Rip saws, now I know how dangerous they can be
-
Last night I was doing some DIY at home. I had decided to replace some beading around my kitchen and dining room floor. After removing the old stuff I decided to cut it into smaller lengths in order to bag it in order to dispose of it easier. Everything was going fine until the saw jammed and buckled. It then sprung out sideways across my thumb, easily slicing 5 cuts (each a saw tooth apart) right to the bone. :(( I quickly wrapped kitchen towel around my thumb and taped it up. On reflection I could have easily lost my thumb. I am convinced that on a down stroke even bone would not have stopped it. Is it my imagination or have rip saws become sharper in recent years? Ant. I'm hard, yet soft.
I'm coloured, yet clear.
I'm fruity and sweet.
I'm jelly, what am I? Muse on it further, I shall return! - David Walliams (Little Britain)Years ago, I was using a bucksaw (the D-shaped one) to cut slots in the ends of old antennas, for a cord to run through. Luckily, a medic was right there beside me, as the saw skipped out of the groove, and sliced into my index finger, and the saw was brand new (therefore sharp). Less tearing. Bled like a stuck pig.:(( Mine is not to question Why, but to shake my head and sigh.:sigh:
-
If it's cut to the bone, it will probably need stiches. I'm suprised you haven't gone yet. And if that saw was old or had some rust on it you should probably get a tetanus shot and get checked for infection development or something. "One of the Georges," said Psmith, "I forget which, once said that a certain number of hours' sleep a day--I cannot recall for the moment how many--made a man something, which for the time being has slipped my memory."
Rust does not cause tenanus. If the blade was DIRTY, he should get a shot.
-
Rust does not cause tenanus. If the blade was DIRTY, he should get a shot.
I always thought the bacteria that caused iron to rust was the same one that causes tetanus. Atleast that's what they told me when I was a kid to scare me. I could be totally wrong. (Come to think of it, that does sound ridiculous) "One of the Georges," said Psmith, "I forget which, once said that a certain number of hours' sleep a day--I cannot recall for the moment how many--made a man something, which for the time being has slipped my memory."
-
Also a really good idea: ALWAYS wear work gloves AND safety glasses when using tools. A thumb can be stitched up, but an eyeball can't.
billgatest wrote: but an eyeball can't. What a beastly idea ! "One of the Georges," said Psmith, "I forget which, once said that a certain number of hours' sleep a day--I cannot recall for the moment how many--made a man something, which for the time being has slipped my memory."
-
I always thought the bacteria that caused iron to rust was the same one that causes tetanus. Atleast that's what they told me when I was a kid to scare me. I could be totally wrong. (Come to think of it, that does sound ridiculous) "One of the Georges," said Psmith, "I forget which, once said that a certain number of hours' sleep a day--I cannot recall for the moment how many--made a man something, which for the time being has slipped my memory."
Wikipedia is our friend: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rust[^] Rust is the substance formed when iron compounds corrode in the presence of water and oxygen. No bacteria involved directly. However: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetanus[^] Tetanus is contracted through open wounds. These wounds are commonly caused by sharp objects in the ground such as rusty nails, however it is not the rust that is the problem, but rather that the nail has been exposed to the environment for a long time, causing the rust, and possibly accumulating some of the tetanus bacteria from the soil.
Chaque homme de culture a deux patries: la sienne - et la France. (Thomas Jefferson) -
Wikipedia is our friend: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rust[^] Rust is the substance formed when iron compounds corrode in the presence of water and oxygen. No bacteria involved directly. However: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetanus[^] Tetanus is contracted through open wounds. These wounds are commonly caused by sharp objects in the ground such as rusty nails, however it is not the rust that is the problem, but rather that the nail has been exposed to the environment for a long time, causing the rust, and possibly accumulating some of the tetanus bacteria from the soil.
