​Cutting tool confessional

[Guest]

I haven’t yet stuck an axe in my foot or lopped off a digit while holding back a greenbriar vine with the other hand. I have sliced the bejusses out of my hand with a knife, which perhaps begs a confessional query.

I’m sure I’m not the only one who has had a bloody backcountry episode.

The worst I have cut myself while tripping was with an early Leatherman knock off. It was a handy tool, but it had some design flaws and omissions. The omission was that it had no bottle opener. WTF?

The flaw was that it had a very sharp serrated knife blade that was somehow intuitively positioned “backwards” when the tool was opened. I caught myself several times stating to make cuts with the back of the blade. And one time I didn’t catch myself.

Dark, hurried, raining, trying to cut a piece of line for the tarp. I backed up the blade with my thumb and made a swipe at a piece of line. Wrong side of the blade. It was one of those:

the kind of accident where you instantly cover the bloody gash with a hand before building enough courage to peek at the carnage underneath.

Blood was dripping through my grasping fingers in seconds. It could have been much worse; it was paper cut straight if meaty deep, went back together nicely and, bandaged and antibiotic ointmented, healed with surprising rapidity.

I know I’m not the only one with an oops cutting moment. You can always claim it was something you heard your idiot second cousin once did. There may be opportunity to learn from other’s tales of poor judgment.

 

[Odyssey]

My idiot second cousin bounced a very sharp hatchet off my shin once. It was the very first trip for the brand new hatchet, and on my very first swing. I was doing everything wrong, and knew I was doing them, but it was one of those "I can do this anyway, cause I'm good at this" moments. Crouching and wearing loose leather gloves in the dusk should've made the outcome obvious to me. My wife's clue that something was amiss (bad pun, I know) was my fine choice of words to describe the stupid situation and exquisite pain. I didn't have anything to keep the wound closed. I still need to reassess my first aid kit, but I won't be taking sharp blades on canoe trips for granted ever again.

 

[stripperguy]

My nephew's finger, as modified by my son Josh's hatchet.



Josh keeps that hatchet sharp enough to shave with and it is apparently sharp enough for back woods surgery too!! Nephew barely glanced off of a piece of kindling, and cleanlt sliced through the entire fingertip and halfway through the nail. Three days later when we got home, it looked much, much worse.
A year later and the fingertip is still there, and Josh still shaves with that hatchet...

 

[Mihun09]

We were 45 km into the bush, a two day paddle out. We were camped on a little bitty island, smaller than AG's shop. It was a nice place and our destination. We base camped and planned to fish and explore the new waters. The third day it rained, and rained, and stormed, all day long. One thunderstorm after the next, thunder rumbled for minutes at a time. Lightning crashed all around and a funnel cloud appeared to the west. It was an awesome day.

We fished from our island, we had figured out the pickerel would circle our little rock home and if we cast off the one point we could catch them as they swam by. We fished between storms and kept a couple for dinner. During an evening lull in the storms, Christy set about cleaning them. She had the brand spanking new Normark Fillet knife, was using the bottom of the 18 foot Jenson as a cutting board, held the fish down, brought the knife down to cut... and the fish jumped in her hand.

Knife across the back of her left hand middle finger, across the index finger and around to the front, to the bone. Karin!!! Blood gushing everywhere. She wraps it tight in her shirt and we get her into the tent, lay her down with her hand raised. It is still bleeding too much to even consider looking. She stayed there with her hand raised as she moved towards shock, but stayed coherent and with me. I could only watch. After some time the bleeding slowed and we looked.

Out with the first aid kit, clean it and wrap both fingers tight with what we had. Blood soaked gauze but it stopped bleeding.

The next day we had intended to bug out and get her to a doctor but post storm front had us wind bound. The following day we headed back downstream and she couldn't help much with the paddling and we had whitecaps on the river.

We got back down to Leaf Lake, set up camp and the following day it had healed enough that she decided to stay another day or two. It was 5 more days until she saw her doctor and by then it had healed to the point he couldn't do anything for her. The index finger is slightly twisted now and she has some cool scars.

