beware of kitchen tongs

[sbwertz]

All those sharp tools, dangerous saws, etc. in the shop, and it was a simple pair of kitchen tongs that have left me with a permanently numb finger!

I have a set of simple stainless steel kitchen tongs, Like these. They don't have a rolled edge on the inside, and I discovered that edge is VERY sharp. I had them stuck upright in the dishwasher and reached in next to them to pull out a spoon. My finger was bent, and about a half inch of my knuckle on my middle finger slid up into the hinge of the tongs as I pulled my hand up. It sliced both sides of my finger at the first joint. They were tiny cuts, and hardly bled, but it completely severed the sensory nerves on both sides, leaving the tip of my finger completely numb. Permanently.

So if you have some of these tongs, replace them with the kind with a rolled inner edge that cannot cut you. Sharon

 

[mredburn]

ouch! you would never think it would matter.

 

[walshjp17]

Thanks for the heads up.

 

[Monty]

Sorry to hear this . Having a permanently numb finger can be awkward. It can be some of the simplest things that can get you.

 

[sbwertz]

It makes it difficult to pick up small pieces of anything, and typing feels really funny....

Sharon

Sorry to hear this . Having a permanently numb finger can be awkward. It can be some of the simplest things that can get you.

 

[Exabian]

wow im sorry to hear that.

 

[Smitty37]

My sympathy

It makes it difficult to pick up small pieces of anything, and typing feels really funny....

Sharon

Sorry to hear this . Having a permanently numb finger can be awkward. It can be some of the simplest things that can get you.

This is a case where I can truely say I know exactly how you feel....I have two fingers on my left hand that are without feeling (I had a run in with my table saw and am fortunate to have the fingers feeling or not) and it does make some things much harder to do.

 

[nava1uni]

Sharon,
The feeling may return, but nerve growth is very minute and slow. I had a tumor removed from the joint of my middle finger which left the finger tip without any feeling. The hand surgeon told me that it might return, but it would take a very long time. After 1 3/4 years I now have feeling in the finger tip. I hope that your nerves can regenerate and grow again.

 

[Russianwolf]

for me its the Philips head screwdrivers. Dang things should come with warning labels.

Get better.

 

[sbwertz]

I hope so! That is really good news

Sharon

Sharon,
The feeling may return, but nerve growth is very minute and slow. I had a tumor removed from the joint of my middle finger which left the finger tip without any feeling. The hand surgeon told me that it might return, but it would take a very long time. After 1 3/4 years I now have feeling in the finger tip. I hope that your nerves can regenerate and grow again.

 

[monark88]

Like Smitty I also had a disagreement with my table saw. Took the end of my middle finger off, left hand. That was about 5 years ago and still mostly numb, but
doc said eventually nerves will probably regenerate. It is slow. Makes it hard to pick up coins and hold things without them slipping from my hand. You have my sympathies.
Russ

 

[Smitty37]

Come to think of it, about 15/16 years ago I cut the pinky on my left hand and lost feeling. It did come back but it took several years and it still has a "pins and needles" feeling like you feel when an arm or a leg has gone to sleep.

 

[Jim Burr]

It makes it difficult to pick up small pieces of anything, and typing feels really funny....

Sharon

Sorry to hear this . Having a permanently numb finger can be awkward. It can be some of the simplest things that can get you.

This is a case where I can truely say I know exactly how you feel....I have two fingers on my left hand that are without feeling (I had a run in with my table saw and am fortunate to have the fingers feeling or not) and it does make some things much harder to do.

I did the same thing! 65 stitches, a pin and 3 surgeries later...
I finally had the touch sensation in my index and ring fingers return after 6 years but the distal joint in my index finger is gone.
I have 2 sets of those tongs...thanks for the heads up Sharon, being sensitive to hand injuries...they are in the trash!

 

[Gary Beasley]

Might want to take a stone after the edges on those tongs and round them off a bit. Save someone from later accidents.

 

[sbwertz]

Might want to take a stone after the edges on those tongs and round them off a bit. Save someone from later accidents.

I replaced them with tongs that have rolled edges on the inside. The old ones went in the recycle bin.