Maybe I've got too much time on my hands but here goes. Like many forum members (probably) I've sliced my fingers on flints too many times to count. It comes with the territory. But I've never heard anyone talk about blood blisters. I seem to carry around one or two all the time. Occasionally there will be one from frizzen pinch caused by choking back too far with my left hand (never seem to learn) but most come from loading.

Every outing results in at least one bb from the short starter or a palm scrape from the ramrod allowing my hand to brush into the front sight. The short starter is the worst culprit by far. Just can't seem to get my out of the way fast enough as it bottoms out. I'm beginning to think I may just be accident prone or careless. I hope not. Am I alone in bb land? Ouch!

Ouch, indeed. I hate blood blisters but seem to get them only a little less frequently than you. Just the other night i got one while cleaning...

Hanshi, buddy, like you, I seem to be a bit accident prone. But on the specifics of blood blisters, sorry, can't relate. I hardly ever get 'em.

I have several boo-boos but no bb's.

Hanshi, to quote a former president "I feel your pain!". My ramrod extends beyond the muzzle by about 1 1/2 inches. While trying to push a tight-fitting ball and patch down the barrel, I caught my little finger on the ramrod end and took a small chunk out of it! (the finger, not the ramrod!) The resulting language took out more foliage than Agent Orange.

Pvt. Potts,

That's usually how I get mine... While cleaning a tight-fitting cleaning patch the other night I did that same thing... There's usually just enough time between doing that where I forget how much it hurts!

Hanshi, I cannot relate to that. Can honestly say, in 40+ years, that has never happened to me. For short rods stuck, I 'cheat'. I have a small pair of pliers in my bag and grab with that. Other solutions are to put a brass thimble with a threaded hole on the rod and carry a handle to screw into it. Best solution is prevention.

Hmmm, who would have thought the real danger from flintlocks would be before they're fired and after they're fired. I guess you could call them the red, black & blue badges of courage. Truth be told " I don't need no stinking badges"! Cheers, my friends.

Like the commercial said,"Walk it off Snack Fairie" pain is poison leaving your body.And it's to far from your heart to be fatal,HA HA,why do you think you have 8 finger and 2 thumbs!!!!!!!I shoot a capper so I cant relate,forgive me.