Ouch another black nail damn Lathe.

[Alpha1]

I was just finishing a turning job with some wire wool and a scratch removing paste. My mind wandered for 10 seconds and bang I was dragged back into the real world in a flash.
Spinning chucks and fingers dont mix. Ouch.

[Andy]

Always use a wooden stick to hold the wire wool/ Emery cloth.
I bet you won't do it again

[shoppe]

aye, your lucky.

I used to tell apprentices ( and supposedly some time served fitters) that lathes , milling machines etc are all trying to hurt or kill if you let your guard down even for a second. If it can cut or remove metal, the machine will think nothing of chewing your hands up or body.

This was long before the invention of You tube.

Nowadays I still tell them the above but also get them to look at You tube, especially the REALLY nasty ones.

It seems to have an effect.

Cheers
Shoppe

[Ovenpaa]

Well here is a tip for you. Throw the wire wool away and buy some MicroMesh, it certainly goes to 12000 grit and probably finer. As it is cloth backed, tear off a 3/4" strip, add a suitable lubricant and grip it with a clothes peg. This way if you apply to much pressure instead of feeding your thumb in you simply pull out the end of the MM.

Paraffin as a lubricant on metals works well.

[Alpha1]

I have micromesh.
I was turning acyrlic the paste and wire wool are used to remove scratches during the polishing process. I should of been using buffing wheels really I guess.