I felt the straight razor slipping out and it started to fall

I felt the straight razor slipping out and it started to fall. You may know what comes next. Thankfully I was a walking zombie after working a 12 hour nightshift so I didn't react and try to catch it before it hit the floor. Then I heard the "tink" sound and saw a small black piece of the scale flying across the tile floor. Yep, the scale broke from my vintage Joseph Allen and son's straight that shaves like a dream. Small price to pay in my mind. Had I been more awake I may have instinctively tried to catch the falling razor and that could have been really really bad. New scales are on the way already. So I'm thankful that I was tired and my reflexes were dulled. Also thankful for my training 40 years ago that an old time butcher taught me, which was, if you drop a knife just let it fall, don't try to catch it or chase it with your hands. Though I did learn to do the "butcher schuffle" at few times when I lost a knife, which was, to do a standing sprawl by throwing your butt back, spreading your legs and getting your feet out of the way and hold your hands up. Turns out that has always been good advice.

Steve

805steve said:

Though I did learn to do the "butcher shuffle" at few times when I lost a knife, which was, to do a standing sprawl by throwing your butt back, spreading your legs and getting your feet out of the way and hold your hands up. Turns out that has always been good advice.

Steve

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Learned that one myself and not ashamed to admit that I have used it more than once!

Damn that sucks but the blade is intact and all your body parts are still whole so the rest is all good...lol.

Everyone's worst nightmare...dropping a SR. I'm glad you were able to salvage the blade intact.

Sorry dude... I say go ahead and try and catch it... even it it cuts u, it won't be too deep... scars heal... razors don't lol (btw not my official recommendation as a pharmacist)

Hey, scales can be replaced. Chips and cracks, not so much!

Glad you are OK, Steve.

A few years ago, I reacted to a razor fall with an attempted snatch. Sliced a part of my forefinger. The razor fell squarely on its back with no damage. The gods of razors were looking over me. I won't try to catch one again, however. Too many razors out there and just not that many fingers.

lol..... do you have a running special on bandage supplies?

My uncle, hunter/fisher/carpenter so he used alot of tools, told me the same thing as your butcher acquaintance but slightly different
"Don't try and catch a knife that you drop, because you just might..."

Glad to hear you are okay. Perhaps they need to invent a bubble wrapped tile.

Glad you're ok!

good to hear you are alright, sucks the scales busted but it could always be worse. i also learned to do the butcher shuffle, saved my toes many times over the years in my kitchen.

Glad to hear your ok, you were lucky and only damaged the scale, i was not so lucky with this one and had to work the edge back:

Before:


Dumb Accident:



After Rework:

Falling straight razors: Why I never use one naked.

Clausewitz said:

My uncle, hunter/fisher/carpenter so he used alot of tools, told me the same thing as your butcher acquaintance but slightly different
"Don't try and catch a knife that you drop, because you just might..."

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Same here.
I spent 27 years as an electronics tech, often with high voltages, and completely got out of the habit of grabbing for dropped things. We preferred just to follow it with our eyes, especially small screws and such, so we could find it again.

Glad it turned it ok for you. I do a lot of the cooking at home, and I learned a long time ago to never try to catch anything, even food (because it could be buying hot food off the stove).

John Rose said:

Same here.
I spent 27 years as an electronics tech, often with high voltages, and completely got out of the habit of grabbing for dropped things. We preferred just to follow it with our eyes, especially small screws and such, so we could find it again.

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That lesson hit home for me after I tried to catch a just sharpened pencil that rolled off the desk in middle school. I thought the teacher was gonna hurl when she saw a pencil sticking out at a perfect 90% from my hand. The carbon tattoo it gave me is still visible 20-ish years later

Friend of mine did the same thing. Except he caught the razor with his palm and got many nice stitches as his reward.

I am glad you are ok. I quiver to think what I would do if one of my prized razors started hurling towards the ground. I sustained this nice and deep cut cleaning an ole straight and I lost track of my hand position. Could have been much much worse....almost needed stitches but not quite.