E.R. visit due to modeling mishap

[samm1970]

I recieved several stitches this morning after slicing my leg open with an Xacto knife.I was cutting a piece of syrene rod for a roll cage and the rod slipped and the knife rolled off and back, cutting my leg as opposed to the rod.It semed like it happened instantly,I didn't get a drop of blood on the blade,as a matter of fact when I got back, I finished cutting the rod with the same blade...lol

I'm curious to know if anyone else has has a model induced E.R. vist...I'd be interested in hearing about them.The sad part is,thisi s not my 1st model induced set of stitches,sliced my thumb wide open in 1985 with....you guessed it an Xacto knife....

[DRG]

Bad thing about those x-acto blades they will cut whatever gets in the way.

I have been fortunate to this point and have only glued my fingers together.

[dustym]

Late 77 or 78 I had gotten an exacto set for Christmas. I had the red handle with about a 2" blade on it carving a piece of wood in my lap. Sliced through a newer pair of jeans and into my leg. Mom rushed me to the emergency room, but no stitches. I had forgot about that until I read this thread.

[Chuck Most]

Oh, yeah... I've had to have my finger stitched back together after a slip-up with the ol' X-Acto blade. Never fun.

[ffreak]

Oh yeah most definetely. Was cutting open a trunk lid when the xacto knife slipped and cut me deeply between the thumb and index finger. Er visit and stitches ensued. Unfortunately it severed a nerve and I lost feeling in the thumb which required surgery to reattach the nerve. It's taken several years now for that to work but now have some feeling back in the thumb. Was very clumsy there for a while. That was the most expensive model i've ever built when you figure in all the medical bills !!! But I was right back at the workbench !!

[Romell R]

Im just wondering how the blade got to your leg? Were you cutting the rod on top of your leg? Most important did you learn a lesson from this whole experiance. We are like soft butter when the skin comes in contact with an exacto. I have cut my self open many times as a kid but nothing serious enough to warrent a ER visit. I know you probably know this but im gonna state it for the benifit of newer ones to our hobby.

1. Always cut away from your body.

2. Never use alot of pressure to cut, These blades are thin and they will break which can lead to a nasty cut

3. And never ever cut something on your lap, always use a table or work bench.

You were fortunate because there is an artery in your leg that if you would have cut it open you would have bled out in 3 mins. Never cut in your lap!

Edited August 13, 2010 by Aftashox

[JamesW]

I've cut myself MANY times, but I have yet to cut myself open to the point of needing stitches (knock on wood).

[Agent G]

No stitches so far but came real close last week. Not paying attention I let the knife roll off the table.It fell point first and embedded itself in my shoe. I was wearing those heavy rubber crocs, and the blade had enough momentum to push the tip through to where it was just touching my big toe.

Whew

G

[Foxer]

I have, of course, learned the hard way how to use an Xacto .. everyone should print and paste Romell's guidelines over their workbench!

Edited August 13, 2010 by Foxer

[samm1970]

Im just wondering how the blade got to your leg? Were you cutting the rod on top of your leg? Most important did you learn a lesson from this whole experiance. We are like soft butter when the skin comes in contact with an exacto. I have cut my self open many times as a kid but nothing serious enough to warrent a ER visit. I know you probably know this but im gonna state it for the benifit of newer ones to our hobby.

1. Always cut away from your body.

2. Never use alot of pressure to cut, These blades are thin and they will break which can lead to a nasty cut

3. And never ever cut something on your lap, always use a table or work bench.

You were fortunate because there is an artery in your leg that if you would have cut it open you would have bled out in 3 mins. Never cut in your lap!

Romell,

I would never use my leg as work surface.I was at my desk when it happened, I was sitting at my desk,about a foot from it, I like a lil room when working.I had the rod on a piece of double sided tape taped to the desk top.I was"rolling" thru my cut when the rod rolled forward and my left hand holding said knife came back and sliced my leg.I think your probably right.Excess force on the knife blade more than likely contributed to the injury.It was an accident,they happen.I'm generally a very careful person.I hope everybody will think twice and be careful.Not only could you wind up with stitches, it also leaves a really nasty bruise.

Peace,

Sam

[Guest Johnny]

Was using a pin knife to push a wheel back out of a plastic slick. I was working around the edge and working it out little at a time when on one push it came out all at once! Rand the knife blade up through the hand between the thumb and index finger tenting the skin up about 1/2" on the top side of my hand!

I was about 12 years old then and learned not to cut things or force parts apart with a sharp objectwhile holding them in my hand!

Still occasionally get cuts while trimming small parts with an exacto knife! Seems alwas geting small cuts on my thumb from the very back edge next to the handle of the exacto!

[Monty]

My story didn't involve a hospital or doctor visit, but I still remember it clearly. Back in the early '70s, I was using one of these to modify the grille in the GMC Jimmy. Apparently I was pressing too hard because the grille broke and the knife hit the table and ricocheted off it, putting a nasty gash in my thumb.

