Safety Reminder

[gtwister09]

Just a few minutes ago my neighbor caught me and said come look I added another tool to the drop in bench that you helped me make. He had bought a paper wheel system and had it running. I asked him if it was turning the right direction and he said, "Yes. I already read the instructions. I trued it up and put the compounds on the wheel." I said well good. He was still talking to me and reached across the grinder to turn it on. He started to run the knife across the wheel and then looked over his shoulder and asked me another question. Next thing I heard was this loud twangggggg and a clink..clink.clink on the concrete. I asked what happened? He said that he didn't know but as I looked at the knife there was no blade on it. I laughed and asked where did your blade go? He started to say right here and issued a few choice words. We found the blade and I ran to get the camera...... One of those learning moments.

Here's the bite that it took out of the paper wheel...most likely catching one of the slits as he looked away. The other is his new two piece knife.

Just a reminder to stay focused on the task at hand especially when dealing when spinning wheels, high rpms and sharp instruments. He was lucky!

Regards,

Ben

Edited September 29, 2010 by gtwister09

[bruce johnson]

Ben,

WHERE'S THE BLOOD?! THERE HAS TO BE BLOOD TO BE A GOOD STORY!!

Good point about the rotation direction and safety aspect though. I have flung a knife or two also. In every case it was from not paying attention the where the rear edge of the blade was. I would be merrily buffing along and catch the back edge of what ever I was working on. The back edge would get up into the wheel and it would grab and throw. The tips of round knives are particularly easy to catch if you are not paying attention.

[dirtclod]

Don't lay a knife on a shelf above the grinder / buffer either !! Reason i know not to do that is because i did ONE TIME. It fell and hit wheel while it was running, tore the wheel up, i noticed after i finally found the knife. Lucky it didn't hit me or my dog.

Edited September 29, 2010 by dirtclod

[King's X]

I remember when I first started woodworking, many moons ago, I squared off an end, but on the inside (towards the blade). As I came to the end of the cut....it was like that same sound you heard....something was coming, but not sure what............................then heard a sssswwwwwooooop right pass my left side and disappear behind me! The piece I cut off was no where to be found until I looked behind me. I was sticking in the wall like an arrow would be! Luckly, in my case too, no one was hurt!

Your friend and you are very lucky! Damn it, go play the lottery right now!

[dirtclod]

Here's a picture of the wheel.

[King's X]

Damn!

[gtwister09]

Bruce-------Sorry..... It's not a GOOD story. No Blood! However the look on his face was a MasterCard moment...Priceless. When he saw that he was only holding a handle.

Dirtclod ---- Your knife was NOT kind to that wheel.

KingsX --- Middle school shop was the first time I saw that type of projectile. No lottery for me...almost seems like a self imposed tax with my luck.

On another note this guy understands clearly why I sharpen with a facemask. He stopped and is going to find himself some type of jacket/apron that can provide some protection for his midsection and pick up a facemask. All he could think about was what if that thing had come up into his face and slit his throat or his stomach. However I have to say that the rotation worked in his favor and carried the knife away from him....

Regards,

Ben

[dustin29]

I second that!!! You guys are lucky, that could have been a bad day!! I was ripping down a piece of wood on the table saw when I was younger and it was a cold january day here in Maine, so I decided to leave my gloves on. Yeah, that was not good! The blade caught the glove sucked my finger onto the blade, luckily for some reason it kicked my finger back and broke it. Better than cutting it off. It happened to my trigger finger, Thank God it didnt cut it off!!

[dirtclod]

I was younger and it was a cold january day here in Maine, so I decided to leave my gloves on. Yeah, that was not good! The blade caught the glove sucked my finger onto the blade, luckily for some reason it kicked my finger back and broke it. Better than cutting it off. It happened to my trigger finger, Thank God it didnt cut it off!!

Dustin i know a guy that did the same thing except the saw got his whole hand in the blade. I don't remember if he lost any fingers or not. But i know he had a bandaged hand for months.

Ben that wheel is hanging on a wall in the shop just remind me not to ever do it again. Plus a couple of fork covers are laying around so i find them once in a while for another reminder of what not to do...LOL. Lessons you pay for stick better than told lessons.

[Mike Craw]

Geez Ben,

I got to the part of your story where you asked, "...where did your blade go..." and I was almost afraid to read any farther! I know where it would have gone with my luck!!!

Lucky story, thanks for sharing.

Mike