Anti-tetanus before anything else!!

[SUP]

Since I started leatherworking, I have cut myself so many times!  After the first 3-4 times, when I went around with numerous band-aids on my hands, I went and got an anti-tetanus. My house is overflowing with band-aids and triple antibiotic creams! Currently I am waiting for deep cuts on my thumb and fore-finger to heal - pretty deep because I sliced it with a sharpening thingy for serrated knives, while trying on a sheath for it. 

Does everyone go through this or am I particularly clumsy? I suspect  the latter!

[Littlef]

13 minutes ago, SUP said:

Since I started leatherworking, I have cut myself so many times!  After the first 3-4 times, when I went around with numerous band-aids on my hands, I went and got an anti-tetanus. My house is overflowing with band-aids and triple antibiotic creams! Currently I am waiting for deep cuts on my thumb and fore-finger to heal - pretty deep because I sliced it with a sharpening thingy for serrated knives, while trying on a sheath for it. 

Does everyone go through this or am I particularly clumsy? I suspect  the latter!

Hmmm.  It sounds like you need to re-think your process on how you handle knives.  Statistically, if you work with sharp items long enough, you'll eventually cut or nick yourself.  BUT, when it keeps happening, that comes from improper handling.  I'd recommend re-thinking how you go about your process to cut away from you, and how to keep your fingers out of the path of the blades.   

[Handstitched]

In the very beginning, I cut the tips of my fingers cos my fingers were just over the edge of the ruler while cutting . I never did that again . The only injuries I occasionally get is from hand stitching. I've just learnt to be careful with anything that cuts, scrapes , slices ,  pokes, pierces  and any other sharp tool. I also keep my fingers away from the business end of sewing machines. I learnt that from Mum after she put sewing machine needle through her finger many years ago. 

Just learn to be more careful

HS

[SUP]

Thank you. You are both absolutely right! My husband keeps telling me the same thing each time he sees droplets of blood around the place. The thing is, I go in with  good intentions and then forget! I cut myself usually when hand sewing - poke myself with the awl or needle, or like I mentioned above, when trying sheaths on the tools. I have not cut myself when actually cutting leather yet! All those precautions I have read from all of you -  I  spend all my free time on this site to learn as much as I can - it is the unexpected where I cut myself. But I am learning. 

[Sheilajeanne]

People wear thimbles when hand sewing - have you thought of that? This thimble designed for quilting might work for leather too: https://www.amazon.ca/AIEX-Thimble-Protector-Quilting-Knitting/dp/B088BJYCB2/ref=asc_df_B088BJYCB2/?tag=googleshopc0c-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=320347773323&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10864780862965643511&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9104883&hvtargid=pla-914884391695&psc=1

 

[TomE]

Good thing when it bleeds to clean out the wound, but yes keeping up to date on your tetanus immunization is a very good idea.  I bled less on projects as my awling improved.  I have a collection of scars on both forearms from slipping with a hoof knife.  Doctors seem to notice these things.

[Tugadude]

Good technique and a sharp knife yield best results.  Funny this came up because just yesterday I was watching a YouTube video concerning how to open packaging safely.  Well, it wasn't about that, it just came up because the channel owner is frustrated by what he sees.  So he demonstrated some safe techniques.    I watch "unboxing" videos all the time and I cringe when I see how some people handle knives.  Mostly common sense, but there are some things that maybe aren't intuitive so they have to be learned. 

 

[Littlef]

Another suggestion.  You said "I cut myself usually when hand sewing - poke myself with the awl or needle."  Work on sharpening your awl and other tools.  A well sharpened awl with slice through leather with light pressure, that you can control.  When tools are dull, it takes much more pressure and effort.  When having to muscle your tools to work, there's a much higher likelihood that something slips, which causes an accident. 

[SUP]

Thimbles! Why didn't I think of that? First thing I am ordering those leather thimbles! It will be a relief. Thank you Sheilajeanne.

I strop my knives whenever I use them and sharpen as needed. That is another addictive thing about leatherworking - the knives and how many I am sorely tempted to buy! Not sure how to sharpen an awl though, Littlef. I am sure there will be a thread about it somewhere on this site. I will look it up. I might also need to improve my chiseling technique. I have been thinking about it and it is possible the chisel holes are not straight and therefore the problem with the awl as well.

Yes, TomeE. I try to let the cuts bleed - they do anyway! but if it is very deep, I have discovered that if I immediately hold it closed and bandage it up, it dries and heals very fast. Not much pain or swelling either. So healing time, even for a deep slice is down to about 3 days. Have such a cut now and I can barely see the scar.

 

And opening boxes Tugadude? I had no idea how to do it until I worked in an Amazon warehouse for 6 months some years ago. Now I do it like a pro and show anyone around too! 

Edited April 25, 2023 by SUP

[Sheilajeanne]

I used to break up boxes for recycling in the dumpster when I worked for a retail nursery. Great way to work out frustrations, and I kept my Swiss Army knife handy for slicing the tape!

Had it down to a fine art and never cut myself. 

[chuck123wapati]

I've heard of people who don't cut themselves but I've never met one.

 Twice this week for me on leather and once in the garage on wood, and its only Tuesday. What we need is a thread about getting blood stains out of an almost finished piece lol. 

[billybopp]

38 minutes ago, chuck123wapati said:

I've heard of people who don't cut themselves but I've never met one.

 Twice this week for me on leather and once in the garage on wood, and its only Tuesday. What we need is a thread about getting blood stains out of an almost finished piece lol. 

