Nasty Log Splitting injury - don’t do this...

[fire_man]

Chalk this one up to a hard lesson. I was pounding on my trusty but very old and mangled Splitting Wedge with an 8 lb Sledge and a large chunk of steel from the wedge nailed me in the leg - striking an artery. The blood was just awful, literally spurting out. I got it under control and now have a nasty scar - scared the whole family including the dog. I've hand split over 20 chords of wood over the past 10 years and this is the first bumble. The moral of this story is to grind off the chipping and cracking parts of your wedge before it acts like an exploding hand grenade.

 

[DBoon]

And don't forget to put that cup on before splitting, regardless of the condition of the wedge....

Glad to hear you are ok. I had a similar incident with a hockey skate blade a few years ago.

 

[rphurley]

Wow! I never would of thought of that happening. Must have been a scary situation, glad to hear that you're doing ok.

 

[zzr7ky]

Thanks for posting. A fellow who's land I hunt on had a similar accident. I try to wear my chainsaw PPE, or at least Carharts. It halps coushion the odd split to the shins!

ATB,
Mike

 

[Adios Pantalones]

I've read similar reports here- same chip, same place- very scary!

 

[savageactor7]

Close call glad you're OK.

 

[quads]

Oh my god! Glad you are ok. I don't like wedges. I have one, using it for a doorstop. If I can't split the round with my maul, I figure it's not worth the extra work of messing with a wedge. I leave it in the woods to rot. I only have a few each year that I can't split with the maul and they are resting quietly in the woods.

 

[Scrounger]

If any of your chisels or splitting wedges look like this:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/zeekpatoonski/2785532309/

then you need to file, grind, or band saw the mushroom part off before serious injury happens.

 

[Hurricane]

I thought that is what they were supposed to look like. That is what all of my dad's always looked like. I guess they are off to the grinder to clean them up.

 

[Wet1]

Oh my god! Glad you are ok. I don't like wedges. I have one, using it for a doorstop. If I can't split the round with my maul, I figure it's not worth the extra work of messing with a wedge. I leave it in the woods to rot. I only have a few each year that I can't split with the maul and they are resting quietly in the woods.

Those are the ones that get the chainsaw taken to them at my house... no point in wasting perfectly good wood!

 

[JustWood]

And don't forget to put that cup on before splitting, regardless of the condition of the wedge....

Glad to hear you are ok. I had a similar incident with a hockey skate blade a few years ago.

You were splitting wood with a hockey skate? :bug:

 

[Delta-T]

didn't Tom Hanks use a figure skate to chop wood in Castaway? if Tom does it, it must be cool....and safe, right?

 

[iskiatomic]

I picked up 4-5 wedges at a tag sale late winter / early spring for a buck a piece. They all were mushroomed badly. Took out the die grinder and angle grinder and cleaned them all up. Ten minutes a piece maybe, peace of mind, defiantly.



KC

 

[quads]

Oh my god! Glad you are ok. I don't like wedges. I have one, using it for a doorstop. If I can't split the round with my maul, I figure it's not worth the extra work of messing with a wedge. I leave it in the woods to rot. I only have a few each year that I can't split with the maul and they are resting quietly in the woods.

Those are the ones that get the chainsaw taken to them at my house... no point in wasting perfectly good wood!

I'll save them for you, they're yours!

 

[SolarAndWood]

Oh my god! Glad you are ok. I don't like wedges. I have one, using it for a doorstop. If I can't split the round with my maul, I figure it's not worth the extra work of messing with a wedge. I leave it in the woods to rot. I only have a few each year that I can't split with the maul and they are resting quietly in the woods.

Those are the ones that get the chainsaw taken to them at my house... no point in wasting perfectly good wood!

I'll save them for you, they're yours!

I'd offer mine as well, but they are the summer bonfire fuel.

 

[YZF1R]

Glad to hear you're OK. You don't want to have any look like that if OSHA comes to pay a visit at work. They WILL write it up.

Steve

 

[firefighterjake]

This post needs pictures.

 

[ManiacPD]

The same thing happened up here in Maine a couple years ago. A completely freak accident. The metal sliver cut a major artery, the femoral or one similar, in his leg and he bled out. You are lucky my friend.

Just reminds you that this is dangerous work we all do and we can't be complacent for one second. Chaps aren't just for sawing!

 

[realstihl]

I did something similar years ago. We were tearing down a shed that was partially blown down by a wind storm. To get under the nails in the tin I was hitting a claw hammer with another hammer. A sliver of the hammer that was being hit broke off and hit me in the chest. Went clear to the bone. My dad dug it out with a pocket knife. Hardly any blood though. I was lucky and never pulled that stupid stunt again. Lesson learned and the other four guys just kept going like nothing happened.

 

[DBoon]

And don't forget to put that cup on before splitting, regardless of the condition of the wedge....

Glad to hear you are ok. I had a similar incident with a hockey skate blade a few years ago.

You were splitting wood with a hockey skate? :bug:

Took my hockey skates, set them on a large split, and blasted away with a maul - couldn't understand why they needed sharpening so often...

 

[cncpro]

I know a guy who lost an eye to an accident like this. He still works in the construction trades and still doesn't wear eye protection... I have taken some silly chances but I think if I was already down one eye I'd be real real careful with the other one.

P.S. regarding the link with a picture of mushroomed chisel... They don't have to be anywhere near this bad to be dangerous. Grind them off as soon as they start to develop sharp edges on the striking end.

 

[Jamess67]

didn't Tom Hanks use a figure skate to chop wood in Castaway? if Tom does it, it must be cool....and safe, right?

Also used it to remove a tooth, NOT recommended
Glad to hear your leg is ok.