RE: x acto users beware
 

We were building a trailer at the shop years ago and a drill slipped and plunged staight through my shoe. In the top, out the sole and inbetween two toes without touching a thing! In my horor I pulled the drill out expecting to see blood and guts everywhere. The only thing I saw was my sock, complete, cooiled around the drill bit! And only one small hole in the top of my shoe. Not modeling, but building something and still a true story.
One fortunate guy, and foot!
JEB:D

RE: x acto users beware
 

You know that web between your thumb and forefinger? As a kid I put a number 11 right through that, point sticking out the far side. I still have the scar fifty years later.

In today's litigious society where a hot cup of coffee results in a big verdict you would think Xacto would be trembling in their boots over these types of injuries.

Who knows, maybe the Xacto people have some guys back in the lab working on a new knife that isn't sharp to sadisfy the legal department. ;)

RE: x acto users beware
 

Here's a tip,clamp your x-actos in a vise and put a small bend in the end of 'em. No more rolling off things.

RE: x acto users beware
 

I had a crazy experienence.

I cut my tip of my finger off when cutting along a straight edge cutting monokote. It hurt so much I dropped the knife and it landed on my foot. I had no shoes on stuck straight in. Now my finger was bleeding and so was my foot. I bent over to pull the knife out of my foot and as I came up I smashed my head into a nail coming out from under the workbench. Holy crap, was that a bad day. I got so mad I threw the knife at the wing of a nearby plane and it bounced off the monokoted wing and stuck me in the forehead. Thats was it no more building for that day. I guess the quart of Rum I drank before I started to build may have effected my judgement.

RE: x acto users beware
 

Reminds me about what I did in the early 70s. I was holding a horizontal stab in my left hand and was cutting a hinge slot near the end of the stab (the end nearest my hand). Well, the #11 blade went through the end of the stab and started cutting my left arm from the heel of my hand to 5 inches beyond. The arm popped open like a ripe melon. The wife got all woozy and couldn't take me to the ER. Had a neighbor take me. I missed all veins and tendons by the way. I haven't had an accident since.

RE: x acto users beware
 

May I suggest that a retractable blade scalpel and a retractable craft knife might be safer tools.
I use a Swan Morton Retractaway scalpel which takes No 10A blades and all similar sizes. It has the same rigid blade feel as a normal scalpel but retracts.

RE: x acto users beware
 

thanksguys its doing well no bandage back to work on the corsair! heals fast im surprised. the blade was clean so no infection . i know they would have made a big deal at the er and put a movement limit on it

RE: x acto users beware
 

Im sorry but THAT was funny

RE: x acto users beware
 

Similar thing happened several years ago at work. I am an RN in surgery; we were just starting a procedure and the tech handed the surgeon a scalpel with a #10 blade, and he "fumbled the pass". It fell blade-down, went through his gown, through his scrub pants, and slid down his leg and stuck in the edge of his shoe next to his ankle..........and never cut him. Much better than the moron deserved, BTW.

I don't own an Xacto. I have a #3 long scalpel handle and use #11 surgical blades. They make an Xacto blade look like a butter knife; the point is much finer, the blade is thinner and they cut better and longer before getting dull. So far, I haven't damaged myself with that, but I'm pure hell with a Dremel tool, got gouges and scars on several fingers from using carbide burrs to shape small pieces.

I laughed 'til I cried regarding Electriceddie, so did my wife when I read the post to her.....so did my kids. Shoulda drank Tequila instead of rum:D

RE: x acto users beware
 

Well, I'm glad I have not had (yet) any incident with my x-acto. I always put back the plastic cover immediately after each use. That simple step must have saved me so far.

RE: x acto users beware
 

here is a knife story but of a different nature,we used to get tivek suits at work they are those plastic white contamination looking things with the hoods in them.anyways they have feet in them and we always cut the feet out cause they pick up oil and we use them because of really dirty work.this fella came over one day and asked why we cut the feet out and we told him cause of oil and dirt soaking into them he agreed was a good idea he asked how i cut the feet out i said before i put them on i just use a box cutter.that afternoon i see an ambulance go to the other shop next door,that fella cut the feet out of those things with them on....................needless to say he got 40 stitches in one leg and 23 in the other,he cut straight through the tivek suit and work boots all the way to the bone he later told us he didn't feel a thing i wondered how he cut himself once and didn't feel it and then again.i cant count the time i have cut my fingers with an xacto knife or stuck my fingers with a pin.............duck tape works wonders!!!

RE: x acto users beware
 

When the No. 11 blade jumps over the guide you're using to keep it cutting straight, it still keeps on cutting.
The finger looks perfectly normal now, with most of the feeling back..

