I got my old speed six out today and tore ti down for a good inspection/cleaning.  I love the way those thing tear down.  So simple compared to a S&W.  Anyway, I got it all apart, ran a brush and patches through the cylinder and barrel, ran an oil patch through the cylinder and barrel, started lubing up the parts and putting it back together.  Got it all back together and decided to do a little dry firing.  Its a stainless steel 2&3/4" barrel gun I bought in 1982 or 83 to carry in my jacket pocket in the winter time.  I pulled the hammer out when I got it and ground the spur off it with a grinder and then smoothed it down a little with some sandpaper, put it back in the gun and took it shooting.  

Well, after I got it back together today I was cocking it (I usually do this with my right thumb by starting the hammer rearward with the trigger and then catching the hammer face with my right thumb and pulling it back to the cocked position for single action shots.  Never had an issue doing it this way.  Well, today I decide to change my style and start it back with the trigger and then use the left thumb to cock it.  Well, that old hammer came back smoother and quicker than I expected and my left thumb was sliding into position to fnish cocking the hammer when the hammer came on back and "fell" forward.  I didn't realize how sharp the corner of the hammer was till it punched a hole through left front side of my left thumb.  Damn that hurt.  Hurt and bled, too.  Ruined some cleaning patches soaking up blood and wiping it off the other hand till pressure finally stopped the bleeding (course, taking all this coumadin for blood clotts doesn't help either.)

Glad I was practicing the new method while dry firing to see how well it worked first.  And, I'll stick to my old tried and true method for single action shots.  That thing is throbbing right now while I'm typing.

Just goes to show, even old guys can do stupid shit sometimes.  I maintained my 41 year record of never having a negligent discharge by sticking with my habit of checking a gun multiple times to make sure its unloaded/empty before I mess with it (dry fire practice, trouble shooting, cleaning, etc.)

When I first shot a Colt defender that I had purchased, the hammer was sharp as shit and would cut the callous on my thumb.  I took a diamond stone to the edge of the hammer and smoothed the sharp edges.