Moral; Always thump the fish before you start filleting.

~ Now we need to be extra careful since she is on blood thinners. She has a habit of injuring herself most every trip in some way. ~

 

[scoutergriz]

Took a finger off once with a circular saw (they put it back on) but never cut myself seriously in the woods. I keep my tools scary sharp (my friends refuse to use them), I find most nasty cuts come from either dull blades or inattention. I've had to patch up a few people though. I carry steri-strips, forceps, sponges, and surgical staples in my kit and have needed 'em all!
About 5 years ago we heard a lot of yelling from down the lake and someone calling for help; some guy being macho with a discount store hatchet managed to bury it in his calf and they couldn't stop the bleeding.( it was opened right up- 1/2" x3")
Took off down the lake pulled out the kit, swabbed the wound, pulled it closed with the forceps, popped in 4 staples (way less painful than sutures) wrapped it up, and helped them back to the put in (2 lakes and 7 hours away). The rangers drove him to the hospital while another got my info.
A couple of days later, I got a call from his girlfriend; I had done a good enough job that the hospital just rewrapped it and gave him some antibiotics.
A disposable surgical stapler is about $20 with 5 staples (directions are on the back), a pack of surgical sponges (basically thick gauze pads) is about $2, steri strips are about $10 for 6, and 4" forceps are about $5.
Training in how to use them is important though, I strongly suggest anyone going into the bush has a wilderness 1st responder course (or equivalent)

 

[Iskweo]

Wow, it sounds better when you tell it. I have to admit I am rather impressed with myself for not passing out like I usually do. I have learned from this one though. I always have a pickerel pounder handy now to bash their heads in with before I start cutting.
This does bring to mind the issue of blood thinners though. I shall have to be more careful. Which one of these words doesnt fit...blood thinner, vertigo, chainsaw. Sighhh, I am becoming way too princessy.

On a brighter note, I see Canadian Tire now has quick clot bandages in the camping section. That is truly good crap to have when it hits the fan. I will have to get me some.

Christy

 

[oldie moldy]

Well Mike, much as I'd like to join this hemoglobin liberating conversation, I must own that cutting tools haven't been responsible for my serious injures for several years now.
Mainly it's been stupid shop practices, that I absolutely knew were a bad idea at the time. The abyssly stupid, head up you know where, kinds of self inflected wounds were amazingly, recognized well in advance at the time. But I did them anyway.

I believe the only reasonable next step, now that the stitches are out and everything's healed up, is to get one of those tall conical "Dunce" hats and sit myself in the corner of the shop for a day. Perhaps eight hours of reflection will help me listen to that small voice that says: "This is a really bad idea."

Maybe one good thing about these kinds of injuries: they sure teach humility.

D
U
N
C
E
rob

 

[Guest]

Mainly it's been stupid shop practices, that I absolutely knew were a bad idea at the time. The abyssly stupid, head up you know where, kinds of self inflected wounds were amazingly, recognized well in advance at the time. But I did them anyway.

Rob, I hear ya about stupid shop injuries. A couple of days ago I was using the drill press on a piece of flat metal. Just the press, no drill press vice of clamp. Yeah, I can hold this in place by hand. Nah, I don’t need gloves.

The drill bound up in the hole, yanked the piece of metal from my grasp and instantly spun it around catching one finger with a series of slices as I yanked my hand away. Oh bloody heck, I know better. I know better in part because I’ve done similar before. Where’s my shop dunce hat?

Stripperguy, that fingernail photo literally gave me chills. I tore off an entire fingernail years ago and the sight of that injury brought back repressed memories of indescribably pain.

 

[memaquay]

One trip, two incidents on the same hand. First one, canoeing down Steel Lake, beautiful days, the kids want to race. I dig in and my ash paddle shaft snaps right where my hand is holding the shaft. The razor sharp edge of wood cuts right through the webbing between my thumb and index finger and stops somewhere in the meat. The nurse on the trip wrapped it up good. Some difficulty paddling.

