Have you ever had that uneasy feeling.....

[Ace-Garageguy]

maybe it's time parents took over the job of teaching their children things? the ones that know, that is.

Excellent advice, but the current breeding generation is, for the most part, clueless too.

Edited July 30, 2014 by Ace-Garageguy

[Ace-Garageguy]

For the ones who DO know how to do something, as southpier says, this is spot on advice...

Just tell your kid, hey, if you mess around with this stuff, you're going to get hurt. And if you do get hurt, do yadda yadda and yadda yadda. Just let them know, this can hurt you if you don't respect it. And if they can't handle it, give them the sprue cutters and a file. And then try again later.

I remember vividly cutting myself to the bone on several occasions, but I learned, finally, how to do it safely...most of the time. I routinely get minor injuries working on the big cars, and very occasionally on the little ones too...still.

[southpier]

there's a hot topic on another forum about changing tires .... anyone dare initiate one for "jump starting a dead battery"???

[Joe Handley]

there's a hot topic on another forum about changing tires .... anyone dare initiate one for "jump starting a dead battery"???

How is that a "hot topic".......or should I be afraid to ask?!

[Helix]

Teach a little one?

I still cut myself with my X-acto every so often!

X2!

Had a near miss the other night when the X-acto rolled off the bench and landed between my feet !

[clovis]

My two cents:

At the age of 7?

An X-acto is not like a pocket knife. Most of the cheap pocket knives of today won't cut hot butter. An X-acto is more like a surgical cutting knife.

I was an avid model builder as a kid. My cousin, who never built models, decided he knew more than I did, and proceeded to nearly cut his ring finger off, even while I was telling him "Don't do that!!! Don't cut it that way!!" He was 13 at the time.

Two surgeries later, is finger healed up just fine.

That hospital bill was over $10,000 after insurance, back in 1983.

Did you read that??? The hospital bill was over $10,000, after insurance, back in 1983.

There are too many ways to accomplish what you need to do with an X-acto knife, without having to use an X-acto knife.

I do not allow my 13 year old daughter to use an X-acto knife, which is fine with me. I want her to have full use of her fingers for the rest of her days. I do not have $10,000 to spend on surgeries. I do not want her to have that much pain.

When her models need the use of an X-acto, I let her tell me, and then I pick up the tool and follow her instruction. Otherwise, she uses clippers, scissors, sandpaper and files.

[southpier]

maybe her future husband will know how to cook.

[Ace-Garageguy]

maybe her future husband will know how to cook.

:lol: Maybe, but you can bet he won't know how to drive a stick, change a tire, charge a battery, run a chainsaw, change oil or do laundry.

[DynoMight]

:lol: Maybe, but you can bet he won't know how to drive a stick, change a tire, charge a battery, run a chainsaw, change oil or do laundry.

"what is this 'change tire' thing? Oh well, I'll just go make a sandwich or something"

[uncle potts]

My two cents:

At the age of 7?

An X-acto is not like a pocket knife. Most of the cheap pocket knives of today won't cut hot butter. An X-acto is more like a surgical cutting knife.

I was an avid model builder as a kid. My cousin, who never built models, decided he knew more than I did, and proceeded to nearly cut his ring finger off, even while I was telling him "Don't do that!!! Don't cut it that way!!" He was 13 at the time.

Two surgeries later, is finger healed up just fine.

That hospital bill was over $10,000 after insurance, back in 1983.

Did you read that??? The hospital bill was over $10,000, after insurance, back in 1983.

There are too many ways to accomplish what you need to do with an X-acto knife, without having to use an X-acto knife.

I do not allow my 13 year old daughter to use an X-acto knife, which is fine with me. I want her to have full use of her fingers for the rest of her days. I do not have $10,000 to spend on surgeries. I do not want her to have that much pain.

When her models need the use of an X-acto, I let her tell me, and then I pick up the tool and follow her instruction. Otherwise, she uses clippers, scissors, sandpaper and files.

Jeff,

Thus the reason he doesn't pick up the tool without my supervision. This child also has very protective parents, that are comfortable with me teaching my grandson how to use the x-acto knife as long as he is supervised and is taught the proper way to use this tool, or any tool.

This is the way I taught my kids, and they've never cut a finger off. They have to learn sometime. Every kid is different, and you can't protect them from the world forever. They need to learn these things, and I'd rather they didn't learn on their own, that usually ends up with the kid learning the lesson the hard way.

Edited July 31, 2014 by uncle potts

[tubbs]

always cut AWAY from yourself too. hurts like the dickens stabbing yourself in the chest. and it's not just X-acto blades. ever hold a chassis in your hands while aggressively cutting the back-half off and you end up sawing half way thru the palm of your hand.

Edited July 31, 2014 by tubbs

[Joe Handley]

always cut AWAY from yourself too. hurts like the dickens stabbing yourself in the chest. and it's not just X-acto blades. ever hold a chassis in your hands while aggressively cutting the back-half off and you end up sawing half way thru the palm of your hand.

Palm of hand, no, into tips of fingers............yes.

Don't get me started on soldering either, I tend to hold pens and pencils near the tip with my left hand. Let me tell you, it's difficult to bowl even 24hrs after trying to hold a very hot 25 wattt soldering iron like that..........didn't know my bowling ability could get any worse until then either

Edited July 31, 2014 by Joe Handley

[dartman]

Good thing they moved the aorta out of the thumb years ago...

Aorta not cut yourself with the x-acto knife......

[Art Anderson]

I got my first pocketknife for Christmas when I was 8, and along with it, LONG lessons from Dad on the proper sharpening AND handling & using that knife. Back in the 50's, nearly every boy, by 3rd or 4th grade had a pocketknife in their jeans pocket at all times (unless confiscated by a parent due to some transgression), and yes, pretty much every one of us drew some of our own blood with them.

That small pocketknife was my only modeling knife until I was about a senior in HS, when I sprang for my first Xacto--Mom had a fit, then ORDERED me to NEVER let my then year-old nephew even see it (and I did not, until he was about 9 or 10).

Some things are only leanred by doing, with all the risks involved, I guess.

Art

[unclescott58]

I got my first pocketknife for Christmas when I was 8, and along with it, LONG lessons from Dad on the proper sharpening AND handling & using that knife. Back in the 50's, nearly every boy, by 3rd or 4th grade had a pocketknife in their jeans pocket at all times (unless confiscated by a parent due to some transgression), and yes, pretty much every one of us drew some of our own blood with them.

That small pocketknife was my only modeling knife until I was about a senior in HS, when I sprang for my first Xacto--Mom had a fit, then ORDERED me to NEVER let my then year-old nephew even see it (and I did not, until he was about 9 or 10).

Some things are only leanred by doing, with all the risks involved, I guess.

Art

One of the things from the 50's and 60's which I wish were still true today. Knives are now days are looked evil things, rather than the useful tools they really are. And we need more fathers like your's Art, and mine, who take the time to teach their kids how to be responsible with all tools. Including knifes and guns. The three kids I raised all learned how to handle guns before they were age 12. And, by the way, I'm not an NRA member and don't own any real guns. But, a buddy of mine owns several guns, I felt the kids should learn the truth about so called "dangers" in life. This included the truth about, drinking, drugs, and sex. I don't drink (35 year sober as of 7/23), don't use drugs, and don't encourage promiscuous sex. (But I'm not a prude either. I know kids may experiment.) Kids need responsible adults to help teach them what is right and what is wrong. And use common sense.

Scott