Safe Speed Forums

I'll share this as I always use it to remember how stupid I can be.

I was in the back garden about a couple of years ago splitting some large logs up into firewood. I was using a log splitter to do this (it's like a long hammer with a tapered edge, A cross between an axe and a hammer but not particularly sharp, for those who don't know what one is). Anyway, every now and then instead of splitting the logs cleanly in two it would just get stuck firmly in the top of the log. I had a handy 14lb sledge hammer on hand though and when the splitter got stuck I'd knock it down with the sledge hammer to finish the job, using the splitter like a wedge.

With the splitter embedded in the top of the log with its long handle it doesn't make for a particularly stable situation. When the splitter got stuck in the top I placed my foot on the edge of the log to steady it. I'd been doing this for a while when on one particular log, just as I was swinging the sledge hammer down I looked at my foot to make sure it wasn't about to slip off......

Of course your co-ordination means that you usually hit what you are looking at, absolutely true in this case and although it didn't hurt for the first few minutes it was some of the worst pain I've experienced over the following few hours.

Mike.

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