Harpsichord

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  • 1.  Dangerous Voicing

    Posted 01-05-2023 12:39

    I was voicing a new set of plectra, placing the trim block and scalpel on the keyboard, as usual, while replacing a jack…
    Somehow I knocked the scalpel off the keyboard, and it dropped straight down like a dart and into my foot, almost the full length of the #11 blade. It was not very painful, but the flow of blood was remarkable.

    Fortunately one of our neighbors is an ER technician, and he was home, so within minutes, the Emergency Room had come to me! All in his daily work. He cleaned the wound and applied pressure bandages.

    A deep wound like this does not get stitched because trapped blood can lead to an absess.
    So, I must spend at least a day with my foot elevated as high as possible. (Blood pressure is highest in the feet.) And if I walk at all, must use crutches to avoid flexing the foot. The idea is to allow the wound to close itself from the inside out.
    Since I had attached a new blade for this work, chances of infection aren't great. If all goes well I'll be fine in a few days.

    I've dropped scalpels before, but never gave a thought to what would happen if one spiked open flesh.
    I will make a very pretty voicing tool tray to set over the tuning pins, so pretty that I'll always want to use it when voicing a harpsichord.



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    Ed Sutton
    ed440@me.com
    (980) 254-7413
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  • 2.  RE: Dangerous Voicing

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 01-06-2023 07:49
    Wow. Sorry that happened, Ed. Thanks for the heads up about treating the wound and recovery. 

    Happy New Year (I guess???). 

    Dave

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  • 3.  RE: Dangerous Voicing

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 01-06-2023 15:53
    Ouch Ed! Sorry to hear about this freak accident. Now you have me worried enough to make my own voicing tray. Wishing you a speedy recovery!

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    [Don] [McKechnie,] [RPT]
    [Piano Technician]
    [dmckech@ithaca.edu]
    [Home 607.277.7112]
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  • 4.  RE: Dangerous Voicing

    Posted 01-06-2023 20:27
    Healing is going well, no sign of infection.
    Today I spent a few hours cutting and inserting new plectra.
    Now that I'm watching, I'm amazed at how many times I make a dangerous move with the scalpel.
    On another list, someone reported a very serious injury while voicing with a scalpel.
    Gotta do some thinking!

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    Ed Sutton
    ed440@me.com
    (980) 254-7413
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  • 5.  RE: Dangerous Voicing

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 01-06-2023 23:00
    I get it. Slicing myself has happened a few times in the past. Superglue works wonders if you have to stop the bleeding fast. :-)

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    [Don] [McKechnie,] [RPT]
    [Piano Technician]
    [dmckech@ithaca.edu]
    [Home 607.277.7112]
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