# cut fingers



## Karda (Nov 19, 2016)

hi, I am sure you have all been in this situation, you cut your finger and it is bleeding right along and you need to keep pressure on it so both hand are busy one cut and the other holding it. How do you open a Band-Aid and apply it without getting blood all over. This is a serious question thanks


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## CWWoodworking (Nov 28, 2017)

packing tape. forget pressure. you have extra blood(to an extent). Packing tape sticks to almost anything.


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## SMP (Aug 29, 2018)

i usually just grab a paper towel or two and some duct tape and wrap that on to keep pressure until the bleeding stops, then its easier to put on a proper bandage


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## MadMark (Jun 3, 2014)

Stick it in your mouth and let your free hand get it. Apply pressure with tongue. Mouth/tongue are fastest healing area of the body (all the slow healers starved out). Saliva helps heal and mouth recycles blood helping prevent significant blood loss. Keeping blood out of sight reduces panic for all concerned. Is logic of red washcloth to hide leaks from kids. Pack any missing pieces on ice. Shop bandage is paper towel and electrical tape. Worse? Call 911!


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## Karda (Nov 19, 2016)

thanks for the suggestions


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## HokieKen (Apr 14, 2015)

> Stick it in your mouth and let your free hand get it. Apply pressure with tongue. Mouth/tongue are fastest healing area of the body (all the slow healers starved out). Saliva helps heal and mouth recycles blood helping prevent significant blood loss. Keeping blood out of sight reduces panic for all concerned. Is logic of red washcloth to hide leaks from kids. Pack any missing pieces on ice.* Shop bandage is paper towel and electrical tape*. Worse? Call 911!
> 
> - Madmark2


That's my go-to right there. I wrap the offended digit with a towel to stop the blood from getting on everything while I cut another towel down to the size I need and get the electrical tape out. Then swap towels and tape it on. Electrical tape is very elastic and can put good pressure on the cut. In fact, sometimes I put it on too tight and cut off circulation…


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## northwoodsman (Feb 22, 2008)

I hate the new packaging on Band-Aid's®. You are exactly on point. How the heck do you open the damn thing when you really need to? I'm on blood thinners these days so I keep a trauma kit in my shop that has everything I need to stop bleeding. I always think twice before I use anything sharp. It's sad that it has come to this but I always stop and think "Is my mind up to this right now or should I wait until later or tomorrow?". I tire easy and that's when I have bad judgement. Tomorrow is a new day.


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## controlfreak (Jun 29, 2019)

On a similar note I have a Google speaker in my shop. Not only can it play music but also serve as an intercom to the house. Most importantly I can use it to call for help with a verbal command if I am trying to keep from bleeding out. If it is like anything else with Google "hey Google, I am bleeding call for help" "Okay here are some blood donation centers that are near you…."


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## SMP (Aug 29, 2018)

> On a similar note I have a Google speaker in my shop. Not only can it play music but also serve as an intercom to the house. Most importantly I can use it to call for help with a verbal command if I am trying to keep from bleeding out. If it is like anything else with Google "hey Google, I am bleeding call for help" "Okay here are some blood donation centers that are near you…."
> 
> - controlfreak


Then your ads will all be for blood drives and your netflix will suggest Vampire Diaries


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## bigJohninvegas (May 25, 2014)

So my med kit close to my shop sink. So keeping direct pressure for 5 minutes or so tends to slow bleeding enough to work with band aids. And if that's not enough letting it bleed at the sink while I deal with it is typical. 
Earlier this year I did a good enough job on my self that I needed 3 sutures. Ah ******************** moment there. 
Direct pressure controlled it. Wife had to drive me to the ER.


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## Axis39 (Jul 3, 2019)

"Honeeeeeeeeeey!'

Followed soon thereafter with, 'Dammit, help me put this stupid bandaid on'.

No, seriously. If I can't get it with one hand, that's the way it goes. Luckily, we both work from home these days.

