By BILL NOVAK | The Capital Times | [email protected] | Posted: Wednesday, March 10, 2010 6:45 am | (2) Comments
Madison-based Fiskars Brands Inc. is recalling more than 150,000 machetes because the double-edged cutting tool has caused hand lacerations.
About 149,000 Gerber Gator and 6,000 Gator Jr. machetes are included in the recall, according to a release from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Gerber Legendary Blades, based in Portland, Ore., is a division of Fiskars.
According to the release, the machete has a saw edge on one side and a knife edge on the other side, and users have reported injuries when the saw edge sticks in wood, causing the user's hand to slide forward onto the knife edge.
Gerber received five reports of users lacerating their hands, all of which resulted in stitches for the injured person, the release said.
The company redesigned the handle to include an extended hand guard, so those products with the redesign are not included in the recall.
The machetes were sold at retail stores nationwide and online from March 2007 to February 2010.
Gerber is replacing the recalled machetes with new ones at no charge.
For more information, contact Gerber, 877-314-9130, from 9-5 Pacific time (11-7 Central time) Monday through Friday, or go online here.
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