Do you cut yourself prepping food?

I simply don't understand why people would use a mandolin without using the guard.
I'm assuming most people find the guard clumsy or too much trouble (all the while assuming things are going to go just swimmingly).

You mentioned bandsaws...I grew up working a sawmill, and my dad repaired and built furniture on the side, so we had joiners and planers and band saws and table saws and radial arm saws galore. What's the first thing he did with anything like that? Get rid of whatever safety guard was on it, because they'd always get in the way, slow him down, and/or obstruct his line of sight.

If I hadn't watched the video on how to use the guard on my mandoline, I wouldn't use the guard (and subsequently, the mandoline) because it's a plunger type, and looking at it, I'd have worked out how to slice an onion or an apple, but a carrot or celery, I would have said, "Can't be done." But I watched the video and they cleared that up for me, so that's why I use it with confidence.
 
I'm assuming most people find the guard clumsy or too much trouble (all the while assuming things are going to go just swimmingly).

You mentioned bandsaws...I grew up working a sawmill, and my dad repaired and built furniture on the side, so we had joiners and planers and band saws and table saws and radial arm saws galore. What's the first thing he did with anything like that? Get rid of whatever safety guard was on it, because they'd always get in the way, slow him down, and/or obstruct his line of sight.

If I hadn't watched the video on how to use the guard on my mandoline, I wouldn't use the guard (and subsequently, the mandoline) because it's a plunger type, and looking at it, I'd have worked out how to slice an onion or an apple, but a carrot or celery, I would have said, "Can't be done." But I watched the video and they cleared that up for me, so that's why I use it with confidence.

Yeah, I could never get the guard to work for me. All the TV chefs don't use them, so why should I? So I thought. :facepalm:

CD
 
I've given up with mandolins. Can't get on with the guards, and they seem very wasteful. In medieval times, they would have been instruments of torture. I can honestly say I've had more cuts from paper or cardboard than I have had from kitchen knives. Maybe I'm not trying hard enough?
 
That's one thing I don't think I have ever cut myself with.

CD
Usually, it's when I'm lining a sheet pan. I wrap up around the sides, and I'm usually in a hurry, and I'll zip my hands along the edge to wrap that and if I'm not careful...aluminum foil paper cut.

One freak knife cut I had: I'd just washed a knife, and I set it against the drying rack, just for the moment, while I dried my hands and rinsed out the sink. I'd sat it there because the next thing I was going to do was to hand-dry it and put it back on its strip.

I rinsed out the sink, then grabbed a paper towel to dry the area around the sink (splashed water left around a sink drives me bonkers), and I was in a hurry...

The way the knife was sat, it was resting back on the handle with the edge up a bit, right next to the sink, and when I zipped my hand along the sink to wipe up the water my index finger flew under the cutting side of the knife and it gave me a nice, deep slash right between the two knuckles.
 
The mandolin thing was a moment of overconfidence and distraction. I still use it with a great deal of respect.
The worst thing I have seen with a knife was Step Son. We were at our fishing camp on Toledo Bend. The knives at the camp are only okay. SS was using a knife in the kitchen. He dropped the knife. Instead of throwing his hands up and jumping back he grabbed the knife.
OMG! His palm was deeply sliced. Tendons were cut. It was horrible. We gave him a Japanese Chef Knife for Christmas two or three years ago. I asked him what to do when a knife was dropped. He gave me an ugly look then laughed. "Never, ever try to grab the knife"
Moments of stupidity can result in a life lesson.
 
Cut resistant safety gloves required behind the bar and in the kitchen by the Chilis restaurant chain.
81aF+SEeOML._AC_SS350_.jpg

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjUf6sZ97YU
 
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Cut resistant safety gloves required behind the bar and in the kitchen by the Chilis restaurant chain.
View attachment 54616
When my wife went on blood thinners and became paranoid about knives, I said, "I'll get you a cutting glove, you'll be fine."

"No, I think I'll just stop cutting stuff."

:laugh:
 
I one time helped out at a Fire Dept Camp out with groups of kids. First they gather all the kids saying "Let's see your knives."
The kids proudly bust them out and present them.
Then they hand out tape and sharpies.
The kids have to write their names on the tape, stick it on the knife and drop the knife into a box where it remains for the duration of the campout.
 
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