[alexose]

As an accident-prone home chef myself, I highly recommend a pair of kevlar "cut gloves" for anything involving a mandolin, peeler, or grater. They're just a few bucks and can save you a lot of tears.

[markc]

Seconded. I also lost a fingertip to a mandoline when slicing potatoes. On Xmas eve, just as guests were arriving. And oh boy did it bleed!

My fingertip took over 3 years to regain full feeling, and it's still slightly flattened compared to the rest of my fingers. (I made the front page of reddit with an animation of the regrowth!)

Since then I bought cut gloves because I'm now semi-phobic about using the damn thing without them.

[ksb]

As somebody who has also lost a chunk of my finger to a mandolin (regrew including print) this thread has convinced me that mandolins are just not worth it.

[vorpalhex]

The warning I give to family members who use my kitchen is "if my mandolin takes your finger, it gets to keep it." That usually discourages them.

In practice, use bear claw technique (you might catch a knuckle but less flesh to lose), and use either a stop or a cut glove.

[throaway46546]

Link to the animation?

[kevinmchugh]

I took the pad of a finger off while drying my mandolin blade after washing it the first time. These gloves are a must whenever the mandolin is out.

(For anyone keeping track in this thread: the sliced portion has feeling, but no finger print, it all looks like scar tissue. The urgent care doc used a gelatin sponge (gelfoam) to stop the bleeding. Dunno if that explains the outcome)