. I've had similar experiences with flexible flush cut trim saws where the wood would break as I was cutting the the blade bite into my finger. Yes it hurts and yes it bleeds like crazy. For that reason I keep something in the shop for such occasions.

[Richard Coers]

Glad it's not bad, but also sounds like you are over powering that saw. You should have a very light hand with a Japanese saw. Let the teeth do the work, not you.

[Mark Rainey]

Bill, those Japanese saws are like razor blades. Many years ago I was using a bow saw with a Japanese blade. The blade jumped the kerf and bit my thumb. I bled like crazy. I still have the scar on my thumb. When I am using a Japanese saw in an awkward position, I try to put some leather gloves on.

[Bill Conerly]

Glad it's not bad, but also sounds like you are over powering that saw. You should have a very light hand with a Japanese saw. Let the teeth do the work, not you.

Richard, thanks, that sounds like great advice.

[Joe Adams]

Glad you're okay.

Blood, sweat and tears = Woodworking

[Bob Jones 5443]

When I saw the topic line in the Power Tool forum, I winced. Still, your Neanderthal tool of choice has a nasty bite of its own.

Sorry to hear about this, but for my part I have to thank you for sharing your story. I'm embarking on a project to master dovetails, and at least in the beginning I'm going to use a Japanese pull saw far more than ever before. After reading your post I am confident your accident will stay in my head, keeping me safer.

I once had a fairly bad finger mishap, too, this one with a table saw. I had a virtually 100% recovery, but it left a permanent memory and zero chance of a recurrence.

Be well and heal soon.

[Brian Deakin]

I cut the tip of my finger on Sunday when tracking the blade on a bandsaw

I use 3M Steri-Strip reinforced Skin Closures - 1/2" x 4" - 10 pack of 6 strip envelope (60 strips)


which I find invaluable

[Alan Lightstone]

I find I use dermabond a lot for small skin cuts. It's medical grade superglue. The pain goes away instantly, which is nice. We use it in the OR on almost every incision every day.

Yours sounded deeper, plus SWWABT is a doctor, so I'm sure you're in good hands.

[Phil Mueller]

Glad you’re fine and have professional help to patch it up. I’ve had to become very good at cleaning, applying antibiotic and a bandaid one handed

[Stan Calow]

There are new blood-clotting first aid products available now that when applied to a wound will quickly stop the bleeding. They're based on products developed for the military. They're not cheap, but might be worth having around. Names like Quikclot, or Bloodstop. You can find them at Amazon.

I had a similar japanese saw injury once too. I think I would have said "I was making a bamboo garden trellis for you", to try and generate some more sympathy.

[Stewart Lang]

About a month ago I was cleaning up end grain on a slab with a freshly sharpened 30,000 grit chisel (you can imagine where this is going lol). Pushing it away from me, but with my right hand grasping the far edge of the slab to keep it steady. I was making a conscious effort to hide my hand around the edge and out of the path of the chisel, but not conscious enough apparently.

Chisel slipped out of the cut, and drove about 1/4" into the side of my index finger right where the tip of that finger bends. Clean cut, didn't even feel it lol. Fortunately I could still bend my finger, and it was just a slice, no flesh missing. Bandaged it back down and let it heal. I do have a scar from that one though.

So I guess, I feel your pain

Only other incident besides that was when I jointed the tip of my pinkie years ago. Fortunately now I can use it as a reference surface

[Donald G. Burns]

Ask any bamboo fly rod maker, bamboo will give you a nasty cut too. The VC were fond of punji sticks for that very reason.