Burns..

[Ted T]

You guys are hot (pun intended).
Like the "Great Finnr" said; "ya got to earn your burns".
Finnr would know!
But Frosty's experence made my hand want to curl up just reading about it.
This thread just re-enforces the concept of why we need to keep writing posts like this one to remind each other, Over, and Over, and Over again about safety issues!
Be safe!
Old Rusty Ted

[rthibeau]

Haven't had a burn yet I couldn't crawl away from, cried only a couple times. The one that hurt the most was the one that would take the pride right out of ya....reflexes like a cat and caught the flipping hot steel in midair without batting an eye......until the tears rushed out and I dropped tool steel into water followed by my hand..luckily the glove took the brunt of it all, but the episode ruined the whole day....plus the glove, a block of O1, a little skin..and a lot of pride. But I didn't bleed.

[Ferrous Beuler]

:(:(Worst burn? Well the bad ones are the ones we never forget. My "worst" came from a sputter ball while mig welding. Amazing how those little gobs can fly this way and that... This was a really big one, about 1/8th in. dia. or so. I was mig welding on some galvanized roll-up door track when this sputter ball flew at me and blew right through my jeans and skivvies like they weren't even there and well, I learned in a hurry that skin CAN be welded.
One part of me got welded to another part of me, as in third degree welded to another part of me.
Bad, yes, but I really felt bad for the guy next to me on the same job. Sputter balls are EVIL, this guy some how got one inside his boot and couldn't get his boot off... The nasty smell of burning hair X10. Rude.
At least mine was accessable. I had my pants to my knees and was pouring coca cola on the fire before my gloves hit the floor.
The other guy? That boot was not coming off... He rolled, he jumped, he grabbed, he yelped... By the time he got his boot off the fury had run its full course. Me, I got a pair of bad burns where I peeled the parts apart, but he had a really nasty hole in the top of his foot the size of a dime. Ouch! Dan.

[Glenn]

Just by chance, a foot and boot fits nicely into a 5 gallon bucket water.

Bringing a 5 gallon bucket of fresh water to the forge is just one more safety precaution. The effort pays dividends when a flaming appendage is thrust into the "clean" water.

A 5 gallon bucket of water can be moved to a fire, where you would have to go locate a garden hose, locate a spigot, connect the two and etc etc, or find a container (larger than a water glass) to transport water from the slack tub to the fire.

Quick quiz: In the excitement of trying to put out a fire, how many trips with a water glass equals a 5 gallon bucket of water?

[Ecart]

Just by chance, a foot and boot fits nicely into a 5 gallon bucket water.

Bringing a 5 gallon bucket of fresh water to the forge is just one more safety precaution. The effort pays dividends when a flaming appendage is thrust into the "clean" water.

A 5 gallon bucket of water can be moved to a fire, where you would have to go locate a garden hose, locate a spigot, connect the two and etc etc, or find a container (larger than a water glass) to transport water from the slack tub to the fire.

Quick quiz: In the excitement of trying to put out a fire, how many trips with a water glass equals a 5 gallon bucket of water?

Too many! Got a nasty little burn on the palm of my left hand today. I was punching a RR spike that I was turning into a nail header. I was moving from the shelf? (forgot the name at the moment) of my anvil to the pritchel hole when I wrapped my hand around the punch that I was using. As I sat with my hand in the slack tub, I thought to myself, "You're punching a piece of steel that is at an orange almost yellow heat. Why wouldn't the punch be hot!!?" I used it as an opportunity to tell my son that one moment of letting your mind wander will get you hurt.

[skunkriv]

My worst burns have all come from the sun and one from concrete but I have had parts of me steaming or smoking in the shop too.

At a demo one time I heard Walt Scadden tell all that "monkey tools are always hot". He's right! lol

[sdalcher]

"You're punching a piece of steel that is at an orange almost yellow heat. Why wouldn't the punch be hot!!?"

