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wrote:
David Lang wrote:

Hi Chris

Having said that the only serious damage I've done to myself with a
power tool was with an angle grinder. Sheer carelessness and nearly
any other sort of tool would have done *far* more damage, as it was
the basic bluntness of an angle grinder wheel meant that I just lost a
bit of thumb.

Mate of mine told me once why 9" angle grinders have two handles. Not so
much so you can hold on, more so you know where both hands are all the time.
I've used this advice (don't let go with either hand till blade stops) ever
since a minor mishap - let the grinder drop to my side where the blade
became tangled in my jogging bottoms, pulled it into my leg whilst still
moving a bit.

Fortunately the joggers slowed it down enough and it only left a scratch on
my leg. Full whack and it would probably have taken it off.

I doubt it actually, angle grinder discs are not particularly good at
cutting into soft things like flesh. If you've ever touched a sanding
disk by mistake it rarely does any serious damage and I suspect a
cutting disc will be similar.

If you touch the side face, possibly.

If you propel the edge of an abrasive disc, at high angular and linear
velocity into some skin/flesh, with a few kilos of weight behind it, I
think the results will be different. IMO.

Bring a diamond blade into the scenario and I reckon things will be
loads worse. IMO.

I have not tried either, and won't be doing so, but a mate of mine in
the building trade told me a story about a mangled jaw that turned my
stomach. Maybe an urban myth ... who knows?

The only reason that the angle grinder did my thumb any serious damage
was because (stop reading at this point if you're squeamish) it caught
my thumb between the guard and the disc. If the guard hadn't been
there I'd have got away with just a scratch.

Is this a subtle suggestion?