So I got me a new pocket knife...

messhead · April 28th, 2008, 07:56 PM

at a flea market. A Winchester for a good price. Pretty sharp, I actually think the guy selling them sharpened them. Saturday (4/26) I'm in Manhattan visiting friends and family. My wife buys some sunglasses from a street vendor and asks me to cut the tag off. A very easy job for my teeth, but I see it as a chance to use my new knife (I'm so tough). I pull out the Winchester, cut the tags off, and slice the tip of my left ring finger pretty much off. It didn't actually fall, but was close. Luckily, New Yorkers are actually pretty nice and helpful in times of crisis and I was able to get to an urgent care facility and have it stitched back together.
So here's why I post (other than making all of you feel smarter, as I am really stupid): I have stitches holding my fingertip on until 5/6, but a week of recording booked beginning 5/2. I'm right handed, so my left ring finger is pretty important (especially since I don't do much more than Chuck Berry style leads). I'm pretty okay with a slide, but this record doesn't have much slide on it. Any advice?
If not, feel free to post sarcastic comments making fun of me, I'm actually getting quite a laugh out of this whole thing.

charlie chitlin · April 28th, 2008, 09:16 PM

This happened to me when I was first learning to play guitar (index finger...Gerber knife).
I got heavily involved in slide and have loved it ever since.
As for recording...I'd have to say fugeddaboudit.
Save your money until you can play like you should.

garytelecastor · April 28th, 2008, 09:19 PM

I am quite seriously wincing in pain and anguish for ya, man.
I would try to super-glue the area, nut up and do it. Down about 100 vicodin (No don't really), but anyway pain killers and super glue. Either that or try to use the non injured fingers. Jerry Garcia had to do that, but it was on his picking hand.

RockinCarl · April 28th, 2008, 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by messhead

I'm pretty okay with a slide, but this record doesn't have much slide on it. Any advice?

MAKE IT a slide record.

Seriously, As Charlie said, I'd just put the recording off until your finger is healed.

Hope it heals fast!

boneyguy · April 28th, 2008, 09:22 PM

Reschedule the dates?

I had a nasty run in with a pocket knife when I was about 9 or 10. I had taken my Dad's pocket knife and for some reason I was trying to puncture the neighbours car tire with the knife by stabbing it.

I assure you this wasn't the beginning of a life of crime.

Well the knife closed on the middle knuckle of my right hand index finger and cut pretty deep but because I was more afraid of getting found out how I had cut my finger than I was about bleeding to death I didn't tell anyone. Somehow I managed to keep it a secret for awhile until the knuckle got infected. Then I had to spill the beans!!!

That knuckle is still a bit of a mishapen hump 40 yrs. later and I still have the knife in my possesion.

So no more attempts to puncture tires and definately I won't be trying to cut the tags of things because that apparently is equally dangerous.

Good luck.

ajgus · April 28th, 2008, 09:27 PM

My wife sliced the palm of her hand last Easter, carving the ham. Right down to the bone, Ouch! And this was a brand new carving knife, so razor sharp (not to mention, serrated as all get out!). She was absolutely PUMPING blood. Fortunately none of it got on the ham (phew!). Needless to say, worst Easter ever...well at least for her anyway (the ham was actually quite tasty, so all & all... a success!)

Telarkaster · April 28th, 2008, 09:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boneyguy

I had a nasty run in with a pocket knife when I was about 9 or 10. I had taken my Dad's pocket knife and for some reason I was trying to puncture the neighbours car tire with the knife by stabbing it.

I assure you this wasn't the beginning of a life of crime.

Well, I hope you learned your lesson: you slash the side of the tire, not the tread! Or if you want to be a real jerk cut off the nozzle...

As for the slashed finger and the recording session: can you pull a Tony Iommi and play with your pinkie? Fret the note with your pinkie, then support it with your ring finger for extra strength to do those Chuck Berry bends?

boneyguy · April 28th, 2008, 11:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Telarkaster

Well, I hope you learned your lesson: you slash the side of the tire, not the tread! Or if you want to be a real jerk cut off the nozzle...

What I really need is more practice.

camari · April 28th, 2008, 11:19 PM

Take a surgical glove and cut the pinky finger section off, tape it on pinky. Gives you some grip/protection and keeps the blood off guitar if you happen to bleed while playing.

Nick JD · April 28th, 2008, 11:20 PM

I got one of these ten years ago in Andorra for dirt cheap. The amount of times it's been indispensable, I can't count.

The knife blade is lockable, so you can stab tires all day.