Ecart,

I did the same thing a few days ago, I had misplaced my usual punch which is fairly large and takes a while longer to get "hot" where I hold it. So I made do with a thin punch, drove it a few licks, was interrupted for "a few seconds" ok, really probably a minute you guessed it I grabbed a hold of the punch and promptly flung work and all at my excitement of learning the thermal capacity of my new punch. Needless to say i spent the next few minutes with hand in quench tank, berating myself for being an idiot... :D

[Ecart]

Ya! Sounds familiar.

[Mende]

Has anyone managed to get a burning piece of coal between their toes?. . I did . .:D

[FredlyFX]

I've had a couple of bad burns in my life. The worst one blacksmithing was at my very first live demo. I had set up at a ren fair and had my post vise connected to a large picnic table I built for the purpose of holding it and keeping the public back a bit. I was doing a twist on a piece of 1/4" that just wouldn't go into the vise right so I reached up and grabbed it. Yeowza! It's amazing what red hot steel will do to skin in a split second. I saw the skin smoke before I felt the pain. And, of course, there were 6 or 8 little ones all lined up at the table watching me, so I couldn't let loose with my normal litany of cursing that seems to help in those situations as I sat there with my hand in the slak tub. This happened early on Saterday, and I had to keep going all day Sat and Sunday. Fortunatly I have some very good prescriprion burn creme that I was given by an emergency room doc after a little BBQ incedent years ago.

My worst burn ever though was when I was 7 I slide my hand under the waffle iron as I was bored watching my mom cook breakfast. I just wanted to see how far it would go. Well, once that thing slid up on the back of my hand it didn't want to come off till I had dragged it all the way off the counter. I still have the scar on the back of my hand as a reminder 37 years later.

[KevinD]

I stuck a needle in the blister and it's been oozing all day. :rolleyes:

[Glenn]

I told Whitesmith that if anything ever happens, go Moose ears (10 finders out stretched with your thumbs in your ears), back up, and watch the hot steel fall to the ground. At one of his first public demos, we were set up in a low spot. The Forge was leveled with a flat stone. 2 hours into the demo I went to the bathroom leaving Whitesmith to demo for a couple of minutes. As I returned (still some 50 feet away) the forge moved to the side of the stone, off the stone, and fell over onto the ground. All the folks nearby grabbed fire extinguishers and came running.

Whitesmith put on welding gloves, picked up the forge, put the stone back under the leg, and was shoveling fire off the ground and back into the forge when the good folks arrived. "Thank you but I think I got it under control" as he poured water from a 5 gallon bucket on the remaining fire on the ground, putting it out cold.

Whitesmith was instructed, Moose ears first, put out any stray fire, then take a deep breath and take inventory. If your injured, shut down and get help, but if your ok, fix the problem and get back to work.

This would make most blacksmiths a basket case, but Whitesmith (who was 10 or 11 years old at the time) had safety tools handy, and knew how to use them. He just fixed the problem and was back forging within minutes.

A safety plan works, but only if you must HAVE a safety plan.

[Ten Hammers]

Run a gouge for 8 hours and you will have a few burns. Run it 3-4 days and you will have a collection.

[whitebear]

one of my worst burns was when i was about 25 years old. many years ago. i thought i was going to be "cool" and just go out and make a few gifts for family members at about 11:30 at night...in shorts, a tee shirt...and BAREFOOT!!! about 20 minutes into the night. i was bending a piece of hot iron when a piece of scale fell off right on to toes. burned though so quick i couldn't even move my foot in time. to this day i have so much scar tissue built up on the tops on my toes i can't curl them all the way..
i learned not to make that stupid mistake and i learned it the hard way. i almost lost my little right toe. BECAUSE OF A PIECE OF SCALE!!

Son Daughtry

[the_sandy_creek_forge]

The worst burns I had by far were working as a pro cook. Nothing at all to match as a smith.
Finnr

I've got to agree with Finnr on this one. I worked in a local family-type restaurant all through highschool and split time in college between the restaurant and the college cafeteria. You learn REAL QUICK why shorts are BAD regardless of the air temp in the kitchen, and you also learn real quick why elbow length baking mittens are GOOD. Heck, I've owned welding gloves that weren't as well made as some of those heavy baking mitts
-Aaron @ the SCF

[KevinD]

It cracked open where I poked it with the needle. :D

[jayco]

I got my latest burn punching two holes through a 3/8 in. dia. ring.