But, a lot of the time, it gets paper towels and electric tape until I can get to a stopping point,. or to the first aid kit. I keep a simple first aid kit with bandaids, gauze patches and medical tape (usually some antibiotic goo, too) in my work shop and one in my truck (I still do a little bit of work onsite).

One thing that's always in there is the stretchy medical tape that sticks to itself, the gauzy, crinkly stuff. It's like electric tape, only harder to cut off the circulation! LOL


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## Nubsnstubs (Aug 30, 2013)

So, Mike, how bad is the cut???? ............... Jerry (in Tucson)


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## Unknowncraftsman (Jun 23, 2013)

I used to attend a group of wood carvers. We had black pepper and bandaids available for any cuts.
The pepper stop the bleeding fast.


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## bigJohninvegas (May 25, 2014)

> "Honeeeeeeeeeey!
> 
> Followed soon thereafter with, Dammit, help me put this stupid bandaid on .
> 
> ...


Yep, that sort of sums it up for.me too. 
I love that crinkly medical tape. I should have mentioned that too. A bad cut that bandaids still handle may get a simple wrap with that tape too. 
Also carvers around here will use that tape on there fingers to prevent cuts all together. 
Pretty amazing stuff.

And as Jerry asked, you cubby I yourself bad?


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## Berto (Apr 27, 2014)

If you're interested, here's an article on using super glue on cuts.

I've found this to be highly efficient at stopping the bleeding on "most" *small* cuts = not requiring sutures.


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## Karda (Nov 19, 2016)

thanks for your suggestions they are helpful, I have electrical tape and the first aid tape as well. I didn't think of super but would not have done it, this cut was deep, not bad just bleed alot, My big concern is getting blood all over. I'll look into the surgical glue. When i was working in a hardware store in the early 80s a prominent cardiac surgeon came into the store to buy super glue for a specific heart operation. This was one of those nobody knew but everybody knew


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## therealSteveN (Oct 29, 2016)

I kinda use my mouth, but seeing as it's chock full of bacteria, I don't stick a wound into it. I use my teeth to rip open a paper lunch bag I keep in the shop with a very clean, dry white towel. I get it over the wound with my uncut hand, clamp down hard pressure and elevate the wounded party above the level of my heart. As soon as I can I also add ice.

3 things to stop bleeding, elevation of the cut part over heart level, firm constant pressure to the wound, and cold decreases blood flow. NO PEEKING, it's not gonna quit bleeding in 30 seconds.

Further medical help as needed. DO NOT drive yourself. Can't tell you how many wreck victims brought in saying I was trying to get here because my hand was cut. Literally hundreds of different reasons why it didn't work out, but usually not loss of consciousness, unless they got the vapors, and just passed out because they wigged out.

If you didn't plan ahead, the best thing is to make a tight fist around the cut part, and hold it up in the air, until you can get to a clean dry towel. Or use another finger, or thumb to push pressure against the wound. Hold tight.


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## Karda (Nov 19, 2016)

thats good advice but I don't drive and thankfully my wife is not afraid of blood and neither am I but my wife almost lost in the emergency room one time when i was watching the doc stitch me up


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## splintergroup (Jan 20, 2015)

Or as Josey Wales says in the movie, "Just sing out and someone will slap a hot iron on it"

I've never had a go-to-the-hospital cut while working in the shop, but plenty of chisel slices, etc. 
I'd just wrap a (clean) paper towel around the finger to contain any bleeding (blood will cause rust on your iron tools!)
and then venture over to the bandaid box. Many brands seem to be better on opening one handed (w/teeth). I believe it is Curaid that seems to open with the adhesive exposed, ready to apply.


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## MadMark (Jun 3, 2014)

Just out of curiosity, how did you do it? Sounds like this happened before too, what happened then? Please?