Gaber_771 · April 28th, 2008, 11:23 PM

OUcH!?! I can make fun of something like that... I try to be at least somewhat careful with my left hand for guitar playing sake... its sounds like something i would do... get you finger well soon... and get a refund on the recording time...

boneyguy · April 29th, 2008, 01:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick JD

I got one of these ten years ago in Andorra for dirt cheap. The amount of times it's been indispensable, I can't count.

The knife blade is lockable, so you can stab tires all day.

Jelly · April 29th, 2008, 02:10 AM

Sorry messhead, you really did it. There's no way you can record on Friday, if you really cut the fingertip off. There are so many nerves in the end of your finger (think of how sensitive your fingertips are to touch as opposed to say the back of your arm).

I did that to my left middle finger with a razor knife about ten years ago - cut it right off. They sewed it back on and left the stitches in for 2 weeks. I don't mean to cast a cloud of doom but I can tell you it still hurts now if I put pressure in just the right spot - because of the concentration of nerves there. It doesn't effect my fretting ability much, but now and then I'll hit it the wrong way.

Your finger will heal and you will play again. But it's going to be throbbing for days and hurt like h*ll for weeks. If anyone tries to tell you to just suck it up then they have no idea what this sort of injury is like.

It will get better, but give it time, and take another Vicodin.

It sucks, but you'll get through it.

Slow Reflexes · April 29th, 2008, 04:57 AM

Ouch...

Thank the Lord that wasn't a dull knife. That's the only thing more dangerous than a sharp one, don'tcha know...

WisconsinStrings · April 29th, 2008, 05:13 AM

I did the exact same thing to my finger many years ago. It healed nicely with nothing but a small scare to show for it. I think you maybe should try and reschedule your session though.

Ricky D. · April 29th, 2008, 05:33 AM

Guess you'll be playing for tips for a while...

Seriously, you are lucky it has turned out this well. Don't compromise your healing. That includes beating up that finger tip in the studio.

Putting super glue on it is a particularly bad idea. Superglue is very toxic stuff (cyanide). Good luck!

tboy · April 29th, 2008, 09:47 AM

Django burned off half of his fretting hand and Les Paul had to have a fractured arm set into special position so he could keep rolling. If you're serious about keeping the session, start now, working around that finger. Probably a bad idea to try and use it. I had a bad cut that I thought was healed, and played a gig where things got a little wild. You know how it is when you're into it. You get in a zone where things don't hurt, but you're still reeking havok on the damaged finger. Had to have it re-stitched. Don't fall into that trap.
It's amazing what you can do with one less finger, and you'll have a story to attach to the recording.

Tim Armstrong · April 29th, 2008, 10:57 AM

I'd cancel the session AND woodshed with the remaining fingers, because you aren't gonna be able to use that one for weeks or months!

Good luck!

Tim

Joe Chaney · April 29th, 2008, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slow Reflexes

Ouch...

Thank the Lord that wasn't a dull knife. That's the only thing more dangerous than a sharp one, don'tcha know...

yeah those dull knives can be so dangerous, i practically cut my hand off spreading toast the other day
PS hope that finger heals up soon, fingers can hurt quite a bit (remembers a mountain bike accident involving a barbed wire fence)

buddywayne · April 29th, 2008, 12:56 PM

Let that finger heal. If you should mess it up and lose that part of it you will
have a big problem to deal with forever. A pickin' friend of mine did that same thing and lost the fleshy tip. He has to put bandaids on every time he plays due to the sensitive nerves that are now exposed.

Preacher · April 29th, 2008, 01:15 PM

Been there...

a picture us worth a thousand words... and lock blades don't always lock...

tboy · April 29th, 2008, 06:28 PM

Very nice house!

garytelecastor · April 29th, 2008, 06:33 PM

Holy Cats Preacher-
1.) OOOOOOOOWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!
2.) Al Gore is spinning in his grave....No...wait a minute....Al is having kittens in the barn.....there....that's better!

Soon light bulbs will contain mercury and cost $5 a piece.

messhead · April 29th, 2008, 08:53 PM

These responses have been great, I love this place. Luckily, my right hand is completely uninjured and I can still visit my other favorite websites.

