Jason wrote in with a question I’m sure a lot of us can relate to. It seems that he’s been pinching his fingers and hands with some (many?) of the tools he’s been using.
The best solution, and I mean this in the best way possible, is to slow down and focus more on what you’re doing. True, there are some tools that are more prone to pinch your skin, but most pinches are preventable.
The photo above is of a blood blister I suffered a few years ago, probably with a hand tool of some kind. I don’t remember the exact cause, but I’m fairly certain I was rushing through a task.
Jason wrote:
I have a bit of an embarrassing question.
Are there any tools out there made for the three stooges of the world? I am a network engineer by trade and by necessity I have to work with everything from ladders and SDS drills to Philips #000 screwdrivers and tweezers.
My problem is, my fingers manage to get pinched on every surface they can come in contact with. Everything from the spreader lock on a ladder and the back hinge on my impact driver case, to the lock/hinge on wirestrippers.
Are there any tips and tricks to help out? Tools that have these problems in mind?
As mentioned, the best solution, in my opinion, is to slow down. Every move of your hands should be deliberate and coordinated. Yes, this means it’ll take you longer to do everything, but maybe it’ll become habit after a couple of days. And if means less of a chance that you’ll pinch your fingers or palms, then there will be time saved there.
A “Band Aid” solution, no pun intended, would be to wear gloves where it’s safe and unhindering to do so. Gloves might not be safe to wear, depending on the tools you use, or practical depending on the tasks you are expected to accomplish.
You are master of your hands, nobody else. Learning how to train yourself to be more coordinated and cautious will help in other aspects of your work, play, and life.
5 Hand Tools that Draw the Most Blood and Curses
Do You Work Deliberately?
Ouch, Darn, I cut my Thumb, and it was Completely Avoidable
Some injuries are avoidable, some are preventable, and some are accidental.
Discussed further in my Do You Work Deliberately post, linked just above, a reader commented about how working deliberately can be a good way to avoid preventable injuries.
When using a knife, you should cut away from yourself. When using a hammer, you should take care in how and where you hold a nail. When changing the blade on a powered saw, you should remove the battery, unplug the tool, or otherwise ensure that a tool is unpowered.
It can be less obvious about how to protect oneself from things like pinched fingers, but that comes with caution.
If I kept pinching my fingers, I would take a moment to apply first aid if necessary, another moment to let out some curses, and then another to analyze the situation. I’d ask myself what I could or should have done differently to prevent the injury from occurring.
As for the tools where pinching is a concern, I think pliers are the most obvious culprit, but Jason’s mention of the spreader lock on his ladder made me think of other collapsible products, such as folding tables.
I didn’t really answer the question that well, and am hoping for a great discussion in the comments section.
Are there any tips and tricks to help out [with preventing pinched skin]? Tools that have these problems in mind?