I had a hammer in one hand, a little punch in the other.

I should have used my holdfast tool,......but I didn't.

I temporarily forgot that round things seldom want to stay where you put them.

I did the first hole without a problem......but when I struck the punch to start the second hole, the ring went airborne and into my left hand.

Not a bad burn,.........but I'll remember to use the holdfast next time!

[Hillbillysmith]

My worst one from smithing has got to be when I was making a short "sword" (more like a mini machete) I was wearing shorts that day b/c it was in the middle of the summer and the machete slipped out of my tongs, hit the ground, spun, and stuck to the back of my calf. I didn't think to try and grab it with my hands or the tongs. The only thing that I could think of in the split second was to kick it off. Surprisingly, I don't have a scar from it but I had a nice indentation in my leg for 2 months.

Welding on the other hand, I am usually pretty cautious in my lab but the other day, I was doing an overhead fillet joint with GMAW, and I got a hot bead to nestle nice and snugly into the inner-elbow of my shirt. WOW!!!

Now, the WORST burn I have ever gotten in my life has got to be when I was 4 or 5 years old. I was carrying a handful of wood for my father through the house during the winter time (at the time we heated the house with an old kerosene heater). And because of the wood, I couldn't see where I was going, tripped, and fell onto the heater onto my stomach. I burned my stomach open and was bleeding everywhere. My parents had to take me to the hospital on a bed sheet that had blood on it and I had 2 bath towels sopping full of blood when I got to the hospital.

14 years later, I still have a nice remembrance....

[eburgblue]

Worst burn came when I was working in the sawmill. Was tempering a sprocket before installation. Had it all nice and cherry red ready for quenching when a guy came up and started talking to me. Had tongs in one hand but reached down and picked it up with the other. Suddenly realized something was not going to plan.

[Dave Hammer]

I grew up in rural North Dakota. The town had a dump grounds that everyone used at will. Lots of treasures out there. When I was very young, I used to go with my dad. One day, while he was unloading our trailer, I wandered away and found a large pile of white ashes. I thought it would be neat to jump into and scatter them. I was wearing medium height tennis shoes. I jumped. The coals were still hot. I had never (before) seen my dad run so fast. I got out of the coals, they they were burning through the shoe laces and tounge of my shoes. He cut the rest of the laces, unhooked the trailer and raced me to a doctor. I still have scars on my ankles, and that was about 55years ago.

Blacksmithing injuries? Probably about the same as most of you. Sometimes we all forget things are hot.

[Ted T]

Blacksmithing injuries? Probably about the same as most of you. Sometimes we all forget things are hot.

Diddo.......
I believe most of us are about the same. Except for me at this time in my life. I forget more often than most..... Oh, :confused:I just about forgot what were were talking about.
Be safe!
Old Rusty Ted

[Ian]

This ones about three days old now. Had a bit of 40mm by 8mm flatbar in the vice and was reaching for the calipers to measure for the next chisel mark. Just brushed the steel with the inside of my knuckle. Puff of smoke, thought it had just seared, but it blistered up and bled. Bending the finger is... interesting but seeing as I've 30 four foot lengths of this flatbar to press every 4 inches I'm just getting on with it. :)

[skunkriv]

. o O(wonder who he was flippin the bird at when he snapped that pic)

Bad place for that little nasty on your knuckle. For relief occasionally use finger to stir your beer. I would suggest COLD beer but whatever Happy healing Ian.

[matt87]

...I'm just getting on with it.

Of course you are mate, you're British! Hope you heal up soon.

[gerald]

Vinegar seems to work well in taking the pain out of burns. Keep a bottle in the shop. Pour it on immediately after the burn, then soak a paper towel in it to lay over the burn during work breaks.