Ruined my boots. (Pics)

[stihl sawing]

Their old anyway, but were always discussing PPE and hardly ever hear about the feet. This happened the other day while bucking a decent size oak. It was at the end of the day and i was tired and just let the saw hit the end of my boot. I looked to make sure my toes were still there and decided it was time to quit for the day. A lot of accidents happen when you get really tired. So i'm thinking about some caulk boots, Never owned any but have busted my butt many a time slipping on the limbs and trunk especially when it's wet. These pics should be a lesson for anybody to wear good boots and not tennis shoes.

 

[tree md]

Wow, looks like you got lucky! Aslo looks like you were wearing Rocky hunting boots. If so, they are great boots, will last a long time so long as you don't run a saw through them.

I've got a saw kerf in one of my Carolinas from when I got careless a couple of years ago. I also had a heavy limb that was under tension drop on my foot while I was in the tree doing storm damage last year. Dang storm damaged limbs are so unpredictable when they are under tension. Felt like someone slammed my big toe with a sledge hammer. Knocked me off my gaffs and had to be caught by my lanyard. The limb dented the toe of my boot in to where it had my toe pinched. I had to get down, take off my boot and use a small hammer to push the dent out of the toe of the boot from the inside. I didn't take my sock off because I didn't want to see my toe; I had three more trees to climb. I stopped by my folks house that night to check on them as phone and power lines were out everywhere. When I got to my folks house I heated a straightened out paper clip to red hot and ran it through my toenail to relieve the pressure of the blood blister under the nail... As my mother and sister morbidly watched...

 

[stihl sawing]

Ouch, Don't know if i could handle the paper clip.lol Were you wearing a steel toe boot to bend it and keep your toe pinched. Also do you wear caulk boots and do you like them.

 

[Cedarkerf]

Ouch, Don't know if i could handle the paper clip.lol Were you wearing a steel toe boot to bend it and keep your toe pinched. Also do you wear caulk boots and do you like them.

Amount of force required to bend steel toe will shear your toes off. Its an urban legend.

 

[tree md]

Ouch, Don't know if i could handle the paper clip.lol Were you wearing a steel toe boot to bend it and keep your toe pinched. Also do you wear caulk boots and do you like them.

No the boots are not steel toe. My next ones will be though. I'm thinking of getting a pair of West Coast for my next boots. Have read a little about the caulks but don't think they would be a good fit for me. If I am not mistaken the Caulks have spikes on the soles, or so I understand. That wouldn't be good for me. It would damage bark on trees that I am trying to aesthetically preserve. As I understand it caulks are more for loggers and ground workers.

 

[stihl sawing]

Amount of force required to bend steel toe will shear your toes off. Its an urban legend.

Ouch, Need the toes.

No the boots are not steel toe. My next ones will be though. I'm thinking of getting a pair of West Coast for my next boots. Have read a little about the caulks but don't think they would be a good fit for me. If I am not mistaken the Caulks have spikes on the soles, or so I understand. That wouldn't be good for me. It would damage bark on trees that I am trying to aesthetically preserve. As I understand it caulks are more for loggers and ground workers.

I can see where you would not have caulk boots as you climb. I just work on the ground, Too chicken to climb.lol But i do slip a lot on downed limbs and debris. I just wonder if the spikes on the bottom work.

 

[371groundie]

loggin boots

i used to wear red rangers in the woods, good boots, but just rubber boots with steel toes.

now i wear boots with kevlar in them. i havent needed them yet, but had a close call this week. for the $20 difference, its nice to have the added security. much better tread too.

 

[scotclayshooter]

Never used a hot paperclip but i have used a 1mm drill bit with my fingers to do my nails and the GF once She didnt even flinch!
Scraped through with a sharp knife once as well, The relief you get is unbelivable!

 

[yooper]

back when I worked in the woods logging I was topping one day in the winter time with about 4 feet of snow on the ground. I cut through the side of my boot just along the steal toe and got a good nasty cut through the side of my foot which left my big toe hanging on my some skin!its the only and hopefully the last time i will cut my self with the chainsaw! for about 6 months bone splinters would "pop" out the side of my foot. I have no feeling in that area and it gets cold very easily!

 

[Bermie]

That's why I wear European style chainsaw protective boots!
Mine are made by SIP, look like regular leather boots, have a steel toe and kevlar fibres all across the front.

 

[Philbert]

It was at the end of the day and i was tired . . .

Classic preamble to an injury (or near miss).

Glad you are OK - your boots did their part.

Check out this You Tube classic comparing steel toe boots to compost 'hard toe' boots: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pequmgt21Lw

Philbert

 

[buzz sawyer]

When I got to my folks house I heated a straightened out paper clip to red hot and ran it through my toenail to relieve the pressure of the blood blister under the nail... As my mother and sister morbidly watched...

I've done that but won't anymore - opens up the wound for infection. As long as the nail is intact, I ice it and keep elevated. Painful, yes but I think its safer to leave it alone and put up with the pressure for a day. your body will heal it.

Yes, I wear steel toes when I saw.