No project is complete until there has been a blood sacrifice.

- Bill

[Sheilajeanne]

2 hours ago, chuck123wapati said:

I've heard of people who don't cut themselves but I've never met one.

 Twice this week for me on leather and once in the garage on wood, and its only Tuesday. What we need is a thread about getting blood stains out of an almost finished piece lol. 

LOL, Chuck! Not such a bad idea! 

I still remember that story on here (forget who it was that posted) The guy's friend picked up his head knife, and tested the blade by running his thumb along the edge...   Much blood, a trip to the hospital and quite a few stitches followed...

We need another thread for the dumbest thing anyone's ever done with a very sharp leather tool!

Billybop, yes the Leather Gods must be appeased! 

When younger, I did a fair bit of woodworking. Quite a few bandaids happened, especially when I was whittling!  Haven't done anything too serious yet with cutting leather. Okay, that's probably tempting fate... 

 

Edited April 25, 2023 by Sheilajeanne

[Sheilajeanne]

Okay, of course I had to look it up: 

Edit: Click on jfdavis58's name to ge to the post. If you click on the topic, it will take you to the beginning of the thread instead.

Some good stuff in this thread... 

Edited April 25, 2023 by Sheilajeanne

[fredk]

Blimey! you lot are dangerous

I think y'all should be laced up in straitjackets and locked away in the rubber room to protect yourselves from further harm

[HaloJones]

10 hours ago, billybopp said:

No project is complete until there has been a blood sacrifice.

- Bill

Yep, this is so true! 

[Handstitched]

This'll throw ya!!...and way off topic.

I used to be in the fibreglass pool industry . Injuries were common.  If I ever got  a *FG splinter in my finger etc, the only way  to get it out is to slice open  the finger &  pull it out....and rinse it out with acetone to sterilise it.

I dare you to , the next time you cut yourself !!!!!  

*(A lot different to wood splinters) 

11 hours ago, fredk said:

Blimey! you lot are dangerous

I think y'all should be laced up in straitjackets and locked away in the rubber room to protect yourselves from further harm

You were saying??  

HS

[fredk]

I'll join in; one time a 5 inch goose feather fletching came off and went into my hand, in that bit between thumb and fore finger. It went in by about 3 inches or slightly more. Because of the way the feather vanes lay you are supposed to pull it out from its front end, but that was deep in my hand, so I just pulled it out back ways. Slight pain, no blood. I poured a teeny bit of whiskey on the wound then onion juice. It healed up quickly, no scar. I was actually shooting again just minutes later. The goose feather was re-used that evening on one of my #3 son's arrows. He wrote on that one 'The Paw Killer'

Its years since I shed blud on any of my leather projects. I've learnt that its better for my blud to stay inside me

[Handstitched]

23 hours ago, fredk said:

Its years since I shed blud on any of my leather projects. I've learnt that its better for my blud to stay inside me

My Mother was spinning some fleece on her spinning wheel one sunny arvo.  She was trying to hook some fleece through the spindle  to start a new bobbin. To this day, I  still dunno how, but she managed to get a piece of the wire hook thingy  through her finger . I tried using pliers myself  ( without throwing up & passing out ) , but  3 hrs  &  3 stitches  later in the ER.....

HS

[SUP]

A slight detour from the topic but once, long ago, when I was still in college, I was washing my hands and suddenly noticed bleeding on the base of my palm. It pricked a bit and I finally pulled out a cover-slip about 1 inch by 1/2 inch across! It was embedded in my palm and I have no idea how it got there! Surely I would have noticed a wound large enough to embed it and then to heal over. An absolute mystery to me, even today 40 years later! Anyone else have such mysterious happenings?

[Handstitched]

13 hours ago, SUP said:

A slight detour from the topic but once

Thats all good   We all have horror stories, that we hopefully learn from. I used to be in the fibreglass pool industry. I used to use my leg as a "work bench"  off to the side, to cut cardboard form work for reinforcing etc. using a very sharp ' stanley knife' .   During lunch, I noticed all this blood literally pouring out from under my jeans onto my boot, took forever to find where it was coming from.  There was a tiny cut in my jeans....and in my right leg , just under my knee cap. My knife was so sharp, I didn't even notice. 3 stitches later......

Stay safe 

HS 

[SUP]

Sounds painful - later!  Stitches always seem to me to be more painful than actual wounds - that needle pulling through skin - leather too, after all! 

 

[Bert03241]

My biggest threat is beveling tools LOL I know when they need sharpening  they will slip and jab my fingers  ouch.Fortunately I try to keep up with my sharpening so it doesn't happen to often .

Many many years ago I cut the top of my thumb off on a table saw. I was cutting a long trim board and it kicked back and my thumb kept going forward. They sewed it back on , but to this day I have no feeling in it. Guess maybe that helps when I'm hand stitching and push a needle into it

[chiefjason]

Been wearing these while edging and cutting for years.  I'm sure they have paid for themselves in keeping me out of the ER a few times.  My first pair was given to me by a customer.  

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08ZSHMWL7/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[SUP]

 

5 hours ago, chiefjason said:

Been wearing these while edging and cutting for years.  I'm sure they have paid for themselves in keeping me out of the ER a few times.  My first pair was given to me by a customer.  

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08ZSHMWL7/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have something similar  and they are really useful. I hate wearing them, though I have recently started doing so. As it is, I do not have much feeling in my finger-tips because of a dog attack and with gloves, I can feel virtually nothing. Feels a little weird, but less weird than seeing blood everywhere and having to search for the wound.