Colt W. Knight · April 29th, 2008, 08:58 PM

Don't feel to bad, Ive injured myself similiarly numerous times. I just put on a little triple antibiotic ointment and some duct tape. The neosporin keeps it from ripping your cut open when you decide to take the tape off. My acoustic guitar and old banjo head still have blood marks where I tried playing without the tape.
But Im just a hillbilly, w

April 28th, 2008, 07:56 PM	#1 (permalink)
messhead TDPRI Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 92	So I got me a new pocket knife... at a flea market. A Winchester for a good price. Pretty sharp, I actually think the guy selling them sharpened them. Saturday (4/26) I'm in Manhattan visiting friends and family. My wife buys some sunglasses from a street vendor and asks me to cut the tag off. A very easy job for my teeth, but I see it as a chance to use my new knife (I'm so tough). I pull out the Winchester, cut the tags off, and slice the tip of my left ring finger pretty much off. It didn't actually fall, but was close. Luckily, New Yorkers are actually pretty nice and helpful in times of crisis and I was able to get to an urgent care facility and have it stitched back together. So here's why I post (other than making all of you feel smarter, as I am really stupid): I have stitches holding my fingertip on until 5/6, but a week of recording booked beginning 5/2. I'm right handed, so my left ring finger is pretty important (especially since I don't do much more than Chuck Berry style leads). I'm pretty okay with a slide, but this record doesn't have much slide on it. Any advice? If not, feel free to post sarcastic comments making fun of me, I'm actually getting quite a laugh out of this whole thing. __________________ www.myspace.com/nyvaults

April 28th, 2008, 09:16 PM	#2 (permalink)
charlie chitlin Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Bucktown, Pa Age: 46 Posts: 1,891	This happened to me when I was first learning to play guitar (index finger...Gerber knife). I got heavily involved in slide and have loved it ever since. As for recording...I'd have to say fugeddaboudit. Save your money until you can play like you should. __________________ Nil illigitimi carborundum http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm...6-bf3537901a07

April 28th, 2008, 09:19 PM	#3 (permalink)
garytelecastor Friend of Leo's Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Minnesota Posts: 2,710 18 Photos	I am quite seriously wincing in pain and anguish for ya, man. I would try to super-glue the area, nut up and do it. Down about 100 vicodin (No don't really), but anyway pain killers and super glue. Either that or try to use the non injured fingers. Jerry Garcia had to do that, but it was on his picking hand. __________________ éí 'aaníígÓÓ 'áhoot'é Elvis did not die; he just went home!

April 28th, 2008, 09:22 PM	#5 (permalink)
boneyguy Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: victoria b.c. Age: 50 Posts: 2,316	Reschedule the dates? I had a nasty run in with a pocket knife when I was about 9 or 10. I had taken my Dad's pocket knife and for some reason I was trying to puncture the neighbours car tire with the knife by stabbing it. I assure you this wasn't the beginning of a life of crime. Well the knife closed on the middle knuckle of my right hand index finger and cut pretty deep but because I was more afraid of getting found out how I had cut my finger than I was about bleeding to death I didn't tell anyone. Somehow I managed to keep it a secret for awhile until the knuckle got infected. Then I had to spill the beans!!! That knuckle is still a bit of a mishapen hump 40 yrs. later and I still have the knife in my possesion. So no more attempts to puncture tires and definately I won't be trying to cut the tags of things because that apparently is equally dangerous. Good luck. __________________ "Shut up n' play yer guitar"

April 28th, 2008, 09:27 PM	#6 (permalink)
ajgus Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: chicago Posts: 1,418	My wife sliced the palm of her hand last Easter, carving the ham. Right down to the bone, Ouch! And this was a brand new carving knife, so razor sharp (not to mention, serrated as all get out!). She was absolutely PUMPING blood. Fortunately none of it got on the ham (phew!). Needless to say, worst Easter ever...well at least for her anyway (the ham was actually quite tasty, so all & all... a success!) __________________ ...because I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, & dog gone-it...people like me.

April 28th, 2008, 11:19 PM	#9 (permalink)
camari Tele-Meister Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Florida Age: 50 Posts: 102	Take a surgical glove and cut the pinky finger section off, tape it on pinky. Gives you some grip/protection and keeps the blood off guitar if you happen to bleed while playing. __________________ Remember to listen.

April 28th, 2008, 11:20 PM	#10 (permalink)
Nick JD Tele-Afflicted Join Date: May 2007 Location: North NSW, Australia Age: 35 Posts: 1,629	I got one of these ten years ago in Andorra for dirt cheap. The amount of times it's been indispensable, I can't count. The knife blade is lockable, so you can stab tires all day. __________________ It was such a lovely day I thought it a pity to get up. W. Somerset Maugham

April 28th, 2008, 11:23 PM	#11 (permalink)
Gaber_771 Tele-Meister Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: WV Age: 23 Posts: 243	OUcH!?! I can make fun of something like that... I try to be at least somewhat careful with my left hand for guitar playing sake... its sounds like something i would do... get you finger well soon... and get a refund on the recording time... __________________ "floor it... thats a technical term"