In the motorcycle club if you wrecked you got a silver skull with a red glass bead to wear on your vest. Go down again, another red bead. No-one wants to ride next to the guy with three or four beads.

Years ago when I was apprenticing the old man told me to never work alongside a worker with electrical tape on their saw cord.


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## John Smith_inFL (Dec 15, 2017)

I've probably used more blue painters tape on cuts than masking off things to paint.
(yeah, I use very little tape when painting - - - and yeah, I cut myself a lot).


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## Woodmaster1 (Apr 26, 2011)

I have used paper towel and painters tape. Then I drove to the ER where the ER doctor said he wasn't quite sure what to do. I got my thumb to close to the disc sander.theyhad surgeon take care of it. The accident happened 38 years ago.


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## Karda (Nov 19, 2016)

this is what happened, I cut out a handle on the bandsaw the handle resembled a plane tote. when I was carving the base I was cutting towards the tote. I hadn't smoothed the cut edges yet When I was cutting towards the tote my hand slipped and my finger hit the tote. I was cut on the sharp edge of wood. Yes I get cut a lot but not as much as in the past.


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## bondogaposis (Dec 18, 2011)

I just use a piece of blue tape.


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## Woodnmetal (Jul 24, 2021)

Happy to hear it wasn't too bad of a cut.
I usually scream for my wife before I take a look these days haha.
I just tell her, here, what's it look like… I hope I took it clean off cuz I don't want a mess.

This led to my wife getting me this cooler kind deal below…


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## LittleBlackDuck (Feb 26, 2016)

Wrap all your fingers in band-aids… so when you cut one, it will already be wrapped and you can continue working without missing a beat.
Just don't cut your toes as the fingers may be too tied up with the band-aids to put one on your toe.

The don't call this duck a *quack* for nothing!


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## defrosted (Jun 19, 2021)

I was coming on here to get advice for selling a number 6 type 6. I am tired of my oddball plane that breaks the righty tighty-lefty loosey law. felt underneath to make sure cutting edge was retracted only to find i had advanced it… again. only enough for 3 or 4 drops of blood and the fresh honing does not make a stinger like a paper cut. had to look at it to see why finger felt damp.


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## Karda (Nov 19, 2016)

Duck that is some very good advice, I do however have a question. What do you do when the cut bleeds through the band aid


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## LittleBlackDuck (Feb 26, 2016)

> Duck that is some very good advice, I do however have a question. What do you do when the cut bleeds through the band aid
> 
> - Karda


Now that is a good question *Karda*... a very good question… good question… hmmm…. (just stalling for time)...

Oh yeah… as I memtioned, I'm a *quack* and not a *nurse*.

Late thought… maybe use softer metal for all your cutting blades.


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## kelvancra (May 4, 2010)

I was going to go with AJ's recommendation. Many keep cayenne in their med kits for real emergencies. It stops bleeding and is antibacterial (do your utmost best not to touch your eyes during treatment  ). It worked on upon on Ruby Ridge.


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## Karda (Nov 19, 2016)

what happened on ruby ridge


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## kelvancra (May 4, 2010)

Someone was shot following the solicitation of a crime by agents and the cayenne stopped the bleeding.


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## Karda (Nov 19, 2016)

ok Ive heard it mentioned any time but never what happed there other than it was an FBI screw up. I'll put some pepper in my first aid kit thanks for the tip


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## MrUnix (May 18, 2012)

Just an FYI:




  




Will Cayenne Pepper Stop Serious Bleeding?

Read the article, decide for yourself. YMMV, but it seems to me like any powder crammed in a wound would help stop the bleeding… some better than others. In the past, I've found that even dirt/mud will do the trick when nothing else is around. Fortunately, there are some specific products for the purpose, and sold over the counter and online all over the place. If you have a pet and clip their nails (or wings) yourself, then you probably have some 'quick-stop' or similar powder already.

