When Do You Stop Cutting Yourself?

[Chief31794]

I started working in leather in 1970, since then I've learned a lot of things, one thing I have not been successful in learning is how to prevent cutting yourself in the leather shop. Several facts:

1. Knives used in leather working are very, very sharp.

2. Bare hands are in close proximity to the cut line when cutting leather.

3. Stupid leather working knives can't tell the difference between Steer Leather and People Leather!!!!

4. Major overhead expense in a leather shop: 1st Aid Supplies

Oh well, just venting, cut my self again this week, I'm starting to cut into old scars.

Does everyone do this or am I just getting too old to be trusted with sharp instruments???

Chief

[BondoBobCustomSaddles]

Chief, I am nearly 71, and I haven't reached the "no cut zone yet". Not sure if I ever will.

Bob

[jfdavis58]

... a few seconds after you 'bleed-out'.

[Art]

Hi Chief,

Go to a Vet or ER Doctor and have them show you how to use superglue. I bought one of the Leather Wranglers knives when they first came out and it had a little sharpened back edge on it for pull cutting. I never got used to that sharpened edge and used to nick myself till I finally blunted it. Cut myself so many times over the years that I have generally learned what NOT to do. Still happens though, usually at a leather or knife show where everyone can see it.

Art

[Chief31794]

Hi Chief,

Go to a Vet or ER Doctor and have them show you how to use superglue. I bought one of the Leather Wranglers knives when they first came out and it had a little sharpened back edge on it for pull cutting. I never got used to that sharpened edge and used to nick myself till I finally blunted it. Cut myself so many times over the years that I have generally learned what NOT to do. Still happens though, usually at a leather or knife show where everyone can see it.

Art

Thanks, treating it is something I'm an expert at. I take some heavy blood thinners so I have to use a coagulent, I keep plenty in my first aid kit. I use super glue and other things too, but my main concern is prevention, not treatment. I've perfected the treatment, I want to work on the prevention. This was a little tongue-in-cheek just because I wanted to vent because I was so irritated at myself, I should know better.

Thanks,

Chief

[billybopp]

Yeah ... Bandaids can get pretty expensive. The closest I've come to cut prevention is: http://www.amazon.com/CUTShield-Classic-Kitchen-Resistant-Contact/dp/B003DZ02MU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1433643477&sr=8-2&keywords=kevlar+glove

They do work ... when I remember to wear them. They are a little slicker than I'd like, but they do now make versions with latex palms, or PVC dots. I'll have to try them sometime.

Bill

[TheCyberwolfe]

Hell, if it was only the knives I had to worry about, I'd be fine - it's things like paper and cardboard that get the better of me. (And every computer case I have ever screwed a motherboard into, but that's another story...)

[Art]

My first processor was a Zilog, Z-80 I think. Mainframes 15 years before that. Built many a server and PC. Then things started getting complicated, there were all these extra cages and stuff in the cases. After damned near disassembling the cases to be able to get the gear inside, it hit me, this was NOT a cottage industry anymore, I had to think like assembly line and some of the build labs I had seen at manufacturers, and low and behold, there are hinges and wop, you push this and the whole cage or motherboard base rotates out, they never thought of that before......well the mainframes were built that way...hmmmmmm. We've come full circle; that Cisco mega-router is just a mainframe, and with liquid cooling on some of the hot PCs, we're back in the old country. You would think with all the money they put into computerized die cutting machines, they could make one that finished up the edges and corners, or just for the love of god and their fellow human beings, PUT PAINT ON THE EDGES.

When I was a kid and cut meat, we had chainmail gloves, they worked!

Art

[King's X]

Hell, I just recently cut the tip of my thumb off with a box cutter cutting a straight line. You will never stop cutting yourself. I gave up on band-aids a long time ago.........I always have yellow tape or duck tape around. I just cut a piece of paper towel and snip of tape and wrap it. I call it a battlefield aid....use what you have available.

[Pablo27]

Things like that usually happen to me when I'm thinking about 10 min ahead of what I'm doing right then. I have to really stay in the moment. Chief I take a lot of blood thinners also, what type of coagulant do you have in your first aid kit? I know at some point it will happen and I want to be ready.

Paul