Next day, we get into camp late after a very long day. A big thunder storm is rolling in, and I am trying to get a big tarp set up to get a fire under before all heck breaks lose. I had just cut a center pole with the chainsaw, and put it up. I noticed some eye pokers sticking off the pole, and in my haste, grabbed a razor sharp brush axe and started hacking them off, while holding the pole with the other hand. Bad move, as I hacked deep into the thumb of the already injured hand. The nurse made some frightening noises when she looked at it, but then took crazy glue and glued everything back together. My hand was now almost completely wrapped.

However, five days later, everything was mostly healed. Things seem to heal real quick in the bush!

 

[oldie moldy]

Now that some little time has passed, maybe it'll be OK to stick this onto this post. You remember Hoop telling as how where he works the bosses requiring the field guys to have a belt knife of a certain size for a last ditch against bears?

For years I've had a six inch buck knife, the "Special 119" I think I bought it shortly after they came out with it. Now, no way is it in the same class as Rippy's beautiful creations but it is a good work-a-day knife. Maybe just a little too husky for my tastes but if I was thinking bears, just about right.
Except.
It's probably my imagination but when I mentally think about thrusting it in, I can almost see my fingers slipping on that smooth black plastic grip and overriding those stubby cross guards. And feel them sliding onto the sharp.

Given that I don't have it up on some pedestal, and much more a "handsome is as handsome does" kind of thing, I did a little experiment.

I found a little rat-tailed file, about 1/8" dia. and carefully filed several circumferential groves in that black plastic part of the handle. I was careful and it doesn't look all that bad, the groves go down in to about half the diameter of the file or maybe just a little deeper.

I took the knife out to the shop and clamped the blade in the vise to where the sharp was covered, grabbed on to it and I'm here to tell you that there is no way my hand is going onto that blade now!

I often fiddle with something and wish I'd never started but this time I have to call the experiment a success.


That's what I think anyways....

Rob

P.S. You know how when you're working with a largish knife and the work at hand requires some little, fussy, careful cutting? I wrap the lower part of the sharp with my handkerchief to where about 1 or 2 inches on the tip are showing and just use that for the close in work.

 

[memaquay]

Rob, I have the exact same knife, and have often wondered about that slippery handle. I like everything about the knife except for that plastic type stuff. On the other hand, in 2006, a fellow killed a bear single handed with that knife. He said the tangs at the bottom prevented his bloody hands from slipping onto the blade, although he did sustain a couple of cuts.

This thread from myccr has the actual guy telling the story. The bear attacked his dog, so he jumped on the bear's back and stabbed it to death. Probably would have ended quicker if he had Rippy's latest creation, "Stabby".

http://www.myccr.com/phpbbforum/viewtopic.php?f=107&t=17372&start=60

 

[oldie moldy]

Wow! Thanks Rob for the great read. Hmmm........not to be second guessing the guy, but for me, anything that could be done to help me grip the hilt will just be worth it; a fight might be of longer duration, I might be hurt, I might be getting tired, who knows?

The luck was sure on his side to be able to get behind the bear like he did. I don't think there's any question, that was one of those "predatory" bears that are supposed to be so rare. That whole story pretty much sums up the depth of love between man and dog. The man sure seems to be a fine person, didn't feel like he was all that comfortable being the center of attention.

You're sure right! Stabby would have reduced that bear into stew meat chunks quickly! But it would be painful to use something so beautiful on a dang dirty old bear!

Was over on some retail knife sites; just day-dreaming don't need anything, curious mainly, and in the comments section various guy's were talking about how sharp a given knife was or wasn't right out of the box. A few even suggested that when the knife goes dull they were going to send it back to have the manufacturer sharpen it. I have no way of knowing but if they really mean it, that they're not willing or able to sharpen their own knife, but if so they dang well need to learn right now. The description of his knife repeatedly going in to the hilt is all the argument a person ought to need to keep their knife sharp.

