Don’t do that!

Mark Barone

Mark Barone

Well-Known Member
Would appreciate any safety tips. I have learned through experience to clamp down blade while drilling, respirator , eye protection, ya know the basics. Are there any sneaky ones that I need to be aware of.
 
If you get a piece of dust or dirt that irritates your eye DO NOT RUB THEM A knifemakers hands are typically covered in metal shaving and exotic sawdust and lord knows what else and all that can be rubbed directly into your eye from your hands.

Before someone ask about this oddly specific senerio yes I did this and rubbed a piece of carbon steel onto my Cornea and it took them three weeks to get all the rust out
 
DanF said:
Focus on the task directly at hand, don't let your mind wander ahead to the next step.
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This is #1. don't for one second take your concentration off what your doing if running a machine.
my wife knows not to come in my shop if something's running, she'll wait till she hears it turn off.

Another biggie is if you have a blade clamped horizontally in a vice, if you walk away from it for any reason, take it out.
it knows it's alone...and waiting for someone to walk or back into it....then BAM !, it's overo_O
 
For hand sanding blades, clamp the blade to some sort of angle iron or fixture so that the blade tip and cutting edge are within the boundary perimeter of the fixture. This will go a long way towards keeping you from leaning into or running into the tip, or running your fingers up the cutting edge as you sand.
 
I buff sitting down...using the very bottom of the wheel. As I have had neuropathy spread to my fingers this year I have been flinging blades more often. By sitting using the very bottom of the wheel they fling AWAY from me...I should have tried this earlier...
 
Don't get complacent. We all do, and we may have gotten away with a 100 times. It is that 101st that will get you.

Listen to that little voice inside of you, if it is telling you this is a bad idea, it probably is!!

Keep benches and paths in the shop clear!!

Fire safety. Check each time you start up a forge and every time you shut one down. I try to always walk out to the shop 30min. to the hour! There has been many a story about a rag a pile of debris etc., etc.!

Fire extinguishers. You never know when the oil boils over or flames up and/or something catches something on fire. You don't want to be running around like a chicken with his head cut, trying to locate a fire extinguisher!!
 
Justin W. said:
If you get a piece of dust or dirt that irritates your eye DO NOT RUB THEM A knifemakers hands are typically covered in metal shaving and exotic sawdust and lord knows what else and all that can be rubbed directly into your eye from your hands.

Before someone ask about this oddly specific senerio yes I did this and rubbed a piece of carbon steel onto my Cornea and it took them three weeks to get all the rust out
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Pay attention to that. If you have never had your head put into a restraining clamp so the doctor can dye your eye orange and try to get whatever out. Be happy!!!! Its "NOT" fun.
 
springer82 said:
Pay attention to that. If you have never had your head put into a restraining clamp so the doctor can dye your eye orange and try to get whatever out. Be happy!!!! Its "NOT" fun.
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VERY true. And it’s extra fun when they use a spinning drill to polish the rust from the hole in your eye.

“Don’t move...”

“I WON’T!!! BELIEVE ME!”
 
opaul said:
Don’t let your work bench area clutter up. Keep it in order and it’ll help you keep your mind on the task at hand.
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Yeah that's a real good one I try to get mine picked in between blades I believe it makes the work more enjoyable
 
The worst I ever hurt myself making knives was by trying to use a compound miter saw to cut scales. The saw grabbed the block and somehow my fingers holding the block ended up behind the block when the saw slammed the block back into the back fence. My fingers were busted and purple for a good while, but at least they were still attached.

So that’s my tale of wearing the dunce cap.
 
Don’t set your shop on fire. Have a fire extinguisher and take precautions such as cement boards and having an oil quench container that can’t get knocked over at critical quench times.
 
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