[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.