ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area Sharp Knife permit??

I have two nice scars from the exact same scenario! I bet there are alot more that have experienced this also.

I agree TrainWire,
The only good knife is a razor-sharp one.
The majority of knife accidents I've seen and heard about, are the result of people having a blunt knife.
It takes a lot more force to cut with a blunt (or incorrectly sharpened) knife, than it does with a sharp one, and the chances of the knife slipping while applying forces like that are a lot better.
I keep a diamond steel in my Faults truck and I sharpen my pocket knife (that is with me 24/7) and cable stripping knives if it seems like they might be getting blunt at all.
I learned from an early age how to care for and sharpen knives, worst thing you can do to it is put a feather edge on the leading edge of the blade.
Only honing the blade on a stone will remove a fault like that.

{Message edited for typo's}

[This message has been edited by Trumpy (edited 01-19-2007).]

I agree there's something to that. The one accident I've had with a razor knife was from forcing a dull blade. It slipped and went into the thumb of my opposit hand, cutting through to the bone.

Now, if the blade hadn't been dull, maybe it wouldn't have been forced and slipped. Conversely, if it'd been brand-new sharp I probably would've been having my thumb re-attached....

A funny anecdote: I'm currently working in some pharmaceutical laboratories. Every other person in there is a double-PhD, and yet, they feel compelled to label every razor knife: "Danger: Blade may be sharp!"

-John

Nowhere does it say "You need an alphabet of letters after your name to have common sense". A Degree sometimes means your parents had a lot of money and you just used it and spent a lot of time in school.

I have stabbed myself in the chest many times stripping so cord

An interesting note on the spring-retracting blade: the retraction provides all the force you need to turn it into a toothless saw blade. Accidently put a finger under the blade as it slides back and it likely will cut rather nicely, especially if it has a couple burrs on it.

I should start carrying my "Totin' chip" from Boy Scouts and show THAT if someone asks for a sharp knife permit

I think one of the worst things is that you can work in a restaurant here in PA at 14 or 15 years old and work the deep fryer, but you can't touch a knife until you're 18. If I had to choose, I'd rather cut my finger off with a clean cut than burn it so bad that it has no use. At least a cleanly chopped finger can be reattached.

Hendrix, maybe you need a knife permit....
"I have stabbed myself in the chest many times stripping so cord"

Always cut away from you....

As for gashing the finger after cutting pipe, I have done that so many times that there is a build up of callused scar tissue there! But in the last few years I have gotten so lazy that I break out the bansaw for every thing - even a few cuts on 1/2 emt.

There was a badly-translated warning label on the handle of a knife: "Keep Out Of Children."

posted on jengrish.com a few years ago, might still have it up.

Some of us do need a reminder ya know. :P