To find out more about making your own "flying horses" carousel, contact Bill Dentzel.
FIRST AID
Eventually you will get cut or sliced with one of your tools. Relax, be calm when it happens.
Have good quality band-aids in a known place, butterfly strips, adhesive tape and gauze too; some superglue triple antibiotic ointment, and goldenseal, are also handy.
Your cut will probably be a long slice, a big slash, or a deep puncture; it will probably be more or less straight and clean too.
If you hit a big vein or artery you will be in a bit more trouble and will probably have to go to a doctor and get stitches.
The deep puncture wounds are the hardest to clean and slowest to heal, good side is that they leave the smallest surface scar, but can leave a big internal scar or hard spot.
Stop the bleeding right away, like instantly. With your other hand or fingers. Just come down on the wound and close it. Take a deep breath...look around for the location of your first aid supplies, or telephone if it is a bad one and you need help.
For the small ones keep the wound closed to get the bleeding controlled then try to wash it, or the area near it anyway. Then get out your band-aids or tape and gauze and get that on the wound, if you can throw in some of the antibiotic ointment too that is good, maybe put it on the band-aid pad beforehand if you're able. Do a nice job of closing the skin, the better you line it up at this stage the better and quicker it will heal. Keep the bandage on well, replace when necessary, especially if dirty or wet.
For the big wounds be extra calm and steady to keep your blood pressure down and to help you plan your first stages of control. Obviously STOP THE BLEEDING. Then do the same as for a little wound but use a lot more supplies, get out the butterflies, adhesive tape and gauze if necessary. Then call in someone who knows more than you and have them clean it up.
Go to a nurse or doctor if for any reason you are not happy with your self doctoring.
Healing is usually pretty fast if you are kind to the wounded area. Keep it freshly bandaged and clean. Air it out too when you can (i.e. at night when you are sleeping or for short periods during the day when you're reading or resting. Those puncture wounds are going to be the most bothersome, they heal from the inside out, so the deep part heals first gradually working its way to the surface.
I have numerous cuts on my hands (especially my non-writing hand as it isn't holding the chisel) but only once had to see a doctor for stitches, and that was during my first five years of carving. I've had some seemingly pretty bad slices, gouges, and cuts over the years, but not that much considering how much carving and wood work I have done. It is amazing how with most injuries I have known it was going to happen just moments before, usually while I was working on a very small piece, or being too casual with my technique and not well focused.
Obviously there is a lot more to say about wounds and injuries, do more research, it's good stuff to know.
[PREVIOUS] [CONTENTS] [THIS IS THE LAST PAGE GO BACK TO DENTZEL HOMEPAGE]