Mama told me don’t play with sharp objects

I’ve been down much of the week with a bad sinus infection. I was going cabin crazy yesterday so I got back into the taxidermy studio. I had a couple of small bucks to do European mounts on so I broke out a brand new German bird-beak knife to do the trick.

I had a client sitting nearby talking to me as I took the tissue off the skulls. Suddenly I made a mis-cut and hit the side of my thumb with the side of the blade. It left a tiny cut that barely bled. We both laughed about how lucky I was. Not one minute later I made the exact same mistake but this time it wasn’t the side of the blade. Instantly we both knew I had screwed up royally. One look at the cut showed it was to the bone deep.

I went to the sink, grabbed the Dawn dish detergent, and scrubbed both the deer and my blood off the best I could. We then wrapped it up so I could drive to the local ER.
The doctors there said I was extremely lucky it wasn’t an inch lower into the ball of my thumb.

5 stitches and a tetanus shot later and my day was over. We talked about taxidermy the whole time the Dr sewed me up while a Med student watched. The Dr did a great job of sewing with a stitch different from what I would use to sew up a critter.

I’ve warned folks dozens of times how dangerous the bird-beak knives are. I now will have the scar to prove it. Attachment 282870

BTW, Rickie and I will be on the Ohio River Friday, sauger fishing with Justin, a member here. A latex glove over the bandage on the thumb should do the trick. I just hope I don't end up with a similar cut from a gill plate on a sauger.


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Ouch! Glad it won't slow your fishing down. Momma was right:yikes

Geez Doug glad it wasn't worse....let Rickie land and handle your fish for you Friday ;)

Ugh! Sorry for you, I have been there.

Ouch! Did something similar with a wood chisel. Scar is gone now, but the lesson remains. Post up a fishing report.


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I hate when anyone uses the term "bone deep" when describing accidentally cutting themselves. ROUCH!!!!!!!! It made me wince, cause that's never ever happened to me! NOT! I'm looking at my hands right now counting the times! lol

Glad you're OK. Heal well my friend.

And show us a pic of that Bird-Beak. Dono what you're talking about. I guess I could google it...

Ouch!!! I would like to see the knife also, never heard of them.

Amazing how quickly it happens...
Hope you heal up quickly! (OUCH!)

The top knife is brand new. The lower has been used for quite a while. The magic and danger of a bird-beak knife is the cutting edge is on the INSIDE of the turn instead of outside. My main use is cutting capes off of skulls by prying under the skin, back edge of the blade on the skull. It allows me to get up under antler pedicals without tearing up the skin. Attachment 282878


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I still see some of your finner on that one! Lol


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Glad it was not any worse. Hope you load the the boat up

That hurt all the way down to the pumphouse.

I didnt feel a thing

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Originally Posted by G";3528747]I didnt feel a thing

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you have no sympathy at all :Rofl

Just remember a dull knife will cut you quick, a sharp knife will cut you deep. You earned bragging rights with 5 stitches.

ouch!

Ouch...You should have paid more attention to momma.Now go catch some sauger.

DUDE. You relegated yourself to official NETMAN for the sauger trip.

Ouch!:yikes May be time for you to invest in some Kevlar cut resistant gloves. Or at least one on that left hand from now on. I have a left hand Kevlar glove that came with a fillet knife that I sometime use when filleting fish. After seeing that I may start using it more myself. Be careful and don't let it get infective while doing that taxidermy work.:twocents

Bad deal, hope it heels quickly!

I almost had a similar occurrence doing the same thing, I use surgical scalpels and still to this day don't know how I didn't end up with stitches!!
Glad you posted a pic of the knifes as I had no idea what you were talking about.
Now i keep a pair of pliers in my left hand to pull the hide with.

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Originally Posted by ShowmeCrappie

Bad deal, hope it heels quickly!

I almost had a similar occurrence doing the same thing, I use surgical scalpels and still to this day don't know how I didn't end up with stitches!!
Glad you posted a pic of the knifes as I had no idea what you were talking about.
Now i keep a pair of pliers in my left hand to pull the hide with.

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I’ve had dozens of scalpel cuts as well as a bad cut on my face that I’ve glued up with Super Glue.
The cut on my face was when a hide stretcher slipped and hit me on either side of my nose. It hit me so hard it blacked both eyes. I went to the World Championship with black eyes. The cut healed with no scar.


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I went to a Worlds Championship one time and came back with 2 black eyes. No scars. Common ground here Doug.

That's going to be sore for a while. Take care.

Glad it's no worse that it is. A have a few scars from my razor knife when I laid rug, they didn't play either! Get well soon and good luck fishin, pics when you can.

Ever hear of Nexcare waterproof bandages? Best I have ever found for the odd places we tend to cut ourselves. Check walmart and check what sizes are in the box. They are all I have in the house for a few years now.

That one will be sore in the morning! Nothing a fishin trip won't cure! Hate it happened but hope it heals quick mr. Doug!


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Hope it heels well and quick. Let us know about the sauger trip. I am interested in trying that down here near pickwick. I have a couple locals that are going to show me the ropes.

I do some flintknapping (make stone arrowheads & spear points) and have driven more than a few scalpel-sharp flakes of rock into my hands. Super glue and Nexcare bandages are definitely your friends.

I'm thinking healing thoughts. Here's hoping that the sauger are biting.

Good luck & have fun.

Jim

Just FYI.
I saw you got a tetanus shot. My Doctor gave me one when I cut myself also. What I didn't know until he explained it was the shot was for next time I cut myself. He said it takes a few weeks for the shot to immunize your body, so if conditions are right for you to get tetanus then the vaccine won't help in this incident.
I'm sure this didn't cheer you up, but thought I'd pass it on.

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Originally Posted by mrdux

I’ve had dozens of scalpel cuts as well as a bad cut on my face that I’ve glued up with Super Glue.
The cut on my face was when a hide stretcher slipped and hit me on either side of my nose. It hit me so hard it blacked both eyes. I went to the World Championship with black eyes. The cut healed with no scar.


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my scar from open heart surgery is almost invisible for the same reason, SUPER GLUE

I do a few skulls every year myself brother and to be sure it’s a delicate pay close attention thing , fingers are always so very close to the knife and the cuts are at a zillion odd angles . I cut myself pretty nicely on top of my thumb one time on a different project trying to converse while cutting with a razor knife .
The good news is you didn’t get a tendon , thumbs are kinda needed some of the time...
And in the end OUCH ....
looks like the doc has done some knitting to me as well ....
Glad your ok

I think you and my 2 year old Grandson have something in common, he got 5 stitches.

Attachment 283159




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Man that looks bad for a 2 year old. How did it happen?

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Originally Posted by Just Steve

I think you and my 2 year old Grandson have something in common, he got 5 stitches.

Attachment 283159




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Big cut for a little guy. Put it where it didn't belong?

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Originally Posted by mrdux

Big cut for a little guy. Put it where it didn't belong?

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It's been a mystery to try to figure out how it happened, there are no sharp objects......best uneducated guess is, he was climbing up one of those little plastic chairs little kids have, and slipped out of it while he had his hand between the door and the door stop that goes into his bedroom. Chair was on it's side next to the door and the door stop is kinda sharp on the edge. No one was in the room to see it as he had already been put to bed.