Cheers,
Brad


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## kelvancra (May 4, 2010)

Snopes is the last place I'd look to for verification of anything. It's a couple with a very seedy history.

I put them right up their with others who mock those who look to vitamins and herbs, even as things like Digadoxen take advantage of foxglove, Valium is fashioned after varalarium, and so on. Add to the foregoing the doctors who prescribe prenatal vitamins, the inclusion of iodine in salt, altering food stuffs to combat scurvy and rickets. . . .


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## Ocelot (Mar 6, 2011)

huh?


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## Karda (Nov 19, 2016)

ok taken with a grain of pepper, I mean salt


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## Woodnmetal (Jul 24, 2021)

Ocelot, huh… lol,
----------------
Karda, I do however have a question. What do you do when the cut bleeds through the band aid?
---------------
I think the answer of the day would be…,,,

Find a shop guard pet in any size, color and flavor of choice. Buy cheap chinesium nail clippers and some quick stop… that would = minimal time lost , but the big plus is… you just saved on Band-Aids/major clean-ups.

Just muzzle em' until you both get well acquainted.

Problem solved ?

Gary


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## Karda (Nov 19, 2016)

yea i can do that


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## Woodnmetal (Jul 24, 2021)

I would just stay away from the porcupine mixed hedgehog pets. They will keep poking at it until it starts bleeding again, even if you clip the nails.


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## JCamp (Nov 22, 2016)

A small piece of paper towel or rag and electrical tape. The electrical tape is my go to cause it has nice stretch and will keep a good compression on the area


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## kelvancra (May 4, 2010)

Much of what SNOPES couple claim has been shown to be pure BS. They are all about being way left, full on system parrots.

The point of the mention of the herbs and things is, there are many idiots out there, including doctors, who nay say herbs and vitamins, even as they prescribe patent things that did or will be recalled because of the injuries and deaths they cause.

As just one example, my daughter had what is called geographical tongue. According to the medical professionals, there really was no treatment for it, other than staying away from acidic things, to minimize the pain.

Instead of buying in to the doctors "can't fix that" claim, I researched it and found what appeared to be a common link - low vitamin B levels. I spent thirty bucks on a bottle of Flouravite for her and it went away in just a few days. If she stopped the Fluroavite, the geographical tongue came back. A bottle a month kept the problem at bay, until she outgrew it.

As to a given type of pepper stopping "leaks," antibacterial properties aside, there are a lot of old timer who kept their rigs cool with the aid of common black pepper to plug leaks.



> huh?
> 
> - Ocelot


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## Karda (Nov 19, 2016)

Ive heard of that


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## MrUnix (May 18, 2012)

LOL - I was just working on fixing a plastic propane torch case, cutting a notch out with my x-acto knife, and what do you figure happened?!? Yup, slipped and it dug into the end of my thumb pretty good - resulting in lots of pain and blood. Had a box of cut up t-shirt squares (~2"x2") on the bench that I use for applying wipe on poly, so I grabbed one, wrapped it around my thumb and secured it with some scotch tape that was handy.

Of course I stuck it in my mouth to clean the wound before wrapping 

Cheers,
Brad

PS: I would have tried the pepper thing, but all I have at the moment is some Carolina Reapers, and there ain't no way in hell I'm going to put that stuff into an open wound!!!


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## Woodnmetal (Jul 24, 2021)

Of course I stuck it in my mouth to clean the wound before wrapping 

Cheers,
Brad

---------------------------------

Oh no, I hope you wiped your epidermal off before you stuck the whole thing in your mouth. Nothing smaller than a "Texas Mikki" would clean that out now 

Gary


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## Knockonit (Nov 5, 2017)

Being a shooter and a bleeder (been on blood thinners for a few years) look at me i bleed,

so i took a few classes, one of the best one is:: Stop the bleed, instruction on how to curb the bleeder and immediate first aide, not only good for you but others as well, perhaps a class is near you, they are generally free.
rj in az


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