Most of all, remember that the soldering iron is a hot item! The tip temperature

[Downhome Upstate]

Most of all, remember that the soldering iron is a hot item! The tip temperature can approach 800 degrees, and won

[earwaxxer]

I've done that man!

It leaves an nice spot of charred skin though, which is nice. Like a seared piece of meat! Keeps the juices in!

[Paully]

I have been soldering for over 10 years now myself.  Maybe moving up on 15.  Just did that for the first time the other day myself.  It is quite searing and very painful.

[Natural Sound]

Here is one that will make you cringe. 30+ years ago my brother bought a van and converted it into a camper for a cross country trip. I volunteered to install his stereo system for him. When soldering some speaker wires in the door I set my iron on the ground outside. I got side tracked with something else and forgot about the iron being on the ground. I was quickly reminded when I stepped out of the vehicle (summer time - bare feet!) and put my full weight on the iron. I couldn

[Paully]

Oh Goodness!  That is brutal.  I think that beats me dumping boiling water down my side.  That hurt but only lasted a few days of real pain (and its not audio related so it doesn't really count).  Yours is nasty!  That'll learn ya!

[Todd R]

Once upon a time, my son decided to see if the metal in my solder pot was molten or solid.
For some unknown reason, he decided to test this with his finger - all the way up to the second knuckle 
Lucky for him he pulled it out quick enough that there was no damage other than a mild burn.
Just one of those non thinking moments (that I still tease him about).

[andrewuk]

hmmm a good few years ago I was resoldering inside an LS35a (beloved of the BBC) and before I started I knew that I was about to burn my left main finger ssssssssssssssssssss smell of barbecue but the joint was made. Now, 15 years on this finger hurts .... neuralgia on the skin and arthritis deeper in. I'm a fool.

[earwaxxer]

I have one of those type of injuries, on my left pinky, but mine was caused by a bark scorpion. That finger still, after 5yrs, goes numb once in a while. I hate those little bastards! Goes with the territory living in Tucson...

[Downhome Upstate]

In USAF, we were reminded from time-to-time to remove our watches, rings and jewelry before opening our gear up to check or work on it. I forgot that sound advice when I was helping a handicapped buddy with the electrics for the wheelchair lift in his van. The lift runs off of 2 truck batteries, and I forgot to remove my cheap watch. Damned if you can't just about weld with that kind of juice. I can still smell the watch melting into my wrist 30 years later . . . It pitted the stainless steel surround on the Timex.

[earwaxxer]

We have an air force base here in Tucson, you could combine that story with some bark scorpions or diamond back rattlers and weave a pretty hefty yarn!

[Grainger49]

. . . It pitted the stainless steel surround on the Timex.

But did it keep on ticking?

[Downhome Upstate]

. . . It pitted the stainless steel surround on the Timex.

But did it keep on ticking?

Yup. John Cameron Swazey would have been proud.

[grufti]

... Damned if you can't just about weld with that kind of juice ...

You can easily weld with that kind of juice. Search for emergency welding instructions for off-road vehicles. I don't have a link right now, but I remember reading quite a number of accounts ... and that's just with a single battery on a Jeep.

[Armaegis]

Once upon a time, my son decided to see if the metal in my solder pot was molten or solid.
For some unknown reason, he decided to test this with his finger - all the way up to the second knuckle 
Lucky for him he pulled it out quick enough that there was no damage other than a mild burn.
Just one of those non thinking moments (that I still tease him about).

I think there was something like that on mythbusters where they dipped a hot dog into molten aluminum or something. Comes out surprisingly unscathed.