Thanks again Mem,

Rob

P.S. would it be ill mannered to point out the difference a shotgun would have made?

 

[memaquay]

Ha ha, you are right Rob about the shotgun, but killing a bear, bare handed so to speak, certainly puts him in the "Man of the Year" category. Rob, your tutorials on axe handles and such have been so instructive and awesome, I wonder if you would ever consider doing one on knife sharpening? I have struggled with knife sharpening for several years, using a variety of platforms, but usually trying to figure it out myself, which is always a mistake.

That bear was very uncharacteristic, as my little 50 pound siberian husky chased off many bears on trips. It was fast as lightening, and would dash in and worry the bear and then dash back out, constantly circling at about 50 miles an hour and dodging in when it saw a chance. Funny thing, my son's girlfriend is from Germany, and she ended up taking that Siberian back to Germany with her, where it became the terror of Germany.

 

[oldie moldy]

Well Mem, If I can ever find my camera (I put it somewhere safe) I could try to show my country bumpkin method, but wouldn't it be bunches better to have Dave show us all how it's properly done? Looking at his work here on the site and you can tell there isn't much he doesn't know. And that shop! So professional looking.
Then I go out into my mucky shop, it looks like an old man's midden; tools everywhere, bits from left over projects, odd gloves that will never match to make a pair. Sawdust and metal filings everywhere and over there is a petrified sandwich left from last (I think) August. And curious things I can't remember what they are or what they came off of.

Nope! Rippy's the man to bring light to our darkness!



But thanks for asking!
Best Wishes, Rob

 

[oldie moldy]

Actually Memaquay, Was over on U-Tube this morning listening to very old Rock N' Roll, checked to see and they have about a gazillion "How to Sharpen a Knife" clips.

My favorite is still Ray Mears (bushcraft & camping) who brings a nice collection of Japanese water stones to sharpen his knife in camp. He makes my kit seem small by comparison.

Rob

 

[memaquay]

Thanks OM, I usually forget about youtube because of our one-hamster-wheel internet, but I'll look the next time I'm at school. You're right, Rippy probably keeps a pretty mean edge on his blades.

 

[ppine]

My Dad gave us knives when we were in about the third grade. He always stressed safety and let us use machetes a little later, but was reluctant to let us use axes. In the Boy Scouts, the Scout Master asked me to always carry the axe. I have watched two kids put axes in their feet. Now on a canoe trip, I hide all the cutting tools if people are drinking. I can think of few cutting edge wounds in my lifetime. My neighbor came home from work, had a few quick beers and went out to feed his horses. He had a razor sharp hand made knife with sheep horn on the handle. It slipped as he was cutting the baling twine on some hay. It left a nasty hole in his thigh. I drove about 90 mph to get him sewn up.

 

[Guest]

A few even suggested that when the knife goes dull they were going to send it back to have the manufacturer sharpen it. I have no way of knowing but if they really mean it, that they're not willing or able to sharpen their own knife, but if so they dang well need to learn right now.

I can put a decent edge on a blade, but having had knives professionally sharpened in the past I’d be tempted to do so again if I found a nearby professional.

I will be sending a knife back for sharpening soon. A Spyderco Salt Rescue sheath knife, with a serrated blade like this:

https://www.spyderco.com/catalog/details.php?product=172

I have profound doubts about my ability to sharpen those kind of serrations and don’t know what is recommended with nitrogen-fixed blades*.

Spyderco offers “You also can return your knife to Spyderco's corporate headquarters for complimentary sharpening for as long as you own it. The costs and responsibility involved in shipping the knife to and from Spyderco are the responsibility of you, the original owner”.

For that blade I’ll pay shipping both ways.

*That H-1 steel is amazing stuff in terms of rust resistance. Or perhaps “rust impossibility”; the salt sheath I own has a decade of tidal and salt water trips on it and not a speck of rust. With nitrogen replacing the carbon I don’t think it can rust.