CUTS AT THE FIELD

[Guy B Jr]

 If you are on blood thinners, you are always scared of a serious cut and the resulting bleeding. I have found a relatively new product called "WoundSeal". It is a powder and comes in a plastic box with 4 packets of the powder. I found mine at Walgreen's in the bandage section. My guess is that it is something similar to the old Styptic powder we used to use for razor cuts on our faces. Anyway, I now have one in the first aid kit in the trunk of my car.

[RC Storick]

I use CA. I am not kidding thats what it was designed for.

[John Stiles]

I use CA. I am not kidding thats what it was designed for.

I do too...it burns like a sumbeeech but it works. I had a doctor tell me once that's what super glues were first designed for.

[RC Storick]

I do too...it burns like a sumbeeech but it works. I had a doctor tell me once that's what super glues were first designed for.

At the SIG contest one year I cut myself really bad. Frank Carlisle and I walked over to the vendor trailer and I bought some fast set CA. I could not get it to stop bleeding. I had Frank hit it with kicker. Hurt like hell but it stopped. The lady in the trailer thought I was crazy. Oh well I I would have had to go get stitches and miss the contest. I have no scar from that at all. I am not giving medical advice I am stating what I do.

[FLOYD CARTER]

I don't allow cuts!  Never had any.  A "chicken stick" always.  Otherwise, an "electric finger".

F.C.

[Herb Calvin]

I had a pretty good prop cut that was bad enough that I went to the ER, $1300 later I left with a bandage, and my finger sealed with CA.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  I had 2 heart valves replaced in 1981 and was caed back together. Not a stitch mark on my chest.   

[john e. holliday]

Years ago when Hot Stuff was the CA and only CA to be had.   Bill Wright during one of our F2C practice sessions let a fiber glass prop get to the fleshy part of his finger.   We usually wrapped our fingers with adhesive tape of several layers for protection.   Works until you place the starting finger wrong.   He was bleeding real bad even with pressure.   Bob Hill yelled at him to wait.  He had a bottle of Hot Stuff in his box.   Washed the finger off with alcohol and while Jim Dunkin held the finger and the rest of held Bill, Bob hit it with the Hot Stuff.   A little puff of smoke went up and no more bleeding.  Did keep an eye on the finger in case we closed off the vewins with the glue.   Yes it took all us to hold Bill to keep him from killing Bob until the burning went away and then he was happy.

[Paul Wood]

My son-in-law is an E.R. physician.  He uses super glue all the time in the E.R.  Of course it's the medical version that costs a million bucks a bottle, but he says it's the same formula as our commercial stuff.  When he's visiting here with the grandkids and they get cut (they always do you know) he gives them the choice of stitches at the E.R. or my hobby glue.  They always choose the hobby glue.  Works well.  Be careful out there!

Paul

[Andrew Borgogna]

Guys there is a reason CA works so well at stopping blood flow, that was one of it's first application back in the day.  "Eastman 910" as it was called then was use  in Vietnam to stop bleeding long enough to get the guy back to a hospital.  I have been using it on cuts for decades and it works.
Andy

[Tim Wescott]

I'd do a bit of research to see if that "wound seal" stuff works when you're on blood thinners.  If it activates whatever clotting factors are there, then it may just make for lots of red sludge instead of a sealed wound.

Or, just use CA.  Whatever you do you'll probably get a hell of a lot more bruising than you would without the blood thinners, so using a chicken stick (or wimping out all the way and using an electric starter) may be the way to go.

I just wear a glove.  That way in the event of serious incident, all the pieces will be in one bag.

[John Stiles]

I'd do a bit of research to see if that "wound seal" stuff works when you're on blood thinners.  If it activates whatever clotting factors are there, then it may just make for lots of red sludge instead of a sealed wound.

Or, just use CA.  Whatever you do you'll probably get a hell of a lot more bruising than you would without the blood thinners, so using a chicken stick (or wimping out all the way and using an electric starter) may be the way to go.

I just wear a glove.  That way in the event of serious incident, all the pieces will be in one bag.

One of my worst cuts was when I reached over the top of a wound up K&B .40 with an 11" prop to richen the mixture a tad.....cut me wide open before I could snatch back. Gloves don't usually go back that far!

[Tim Wescott]

One of my worst cuts was when I reached over the top of a wound up K&B .40 with an 11" prop to richen the mixture a tad.....cut me wide open before I could snatch back. Gloves don't usually go back that far!

That sounds like the wounds I see on the RC electric guys "I was carrying the plane and nudged/dropped/kicked/touched the transmitter and the engine started up -- now look at my arm!"

[Fred Underwood]

CA wound closure is best done skin to skin.  It replaces sutures for skin closure but it comes off in a few days.  Not great on high skin tension areas.  CA down in the wound is foreign material.  Sealing over a wound with CA, or sutures for that matter, while it bleeds underneath is not a great idea, especially if you are on blood thinners or aspirin.  Hold pressure until the bleeding stops and the wound is dry.  Field emergency treatment in war zone may not be appropriate to avoid medical care while at an event.  Of course we all treat minor injuries and CA has a place but CA has not replaced ERs or proper treatment.

[Steve Helmick]

IIRC, my surgeon used "Silver Nitrate" when I had an infected cyst removed (and a bunch of infected flesh), as the wound was left open "to heal from inside". Meaning bandaged, but no stitches. I asked if that was the modern equivalent to gunpowder and a match, and he said "yes". It also burns like a sumbeach. The burning part must be a requirement? I'm not sure if you can buy "silver nitrate", but it would be great stuff to put on your buddy's prop wounds. I should investigate buying some, JIC.  Steve