Catastrophic blade failure

7 stitches?
Steve, that picture truly is a thumbnail sketch....

I wonder what the surgery will do? Bending means pulling tight; if the thumb won't straighten.... do you add tendon from somewhere else, or trim the tendon that pulls tight?

please keep us informed.


munk
 
That'll leave a manly scar Steve. Hope The function will be ok. More prayers from Texas.
Terry
 
Best wishes from the East Coast for a swift, speedy, and above all complete recovery.

Will definitely keep your cautionary tale in mind -- thanks for sharing it...and don't feel foolish. Everyone has moments like yours, and not everyone is so willing to share them.
 
munk said:
7 stitches?
Steve, that picture truly is a thumbnail sketch....

I wonder what the surgery will do? Bending means pulling tight; if the thumb won't straighten.... do you add tendon from somewhere else, or trim the tendon that pulls tight?

please keep us informed.


munk
Click to expand...

The tendons on the back of the thumb were cut. They anchor the muscles that pull the thumb out and back, straightening it up. The joint was penetrated as well. (This is all just a layman's understanding) But I'll know more after I see the hand doc.

Steve

Steve
 
Reflect on this: how many other manufacturers have people who, reading a post on catastrophic blade failure, feel this comfortable immediately going out and pounding their knives away on wood to verify that the failure was a fluke?

It seems to me that one of the very best things Himalayan Imports has going is its guarantee that is so rock-solid that we all can--and do--take our knives out and test the Hell out of them the day they arrive in the mail. And, for this reason, we catch the problems before the knives give out in the field. Who's going to go out and subject an RTAK or a Cold Steel Trailmaster or Laredo Bowie or a Becker BK-whatever to the old Bill Martino stress tests? (Well, aside from Cliff!) I'd hazard a guess that there are a whole lot of expensive production and even custom knives out there that are ready to crack, but their owners just haven't had enough confidence in the warranty to really test them. We can, and we do. And the warranty makes testing them a financially affordable exercise, since we know we're not going to be out the price of the knife if it breaks.

I think the Himalayan Imports warranty is not just good business; it's a very significant safety feature that's missing from most knives. The warranty makes them one of the few knives that the other-than-rich can genuinely afford to test hard, before taking them out into the field. My continued gratitude to H.I. and to Yangdu for keeping the warranties in place.
 
Went to the hand surgeon today. He's going to do surgery to reattach the cut tendons in the morning. After that I should be as good as new. However good that was.:D :rolleyes:

Steve
 
ferguson said:
Went to the hand surgeon today. He's going to do surgery to reattach the cut tendons in the morning. After that I should be as good as new. However good that was.:D :rolleyes:

Steve
Click to expand...

I hope for the best Steve, a quick and full reconvery.

Btw..did they ask you to explain how it happened? It would be an interesting tale to someone who isn't into kuks...
 
It's a good thing you weren't a pitcher.
Prayers for the surgeon to make it right.

I hate being in limbo when something goes wrong with my body. It must be a big relief to hear a surgeon state matter of factly this is what 'we're' going to do.


munk
 
Heal quick and heal well Steve, them docs'll have you playing the fiddle again in no time. High as a kite? Percoset? I like that stuff, but don't like what you got to do to get some. Last time the medics gave me some I got 52 stitches in my head. :( Might be why I sometimes stumble around chasing butterflies that ain't there. :D

Sarge
 
Good as new was pretty damn good IMO. High as a kite aint bad either. Wrap you're hand up real good, give some perks to your wife, and go to bed early.

Don't those perks make you're nose itchy??? Those used to be Leah's favorites. I always thought it was so cute how she constantly had to scratch her nose after she ate one.
 
I'm glad you're alright, and I hope you gain use of your thumb. I stupidly stabbed myself in the same spot with a Benchmade Skirmish recently, I got lucky- electrical tape, no stitches. It hurt for a month or more.
I test all my khukuris, and I always bang them sideways against a log to bring out any laha or tang problems. I try to "hook" with them on the sweet spot, so if they rebound after a break, I may be in the clear.
These things happen. It's rare to see a tool user who is unscarred, whether it's smashed thumbs, or old cuts. It's a reminder for us all to take extreme care, test our tools, and think of what could happen if the unexpected occurs.
I test all my knives- there's only one or two collector knives I haven't swung at a log to see what they can do, and I'll never use those knives without testing them first.

The only failure similar to this that I remember was near 5 years ago, someone had a Gelbu or Chit break on the cho. I just bought a big Chit, so I whacked it good, but it's held solid.
 
thanks guys. Vicodin. Gave me just a few (wisely:rolleyes: )to get me past the first 3 days.

I'll still test my new ones, but Mr Badexample has given me some good ideas on how to modify my testing method.

HI and Yandu are the best!

steve
 
Hope you're healing rapidly and well!:thumbup:

Never gotten along with painkillers when I actually needed 'em.

Although I did make good use of some percoset my last hitch on the slope. The three teeth I had pulled hardly hurt, but man did my roommate suck!
snortin' snorin' blanketty blank wakin' up at 2:30 in the daggum mornin'...

Ahem....but...I digress....hope the healing is going well, and I'm sorry to hear of the unfortunate accident.
 
Good too hear that all went well Steve!:thumbup: Hears to steady complete and thorough healing!
 
I'm very glad to hear your surgery went well, Steve.
It's the kind of injury we all dread. Rest up and heal well, you'll be swinging steel again in no time. I didn't want to sound like a Monday morning quarterback- there's no way to anticipate these accidents.
 
ferguson said:
thanks guys. Vicodin. Gave me just a few (wisely:rolleyes: )to get me past the first 3 days.

I'll still test my new ones, but Mr Badexample has given me some good ideas on how to modify my testing method.

HI and Yandu are the best!

steve
Click to expand...
Ah, better livin' through chemistry. :D Vicodin, the favorite drug of the good Dr. House - love that show. Seriously, glad to hear things went well and that the Dr. is positive. Here's to a full and speedy recovery.
 
Happy to hear the surgery was a success. I hope your recovery is fast and complete. BTW, this thread is now in the top page when the HI forum is sorted in descending order of most views or most replies and including everything ever posted on this forum. Lots of people concerned about you. You must be doing something right. :)

James
 
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