Sharp Blades

[sk8great]

Have you ever accidentally cut yourself with your blade? I did. Awhile ago haha. Got of the ice and cleaning the snow off my blades to put guards on then it happened. Guess thats a sign that I dont really need to get them sharpened yet. First time it happened to me

[hopskipjump]

Nope!  Hr friend sliced her hand doing a haircutter during a comp though. 

[Isk8NYC]

I only cut myself with once with my blade.  I stabbed myself in the shin on a double salchow.  Small wonder I hate that jump.  I don't really think skates could be that sharp after skating on them.  if they were just-sharpened, then its more likely.  I wonder if there was a burr on the blade that scratched your hand?

[sk8great]

I wonder if there was a burr on the blade that scratched your hand?

It was one of my edges, I dont think it was a burr though! I'll attach a pic haha.

Its kinda bloody. Beware. 
http://instagram.com/p/WXGueMrEUc/

[sampaguita]

I scratched my thigh with a blade once when I put it on my lap for waterproofing (I wonder why I ever risked putting those blades on my skin without soakers). How's your finger?

[sarahspins]

Twice!  I have nice scars on both hands... one on my palm and the other along a finger.

[taka]

Several times - always in the same spot. I brush the worst of the snow off my blades with a glove but occasionally I manage to slice through the glove and hit my finger instead! It is more like a paper cut than anything...

[PrettySk8Dress]

I still to this day do not know how it happened while I was jumping, but I put an inch long gash on the side of my calf with the back of the blade. The tip of the back of the blade cut into the skin, but DID NOT cut through the fabric of the pants that I was wearing. I did notice a burning sensation on my leg and calf, but did not know that I was bleeding until it felt wet for some reason on my leg. It wasn't until I took off my pants that I saw that I was injured. After that happened, I quit wearing pants when I ice skate, and switched to wearing tights, or sheer-to-the-waist pantyhose, and skating dresses for practice. ( My extentions for ice dancing have improved considerably since I can actually see my legs wearing the tights or pantyhose, instead of hiding under pants !) Supposedly I don't have the protection of pants, but the loose pant leg material is more likely to create a hazardous situation to begin with. If I hurt myself again, I want to see what has happened right away, not 5-10 mins later when I finally suspect or realize what happened and have taken off my pants !

[SynchKat]

Several times once requiring stitches in my finger.  My brother sliced me once with his blade.  Then again I've been doing this 35 years and I'm a klutz, it is inevitable.

[Skittl1321]

but DID NOT cut through the fabric of the pants that I was wearing.

I have done this a number of times.  I am always baffled.

[Robin]

I have not once, but twice, put my blade through my shin in a double salchow. Both gashes resulted in a trip to the emergency room, a tetanus shot, and stitches.

[AgnesNitt]

I only cut myself with once with my blade.  I stabbed myself in the shin on a double salchow. 

Back when I still had decent kneebend, I was doing a Jenkins spiral and managed to stab the front of my 'go under' leg's thigh with the tail of my skate on the skating foot. Tore a hole in my pants too. The knees are not what they used to be, but the skating pants are going strong.

[eillie]

Gosh, I should *not* have read all of the replies because now I'm feeling paranoid!


I did once have my newly-sharpened blades cut straight through my glove and into my palm somehow when I fell while attempting a sit spin.  Fortunately it was a small clean cut that healed quickly.

[Skating_Jen]

I have the other day whilst getting the snow off my blade. Didn't notice until a few minutes later when it bled xD but I must say mine were just sharpened...

Also ages ago I stabbed my inner thigh whilst doing an Axel or double jump. I don't know as there was no hole in my tights or leggings AND I didn't notice anything until I got undressed after training Oo I have a scar there now.

[Purple Sparkly]

I have made my leg bleed without putting a hole in my pants or tights many times.  I usually check my leg for wounds after something hits it.

I have also torn a huge hole in my tights AND made my leg bleed... during competition.  That was fun.  I have gotten numerous cuts on my hands from removing snow from my blades, but it has been many years since.  I basically stopped doing touching my blades.  I do not wipe the snow off of my blades before putting my guards on.

Skates can be that sharp, even if not freshly sharpened.  It depends on the angle and the amount of pressure.

[Query]

I have never cut myself on the blades while skating.

I've run into people (mostly kids) who cut themselves while they aren't skating, because they aren't paying attention to the edges, or to roughly ground sides of the blades. E.g., they rest their skates on their laps, or are carrying them around uncovered and let the sharp edge bump into themselves.  A few cut themselves during jump landings, when the free foot slides where it isn't intended.  Especially if they don't believe in socks.

I sharpen my own blades.  I don't often cut myself while sharpening, but I started telling people like me who are interested in sharpening their own blades to be careful of that, when I saw a few people who did.

It is in theory be very easy to cut yourself if you feel the sharp part of the edge, or rough side rails, with your finger. If you want to feel the edge or the side rails, avoiding cuts is a matter of touching the blade very lightly.  If you don't know how to be careful, just don't do it.  But most cuts and abrasions happen to me if I'm not paying attention, not while I am.

I was taught that minor cuts and abrasions are not a major problem if you take care of them, unless you have trouble clotting. The usual - wash them with clean water and cover them with something sterile, to avoid infection and speed up the healing.  I once had a bad infection because I didn't know I had scratched my elbow on the ice, and didn't do anything to treat it.