RE: x acto users beware
 

Electriceddie, I laughed until I was in tears at your post! That was definetley a BAD day..... But, always funny when it happens to someone else.[sm=lol.gif]

My story goes way back to when I was 5 years old. I was building a Sterling P-40 free flight kit.
The strip stock in the kit was really bad quality. I needed some new 1/16" square stringers.
The only scrap balsa that was long enough was 1/8 In. So, being a 5 year old genius;) I stood the piece vertical and started slicing it in half, to create two pieces of1/16 in. balsa.
Well, after about an inch of slicing, the blade came out the side of the piece and sliced off about a third of my middle finger tip!
I dropped the knife and the balsa and quicky shook my hand. The blood flew everywhere....
When I looked at my finger I was absolutely shocked. I screamed for help and mom came running. She saw the blood everywhere and freaked out.
My dad got home from work at the same time. He looked at my finger and laughed! said "I bet you don't do that again!"
Then he picked up the piece of finger, put it in a bag with ice and he drove me to the ER where they stitched it back on. I still remember the doctor saying "You know, this is the only time you can flip me off without getting in trouble."
Looking at the stitches that night, I couldn't get over how much it looked like ants were crawling out of my finger tip.
I had a few nightmares about the "ants". 27 years of building later, I have not cut myself with an X-acto knife since.
The scar still reminds me to be careful!
Doug

RE: x acto users beware
 

I was using one of those round handled X acto knife's, and went to lay it on the bench and it started to roll off. I went to grab it and jabbed it thru my leg. It cut an artery and I thought I was going to bleed to death before I could get to the ER. The ambulnce driver had to hold pressure on it on the way to the hospital. The stretcher was covered with blood by the time we got there. Mine still got infected and I was taking antibotics.I still have the knife, but I put a zip tie around the handle so it couldn't roll anymore.

RE: x acto users beware
 

I was on a ROLL, after 27 years of building I was cutting some wing sheeting (new #11 X-Acto) with a yardstick for a guide and had my index finger on the wrong side pushing hard and cutting fast, it took half a roll of paper towels, the kicker was my other index finger had just recovered from a nasty APC prop strike, I was running my 50SX, I shut it down added some after run oil and flipped it and it must have turned into a DIESEL[X(] it fired with authority (NO GLOW DRIVER) and wacked my finger big time. A I created a new dance and said a few *&%$#@, at least both finger are matching now.

RE: x acto users beware
 

ouuuuuuuuuuuu...........thats nasty...my fingers hurt now...i'm glad it is getting better though.

RE: x acto users beware
 

There was a product review of the # 11 blade in one of the RC magazines about 15 years ago. It is one of the funniest things I have ever read. It was a satire, written exactly like the usual product review. It was not until the last paragraph or two that the reviewer discovered that the LHS had a handle for the # 11 blade. I'll see if I can find the magazine and give a reference.

RE: x acto users beware
 

Jim, Are you saying that some one handed him a pack of blades and said" write a product review on these" then proceded to write the article singing the praises of the blade and not realising there was a holder for it? Till the end that is?

Robert

RE: x acto users beware
 

finger is well no problems. my students made fun of me though! all the prop marks they wonder what im up too. Principal asked too!

RE: x acto users beware
 

Young whippersnappers!!!
You missed the joy of snapping the Gillette Double Edge Blue Blade in half, and clipping off one end to make it pointy..
And after using it, chewing off the layers of skin the other edge would peel off your cutting fingers.
We only wished for the single edged blades with the protection on the other edge! :(

RE: x acto users beware
 

I guess I am dating myself as well because I too remember using the double edge blades. Un fortunately, we had less money and did not have the "nice, sharp" blue blades except when they were out of the other brand.

I also remember how sore my fingers would be till I figured out that a piece of card stock like the lid of a food container (cereal box or the like) then fold it over the back side of the blade and held with masking tape. This would help keep the blade a little stiffer and I could in return press down harder when the blade was pretty dull.

Also keep in mind that I was only allowed the used blades. Not a real bargain till my grandfather showed me how to sharpen the blades.
Take a 6 oz OJ glass and put water in it and slide the blade back and forth on each side till it was sharp again! Thanks Grandad!

Robert

RE: x acto users beware
 

Tall Paul, you do bring back memories with that one. I remember asking my Dad for a used double edged razor blade and he gave me the one out of his razor. I had taped one edge over and been working on the plane a while and had already swapped edges when Dad came into my room and asked for his blade back. Seems he and Mom were going out and he had given me his last blade. I remember the poor guy bleeding in several places after that shave.[:@]

RE: x acto users beware
 

:Dduh.....didnt you read all them warnings and cautions on the box.....or did you have the box on the spanish side?:D

RE: x acto users beware
 

Sorry about your hand Tim ![sm=cry_smile.gif]
Don't worry, it will feel better when it quits hurt'n.[sm=teeth_smile.gif]

Bassfish

RE: x acto users beware
 

I'm sure he's good to go now as he's had about 3 years for this to heal up. http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/js/f...wink_smile.gif