April 29th, 2008, 02:10 AM	#13 (permalink)
Jelly Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Germany Posts: 1,405 10 Photos	Sorry messhead, you really did it. There's no way you can record on Friday, if you really cut the fingertip off. There are so many nerves in the end of your finger (think of how sensitive your fingertips are to touch as opposed to say the back of your arm). I did that to my left middle finger with a razor knife about ten years ago - cut it right off. They sewed it back on and left the stitches in for 2 weeks. I don't mean to cast a cloud of doom but I can tell you it still hurts now if I put pressure in just the right spot - because of the concentration of nerves there. It doesn't effect my fretting ability much, but now and then I'll hit it the wrong way. Your finger will heal and you will play again. But it's going to be throbbing for days and hurt like h*ll for weeks. If anyone tries to tell you to just suck it up then they have no idea what this sort of injury is like. It will get better, but give it time, and take another Vicodin. It sucks, but you'll get through it. __________________ "I got on a bus and I went to Fresno because I thought Merle Haggard lived there."

April 29th, 2008, 04:57 AM	#14 (permalink)
Slow Reflexes Tele-Meister Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Willamette and Columbia Posts: 273	Ouch... Thank the Lord that wasn't a dull knife. That's the only thing more dangerous than a sharp one, don'tcha know...

April 29th, 2008, 05:13 AM	#15 (permalink)
WisconsinStrings Tele-Holic Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Arcadia, Wisconsin Age: 37 Posts: 629	I did the exact same thing to my finger many years ago. It healed nicely with nothing but a small scare to show for it. I think you maybe should try and reschedule your session though.

April 29th, 2008, 05:33 AM	#16 (permalink)
Ricky D. Tele-Holic Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Maryland Posts: 538	Guess you'll be playing for tips for a while... Seriously, you are lucky it has turned out this well. Don't compromise your healing. That includes beating up that finger tip in the studio. Putting super glue on it is a particularly bad idea. Superglue is very toxic stuff (cyanide). Good luck!

April 29th, 2008, 09:47 AM	#17 (permalink)
tboy Tele-Holic Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Chicago Area Posts: 522 7 Photos	Django burned off half of his fretting hand and Les Paul had to have a fractured arm set into special position so he could keep rolling. If you're serious about keeping the session, start now, working around that finger. Probably a bad idea to try and use it. I had a bad cut that I thought was healed, and played a gig where things got a little wild. You know how it is when you're into it. You get in a zone where things don't hurt, but you're still reeking havok on the damaged finger. Had to have it re-stitched. Don't fall into that trap. It's amazing what you can do with one less finger, and you'll have a story to attach to the recording.

April 29th, 2008, 10:57 AM	#18 (permalink)
Tim Armstrong Moderator Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Berlin, Maryland, USA Age: 49 Posts: 7,432	I'd cancel the session AND woodshed with the remaining fingers, because you aren't gonna be able to use that one for weeks or months! Good luck! Tim __________________ http://www.moodswingers.org

April 29th, 2008, 12:56 PM	#20 (permalink)
buddywayne Tele-Holic Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: missouri Age: 62 Posts: 521 6 Photos	Let that finger heal. If you should mess it up and lose that part of it you will have a big problem to deal with forever. A pickin' friend of mine did that same thing and lost the fleshy tip. He has to put bandaids on every time he plays due to the sensitive nerves that are now exposed. __________________ 51 luv!!

April 29th, 2008, 01:15 PM	#21 (permalink)
Preacher Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Oklahoma Age: 40 Posts: 240	Been there... a picture us worth a thousand words... and lock blades don't always lock... __________________ So many guitars... so little time.

April 29th, 2008, 06:28 PM	#22 (permalink)
tboy Tele-Holic Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Chicago Area Posts: 522 7 Photos	Very nice house!

April 29th, 2008, 06:33 PM	#23 (permalink)
garytelecastor Friend of Leo's Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Minnesota Posts: 2,710 18 Photos	Holy Cats Preacher- 1.) OOOOOOOOWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!! 2.) Al Gore is spinning in his grave....No...wait a minute....Al is having kittens in the barn.....there....that's better! Soon light bulbs will contain mercury and cost $5 a piece. __________________ éí 'aaníígÓÓ 'áhoot'é Elvis did not die; he just went home!

April 29th, 2008, 08:53 PM	#24 (permalink)
messhead TDPRI Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 92	These responses have been great, I love this place. Luckily, my right hand is completely uninjured and I can still visit my other favorite websites. __________________ www.myspace.com/nyvaults

April 29th, 2008, 08:58 PM	#25 (permalink)
Colt W. Knight Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Wyoming Age: 24 Posts: 1,274	Don't feel to bad, Ive injured myself similiarly numerous times. I just put on a little triple antibiotic ointment and some duct tape. The neosporin keeps it from ripping your cut open when you decide to take the tape off. My acoustic guitar and old banjo head still have blood marks where I tried playing without the tape. But Im just a hillbilly, w