One stupid mistake...

Roger Tulk

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St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
I was cutting a mortise, something I haven't done very often, and was cleaning up the top of the mortise to give myself lines to cut on, when the chisel slipped and moved violently in the direction I was pushing it. This would have been OK, except that I had stupidly put my left had in front of th chisel, and it made a deep gash in the end joint of my left index finger. I went back to the house immediatey and ran some water on it to see how bad the damage was. It was obvious that I would need stitches, so I called out to my wife, who brought me a towel, helped get the dogs in, and drove me to the hospital.

After waiting the required hour to get into the treatment area and for the death panel to decide I was worth treating ;) I got eight stitches and a dressing, and was advised that it would take a week for the stitches to come out, two weeks to stop hurting and up to seven weeks to be fully healed. The doc says I cut the artery and the nerve to the finger tip, and will probably be numb on one side of my fingertip. Could be worse.

My record is intact still - I have only ever hurt myself on hand tools, never on a power tool. I got blood on the project, but only on the back.:thumb:
 
You will eventually get most of the feeling back in that fingertip though it might take a year or more. The nerve will grow down from the cut end and find its way to the end of the finger. Amazing if you stop to think about it...

If you do get the stitches out in seven days be very careful to avoid aggressively bending that fingertip for a few weeks...hate to have the thing split open.

Good luck.
 
Glad it wasn't more seriious... I recently had my chisels sharpened and knowing how prone I am to getting nicked, I take special precaution any time I grab a chisel for anything.

It's been over a year, but right after I got my woodcut bowl coring device, I cored a large bowl and the first time I put the tool inside to clean up, it slipped and the knuckle of my left hand hit the sharp edge of the bowl... nicked it almost to the bone. I didn't go for stitches, but probably should have... if the weather is just right I get a reminder of the cut... wood will cut you.
 
Heal quickly Roger. It could have been worse. Ive been there myself and it hurts my pride as much as it hurts my hurt. We just have to chalk these up as learning lessons...
 
Glad it wasnt worse! its a dangerous sport we play and the blink of an eye is an understatement as to the speed these things happen.
Ive sprung quite a few leaks during my tenure in this industry. funny how one reaches a point where when it happens, the mind compares it to all those that came before.
 
Bandage off, stitches out!

So this is what it looks like now the bleeding has stopped. I call this my 'clown' finger. Why? Because it feels funny, of course!

Ouch1304.jpg

It doesn't hurt much, but where there's no sense there's no feeling, I've heard. Have a better day!
 
Man, you took quite a slice, didn't you? On the upside, it looks like your chisel was nice and sharp. A clean cut heals better than a ragged one. ;)
 
Yeah, I'll save you the picture of what I did to my left pinky a few years back this Memorial Day. But mine was with a power tool....Drill Press! Right at the last joint on the inside. 7 stitches for me, and the feeling has never returned on that finger. None from that last joint to the tip, and about 1/3 the way around the finger. But it was funny to see the rookie nurse's eyes get the size of grapefruits when the ER Doc opened my hand up and a pulse of blood shot toward the nurse about 6 feet away. (blood didn't get close to her) The ER Doc was a hoot without making her feel bad.
It's a constant reminder to think things through, no matter what the tool. And yes, I had two new DP clamps before the stitches came out. Jim.
 
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