Believe it or not, last weekend I nicked the tip of my thumb with my knife while cutting the lemon in half during my performance of The Final Answer.

This, of course, led to a slightly bloody revelation. Though I didn't think about it at the time, perhaps I should have said something to make the incident funny... (i.e. "Here's proof this is a real knife."

Next time, I'll let the spectator cut the lemon while I hold on to it.

Has this ever happened to anybody?

Regards,
Ray
p.s. Always keep 2 band-aids in your emergency kit, should the blood soak through the first one!

Cant say I have there ray....was it real obvious??

Hmmmm, fresh cut and lemon juice... This is not a good combination! LOL!

Even with your recent accident, I think you might be a bit safer controling the lemon and the knife. Giving it to the spectator could potentially lead to even more on stage drama than you might have planned.

Lyndel

I cut my finger whilst preparing the lemon once...whilst driving!

Not a lemon trick but a rope trick. I was performing at a County Fair at 10 AM and I cut the tip of my finger with scissors. There is way more to story.

No need to hide the thumb tip...just let it fall to the floor and SCREAM.

Thumb tip.... nice!

I filleted the side of my left index finger knuckle during a rope trick... a really shallow, sharp, clean cut... about half-inch in diameter... didn't bleed for about half a minute... then it started to just rain. totally disgusting. I guess I kept it light-hearted enough (and didn't pass out)... because after the show, people were asking how the heck I "did that blood trick".

I think I have a more detailed description of that incident at my website. Maybe it's less detailed. Not too sure.

Although it wasn't with a lemon, I did cut thumb on an appearing cane.

It is an old walsh. Since the event I filed the edges down.

Be safe, well and funny.

Harris

I knicked a knuckle once, which would have been disastrous if not for a kind lady in the front row who offered me a bandaid. Ever since then, I've carried bandaids in my prop kit just in case!

I have almost cut myself during a performance of it but just missed. I'm sad to say I have not had the same luck when getting the lemon pre-set.

Have to keep that bandaid liquid stuff in your case, I've also heard (this is from the waiter industry) that you can use superglue. Since obviously you don't want your waiter to have a gross bandaid on when they serve you your food, they'll use that...

Best of luck with your alternative handling! Make sure not to cut your customers!

What kind of knife do you use?

A sharp one.

Yeah! Maybe that's the problem.

Being a juggler that uses knives and machetes in the act we get cut sometimes. Hasn't happened in a while but we do keep super glue backstage. It stings for a second but the bleeding stops and the show goes on with out a bloody band aid, or for our english friends, a *** plaster.

Actually, I wonder if it was a dull knife, all that stuff about them being more dangerous and whatnot.

I use a very sharp serrated paring knife which has a nice plastic handle and a rounded-off tip like a regular dinner knife. I got mine from http://www.mingwo.com here in Vancouver.

Since the incident I've been extra vigilant. Hmmm, super glue... 1001 uses... great idea!

If I may be so bold as to offer two suggestions...First, do not hand the knife to a spectator as you mentioned considering in your original post. If you're entertaining for the public, I'm sure you have entertainer's insurance, but handing the spectator a knife like you describe is just asking for it. Second, don't use that kind of knife at all. It's just too risky. You might try a regular dinner knife like the one shown here:



There are small serrations near the tip, but for the most part the knife is dull, which means that you would really have to work at it and go out of your way to cut yourself with it. And yet, it cuts a lemon very easily.

Just a couple of thoughts...

Cheers,


Lance

I always carry bandaids, gauze & tape in my case. (ya never know!) I have not heard of using super glue. I hope I don't have occasion to test the theory, I have super glue w/ me as well so I will try it.

As a chef I will tell you that a dull knife can be more dangerous than a sharp knife. THe reason being that with a sharp knife the slicing motion is enough to cut with. With a dul knife there is a tendency to press hard and that is where the loss of control can happen.

One should endevor to always cut away from one's fingers, etc, if at all possable!.

Fccfp,

You're right, a dull knife can be more dangerous than a sharp one for exactly the reasons you noted. In the case of cutting a lemon open, I've found that the serrations near the tip work excellently at starting the cut in the rind, but from that point forward the blade of the knife serves quite well without a lot of pressure involved. I guess it just depends on what you're cutting.

Cheers,


Lance