Beware the vindictive carboy!

[Bartman]

Either the tension and jealousy among the glass and plastic carboys had gotten the better of one of 'em or I wasn't being gentle enough in rinsing it out, but a 23L glass carboy 'jumped' right out of my hands into the sink and broke into 1,001 pieces. Fortunately, I had emptied its delicious Renaissance Impressions Merlot contents into 31 bottles 1/2 hour earlier, and was cleaning it out and trying to restrain the glass marbles as they came out. My wife came running from the other room asking if I was okay, and I thought it had simply slipped out of my hands, fell about 2-3 inches into the sink and that was it. But on second glance, I had several little spots of blood on my forearm and fingers, like big paper-cuts. The worst was on my forearm with about a 1-2" long, very shallow cut that started bleeding but not too much.

After getting new paper towels out and dabbing the cuts with a tissue, my wife got a look at the cuts and gasped a little. I was quite calm till then, but I had to sit down after seeing the look on her face. My wife, bless her heart, does not deal with cuts and blood very well at all. After a little better cleaning, some antibacterial cream and a couple band-aids, I think I will be fine without any stitches. There might be a bit of a scar, but that will just make me look tough, right?



So, what's the lesson to be learned here? Don't bother cleaning your carboys, just buy new. Or only use plastic carboys. But seriously, I don't know what else to say, but be careful with heavy, breakable objects when your hands are wet. And don't mock or bully your glass carboys - they may just find an opportunity to even the score...

 

[joeswine]

Feelings

MY CONDOLENCE FOR YOUR LOSE I FEEL FOR YOU,BEEN THERE ,DONE THAT ,STILL A LOSE AND COULD BE WORST

 

[Dend78]

glass carboys 1 Bartman 0

 

[Julie]

Ouch!!!! I have handles on my carboys that really help when I am handling them.

 

[JohnT]

Bartman,

Next time you feel one slipping, just let it go and get out of the way.

A lousy 23l carboy is only about $30. A trip to the hospital is far worse!

BTW, do you use those carboy neck handles?

 

[ibglowin]

There are only two types of winemakers.

Those who have broken a glass carboy.....

And those who will.

Welcome to da club!

Glad it wasn't worse.

 

[Runningwolf]

Bart sorry to hear that but happy to see you're ok,considering. Like a few others, I won't own a carboy without the handles on them. When I am cleaning them at the sink, I have one hand on the handles at all time. Give them a try Bart, I think you'll like them.

Dend78, I disagree with you. Bart 1, carboy 0. Bart got all the wine out and bottled before the carboy struck!

 

[Bartman]

JohnT - I wasn't trying to catch it, it just fell. It only dropped a few inches from where I was holding it in the sink, and happened in the blink of an eye.
I don't have or use the carboys handles because I am way too macho to use that sort of 'crutch'. Or I am just stupid. They are frequently one and the same.

 

[ibglowin]

Carboy Handles are worth their weight in gold IMHO. All my boys sport one.

 

[jswordy]

Brew Hauler. Relatively cheap on Amazon, won't break the neck, adjustable and fits almost all sizes.

You got off easy. Those things can slice you to the bone.

 

[Bartman]

Brew Hauler. Relatively cheap on Amazon, won't break the neck, adjustable and fits almost all sizes.

You got off easy. Those things can slice you to the bone.

Ya know, those looked like a pretty good deal to me until I saw someone crush and press 3 gallons of white wine from fresh grapes, load his 3 gal. carboy up in one of those and start walking across the parking lot. CRASH - the glass carboy and his freshly pressed must were all over the concrete - those things are not made for 3 gal carboys!

 

[vacuumpumpman]

Bartman
I feel your pain - I also several years ago was in a hurry and picked up a wet carboy and dropped it and there was blood and juice (6 gallons ) all over the floor. Luckily my son came in and helped me as I almost cut my main artery at my wrist.
I must say since that moment - I have not lifted any full carboys anymore due to the vacuum system, it was that moment I decided to help others so they will not have to go thru what I went thru and any empty carboy gets wiped doen prior to carrying them -even if they have a handle.

 

[Rodnboro]

Hey, we can handle the cuts, blood, and stitches. Just be glad it wasn't full of wine. That would really hurt.

 

[tonyt]

Bart, you need a good lawyer?

 

[Bartman]

Tony, LOL - no, I don't think my 'damages' were all that large monetarily. Besides, it was a 'suicide' mission by the carboy, and I don't think he had a life insurance policy to collect against. His 'brothers' are equally low-income (high-efficiency though...)