No one else was home so I cleaned the cut with soap and water and wrapped my thumb in paper towels till it stopped bleeding. Fortunately it healed quickly and without complications. I've been very careful with all hobby blades since then.

Edited August 13, 2010 by Monty

[Dave Ambrose]

I cut myself a few times when I was a kid. Between the cuts and a broken elbow, the Dr. office got to know me pretty well.

I quickly learned to be more careful.

[PeterC(MrMondeo)]

i was cutting out a battery cover on a kit because my nephew wanted it to work , but i had already glued it down , so as i had the chassis in my left hand and an xacto knife with the curved blade in my right hand , i exerted a small amount of force to cut through the glue and then , slip the blade left the chassis and entered my hand at the base of my thumb with a full stabbing motion , it only looked like a paper cut , but when i opend my hand fully it then opend up , i could see the bone , straight to A+E , id severd a nerve and sliced the artery , i now have a zoro scar on my left hand lol

Edited August 13, 2010 by MrMondeo

[Brizio]

I cut myself many many times...

This was the last bad one, during working on the Wild Bee... But a drop of Superglue fix it and I went back to the work.

[Mike Chernecki]

I was working on the Revell Baldwin Motion Camaro when it first came out years ago. I was trimming the hood with an xacto when the hood snapped in half along a swirl mark in the plastic. Blade went through the top joint of my finger, cutting through the joint and tendon. Left the finger tip hanging by the skin. Tip re-attached but it stays bent at the joint with some numbness below fingernail. It was very painful for several weeks.

[jeffb]

my hands look like ive fought off edward siccsorhands.. but the best one was a buddy who opened a tube of superglue with his teeth..needless to say he got a whole tube in his mouth..they had to cut his lip off his teeth..

[ohiochris]

this has happened to me to many times.. the last was abot a month ago i hti 2 finger tip i to the bone and 1 to the nail..i had blood every wear

[Greg Cullinan]

No hobby injuries but at work I shot a 1 1/4" roofing nail into the side of my lower leg. It was on the roof and I had to climb down the ladder with one leg cause I put pressure on leg with nail in it the pain was excruciating. But it didn't hurt stationary.

My coworker pulled it out with needle nose . Was rough coming out due to brass wire nibs that remain on nails from coil. Took a smoke break and went back at it .

Although you shouldn't leave trigger pressed ,this gun had a loose safety that just brushed my pants and shot.

[my name is nobody]

years ago. I took my girlfriend on a trip to the four corners region of the southwest. while driving home, I felt a pain in my left knee.

stopping along the road, I dropped my jeans, and low and behold, a Tick

had decided to try and have dinner.

I decided to just drive home, and have my girlfriend remove it once we had the proper tools.

Once we got home, I got my gear ready.

Since my girlfriend is a Animal Doctor, I thought she could remove the tick.

I handed her my X acto, with a brand new #11 blade.

as I moved to a prone position on the bed,

my girlfriend let out an "OOPS!"

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a fountain of blood.

My blood.

She had dropped the X acto knife.

it went straight down, into my left leg.

and stuck right into the muscle. of course, blood was shooting everywhere.

I couldnt stop laughing. Poor Girl started crying.

I asked her to get the tick out of my knee first,

then get my Aidbag. (I was a Combat Medic for years in the Army.)

Took eight stitches to sew up my leg. And she did a great job sewing me up.

So good a job, I married Her!

I learned a valuable lesson too. Dont hand a woman your X acto knife.

[Jantrix]

I opened up the pad of my thumb from stem to stern with a new # 11 about 20 years ago. The ER was packed so he closed it up with some of those adhesive strips and sent me home. I keep an exta tube of CA for just such emergencies now.

[Tradeshowjoe]

I didn't need a trip to th ER, but I did have to pull my x-acto out of my big toe a couple months back! I was wearing "flip - flops" ("slippahs" in HI.), the knife rolled off the table and right into my toe, just next to the nail, wow it hurt! I really had to reach down and pull it out.

[Agent G]

I didn't need a trip to th ER, but I did have to pull my x-acto out of my big toe a couple months back! I was wearing "flip - flops" ("slippahs" in HI.), the knife rolled off the table and right into my toe, just next to the nail, wow it hurt! I really had to reach down and pull it out.

Hmm sounds familiar, must be due to the geography of the valley.

G

[MikeMc]

I didn't need a trip to th ER, but I did have to pull my x-acto out of my big toe a couple months back! I was wearing "flip - flops" ("slippahs" in HI.), the knife rolled off the table and right into my toe, just next to the nail, wow it hurt! I really had to reach down and pull it out.

Shoes in FL.......

[philo426]

I've had some minor cut from my exacto blades over the years but the cut were more annoying than serious.one time I was cutting some brass tubing with my Dremel and the disc grabbed the edge and shattered.Good thing I wear glasses because the picees of the disc hit my lenses pretty hard!I shudder to think what could have happened to my eyes if I didn't wear glasses!