 

[tree md]

I've done that but won't anymore - opens up the wound for infection. As long as the nail is intact, I ice it and keep elevated. Painful, yes but I think its safer to leave it alone and put up with the pressure for a day. your body will heal it.

Yes, I wear steel toes when I saw.

I have done both. If I can stand the pain and think that I will not completely loose the nail I will leave the nail intact. That's the best way However, when the pain becomes mind numbing to the point of driving me out of my tree I will relieve the pressure with a red hot paper clip or something of the like. Words can't describe the sense of relief I feel when lancing the nail and relieving that pressure. Anyone who has smashed a thumb or finger and lanced the nail knows what I am talking about. Let me tell you a toenail is much more painful than a thumb or fingernail. I usually coat it in triple antibiotic ointment and bandage it up after the surgery...

 

[stihl sawing]

Classic preamble to an injury (or near miss).

Glad you are OK - your boots did their part.

Check out this You Tube classic comparing steel toe boots to compost 'hard toe' boots: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pequmgt21Lw

Philbert

Well that video kinda sums it up. Steel toe for me. Now to find a pair with caulks.

 

[Jumper]

Well that video kinda sums it up. Steel toe for me. Now to find a pair with caulks.

Hoffman makes a couple of models. Not quite sure why anyone would use a saw without wearing steel toes. I have to wear them daily for work, and all the moaning about them not fitting, being cold, I'll get electrocuted or have my toes cut off, blah blah blah is just inviting a needless injury. I do know if you are injured on the job here, you better have been wearing th PPE prescribed by law, and if you aren't kiss any comp coming your direction goodbye. Plain and simple on our job site, if you do not have your PPE (boots, hardhat, gloves, glasses and nomex coveralls with high vis) you go home without pay.

 

[stihl sawing]

Hoffman makes a couple of models. Not quite sure why anyone would use a saw without wearing steel toes. I have to wear them daily for work, and all the moaning about them not fitting, being cold, I'll get electrocuted or have my toes cut off, blah blah blah is just inviting a needless injury. I do know if you are injured on the job here, you better have been wearing th PPE prescribed by law, and if you aren't kiss any comp coming your direction goodbye. Plain and simple on our job site, if you do not have your PPE (boots, hardhat, gloves, glasses and nomex coveralls with high vis) you go home without pay.

I'll check them out, My problem is finding them around here. Don't like to mail order shoes. I like to try them on to make sure they fit. I'll have to dig deeper to find a place that sells caulk boots close around here.

 

[Gologit]

I'll check them out, My problem is finding them around here. Don't like to mail order shoes. I like to try them on to make sure they fit. I'll have to dig deeper to find a place that sells caulk boots close around here.

I've spent a day or two in caulks. Get 'em, you won't be sorry. Bailey's has some that are pretty inexpensive. Why not try them and then if you like wearing caulks you can either stay with them or move up to Wesco, Viberg, Whites, Hoffman, or go whole hog like Slowp and get a pair of Kuliens.
I bought a pair of the Viking rubber boots with caulks from Baileys this winter. They're great if you're in super wet conditons.

I'll bet that once you've worked in caulks you'll never go slick-shod in the woods again.

 

[stihl sawing]

I've spent a day or two in caulks. Get 'em, you won't be sorry. Bailey's has some that are pretty inexpensive. Why not try them and then if you like wearing caulks you can either stay with them or move up to Wesco, Viberg, Whites, Hoffman, or go whole hog like Slowp and get a pair of Kuliens.
I bought a pair of the Viking rubber boots with caulks from Baileys this winter. They're great if you're in super wet conditons.

I'll bet that once you've worked in caulks you'll never go slick-shod in the woods again.

Your probably right, Kinda tired of falling on my azz while cutting up limbs and branches. I've looked at all the sites here and found a few at baileys that made me drool. I have one place here that says they sell them,So i can try them on for the right fit. If they don't have any i probably will try those vikings from baileys. They looked comfortable. I did notice that a few didn't have half sizes as i wear a 10 1/2. Another reason i wanna try em on. Thanks for the names, you did give me some more to look up. All of the boot names i know don't make a caulk boot.

 

[Gologit]

Your probably right, Kinda tired of falling on my azz while cutting up limbs and branches. I've looked at all the sites here and found a few at baileys that made me drool. I have one place here that says they sell them,So i can try them on for the right fit. If they don't have any i probably will try those vikings from baileys. They looked comfortable. I did notice that a few didn't have half sizes as i wear a 10 1/2. Another reason i wanna try em on. Thanks for the names, you did give me some more to look up. All of the boot names i know don't make a caulk boot.

Baileys is also good about returns. If the boots don't fit, call them, ship them back, and your replacements will be there in no time.

And quit falling down!

 

[TreeTopKid]

i used to wear red rangers in the woods, good boots, but just rubber boots with steel toes.

now i wear boots with kevlar in them. i havent needed them yet, but had a close call this week. for the $20 difference, its nice to have the added security. much better tread too.

Class A, B, or C with ballistic fibers are better!