Chaque homme de culture a deux patries: la sienne - et la France. (Thomas Jefferson)Thanks. I did check it up when I was having the earlier discussion "One of the Georges," said Psmith, "I forget which, once said that a certain number of hours' sleep a day--I cannot recall for the moment how many--made a man something, which for the time being has slipped my memory."
-
From your description, it sounds like it was the top of your thumb, but definitely if it is the inside part of your thumb and tendons may have been damaged you should get to the doctor as fast as possible. I once chopped my thumb to the bone on the inside and didn't go to the doctor until the next day (or was it a day after?) because I was in the mountains and there was nothing but a little clinic with limited hours nearby. The doctor was furious and told me that if tendons and been cut, waiting that long could have dire results (fortunately, they weren't cut, but I think because he was :mad:, he wasn't very gentle in the process of looking inside to see if they were). Hope you heal up quickly! I trust there's no need to tell you to be careful when you get back to using that saw again. ;) Matt Gerrans
You have deduced correctly. It is the top of my thumb. It is therefore not as deep as it could have been. I do not have that much flesh on the top of my thumbs. Ant. I'm hard, yet soft.
I'm coloured, yet clear.
I'm fruity and sweet.
I'm jelly, what am I? Muse on it further, I shall return! - David Walliams (Little Britain) -
Antony M Kancidrowski wrote: Unfortunately you can only see your GP up until 10am unless it is a real emergency And a finger cut through to the bone does not qualify??? Man, your are one tough cookie...
Paul Watson wrote: "At the end of the day it is what you produce that counts, not how many doctorates you have on the wall." George Carlin wrote: "Don't sweat the petty things, and don't pet the sweaty things." Jörgen Sigvardsson wrote: If the physicists find a universal theory describing the laws of universe, I'm sure the asshole constant will be an integral part of that theory.
Ray Cassick wrote: And a finger cut through to the bone does not qualify??? I suppose that it would if it was bleeding profusely. I did wrap it up quite tightly which I think helped a lot. BTW I am not really one tough cookie, more a cowardly custard. I tend to faint at the sight of too much blood. Ant. I'm hard, yet soft.
I'm coloured, yet clear.
I'm fruity and sweet.
I'm jelly, what am I? Muse on it further, I shall return! - David Walliams (Little Britain) -
Last night I was doing some DIY at home. I had decided to replace some beading around my kitchen and dining room floor. After removing the old stuff I decided to cut it into smaller lengths in order to bag it in order to dispose of it easier. Everything was going fine until the saw jammed and buckled. It then sprung out sideways across my thumb, easily slicing 5 cuts (each a saw tooth apart) right to the bone. :(( I quickly wrapped kitchen towel around my thumb and taped it up. On reflection I could have easily lost my thumb. I am convinced that on a down stroke even bone would not have stopped it. Is it my imagination or have rip saws become sharper in recent years? Ant. I'm hard, yet soft.
I'm coloured, yet clear.
I'm fruity and sweet.
I'm jelly, what am I? Muse on it further, I shall return! - David Walliams (Little Britain)That's an advantage of Japanese pattern saws (see here[^]) - you cut on the pull-stroke, not the push-stroke, so the blade isn't going to buckle, which also allows the blade to be thinner. My Dad (who's a big wood worker) swears by them. Stuart Dootson 'Java, Basic, who cares - it's all a bunch of tree-hugging hippy cr*p'
-
That's an advantage of Japanese pattern saws (see here[^]) - you cut on the pull-stroke, not the push-stroke, so the blade isn't going to buckle, which also allows the blade to be thinner. My Dad (who's a big wood worker) swears by them. Stuart Dootson 'Java, Basic, who cares - it's all a bunch of tree-hugging hippy cr*p'
Stuart Dootson wrote: you cut on the pull-stroke Now that is a good idea. Ant. I'm hard, yet soft.
I'm coloured, yet clear.
I'm fruity and sweet.
I'm jelly, what am I? Muse on it further, I shall return! - David Walliams (Little Britain)