Ouchie! Numb thumb.

[fingercuttinbad]

I just started carving about 6 days ago and after 2 days carving my first wood spirit the flat of my thumb went numb! After a 2 day break it has come back thank God. Am I doing something really wrong or does it just take time to condition your wrist to all the stresses it takes? Anyone else had this problem?

Thanks,

Brian

[Claude]

Haven't had the problem, but you may be trying to cut off too much wood at one time, or you're trying to cut a really hard wood. This will radically over-stress the wrist, hand, and finger muscles.

A thin shaving, done often, will remove just as much wood as a deep-cut, muscle-straining single cut. Take a look at Gene Messer's carving videos on YouTube (he's called Whittler0507) - he takes off a lot of little shavings and is only using his hand and wrist muscles.

Another problem you might have is that your knife is not really sharp, so you're having to put excessive pressure on the blade with your thumb. There are many many messages on this forum about how to get your knife sharp. Here's a way to tell if your knife is really sharp:
What am I doing wrong?

Claude

[fingercuttinbad]

Thank you for the info. I think the problem is that I am trying to remove too much at once. The sharpening tutorial was very informative. I may buy a wrist wrap just to add a little more support to my wrist also.

[bigEd_H]

What Claude said. A wrist wrap is a real good idea. I use one all the time when I'm doing a long stint of carving. Another good idea is to take a 5 minute break every once in a while so you don't end up with carpel tunnel problems.

[jmischel]

I had a similar problem when I first started whittling: one of my fingers went numb. And it stayed that way for several weeks. The reason it went numb was because I was using a pocket knife that wasn't especially sharp, and I was holding it with the back of the blade pressing against the finger. A better knife (with a better blade and bigger handle) and some skill in sharpening fixed the problem.

[fingercuttinbad]

Sharpening my tools is the next thing I nead to learn for sure. I have been stopping every 30 minutes to strop my tools but I really can't tell whether or not i'm doing it right. I found out tonight that The Charlotte Wood Carving Club meets less than 5 miles from my house so I'm hoping I can get a lesson or two from some of the people there.

[DiamondWillow]

Also when you can use the off thumb to help push the knife or use it as a fulcrum to rotate the knife on.
Gene

[Marci MN]

Another help might be to wrap your thumb in vet wrap. Just to take the brunt of the narrow edge of your knife away from your thumb pad at least until your hands / thumb get strong enough.

M.

[CarverFromNoWhere]

When I first started my fingers would get tingly like they had fallen a sleep, I tried tape and wraps and guards, they never felt comfortable so I just lived with it and after about two weeks of real steady carving it went away and it has never bothered me again. Other then my foot falling a sleep if I sit on it no carpel tunnel no tennis elbow nothing other then some calluses and a really strong grip.

I have some friend who I carve with who had this as a regular problem, the numb fingers, I spent a bunch of time teaching him to sharpen his knife properly and made him a better knife. I don't think he has had any trouble with it any more.
Carl

[fingercuttinbad]

I went back to carving today and i"m trying to use more shallow strokes and so far i"m doin okay. I did go to Dicks today and picked up a wrist wrap and seems to be helping a bit.