[BobD]

Nice tutorial Rick! I really like that!!!

Bob

[Ron Davidson]

I have had Rumetoid arthritis for about 15 years. It gave me allot of trouble until I started taking Remicade treatments every 6 weeks. But the doc also says that the excercise gained from using the hands also helps. I had a little problem with Lou's harness handle my hand would cramp up on long walks and I did basically the same as with the knife handles had it built up. it made it more comfortable to grip also. I will have to see if I can get my knife handles built up some too. The harness handle I used vet wrap to build it up.Thanks for the tips.
Ron

[xsailer]

I don't have the artritis problem but I sure do have a muscle problem at outside elbow bone on my forearm. The muscle that attachs to this bone throbs at times mainly because of my tight grip on tools, I think. I've told myself I don't need to grip so tight but as you all know when carving you're not really thinking of anything but the work in front of you. I had hoped I might build up this muscle and the problem would go away but I'm beginning to realize it's not going anywhere unless I change method of carving.

[rick-in-seattle]

Originally Posted by squbrigg

The other way is to whip it like a seaman whips the end of a rope, no drilling. It is done by laying out the beginning of your line along the handle and double it back forming a loop and leaving a small amount to the beginning end of the line sticking outYou wrap the handle tightly and evenly and at the end, slip the leading end of the line through the loop and pull from the end and knot, this pulls the line under the handle and makes your ends invisable.
Bob

Bob,
The problem is that I had a fireman rating, not a seaman.
The only time I got out of the engine room was to stream the minesweeping gear.
I would have enjoyed learning from the old bosun's mate, if I only knew half the ropework that he did.
Rick

[Kenny_S]

I wasn't going to respond to this thread but woke up this morning with hands that did not want to work without hurting. Praise the Lord I am able to take celebrex.Better now and it is time to get out of ebay and here and go do some carving or painting or house work or clean out the garge or my carving area or whatever the little bride orders me to do. After all, Most men would not admit it but they are the boss for sure.


Bob, we used the "whipping technique" in Scouting to keep the ends of ropes from fraying also.. I still have several ropes that were whipped 20 years ago. Still keeping the ends from fraying. We used the waxed leather sewing thread.

[William]

A very sharp blade will make a very big difference in the effort needed and a carving glove will help grip the wood and require less pressure.
I have RA and tend to use my jumbo blade with a large handle the most and using the left thumb on the back of the blade will share the effort with the right hand.

Bill
^v^

[Eddy Smiles]

Bob... See attached photo...just for you! It's from my 43-year old Seaman Navy Training Course Book. I guess if we wanted to get fancy we could also put some "fox and geese" or "cox combing" on the handle. I ended up a QM but spent my first two years on "Deck Force." I've never forgot what I learned and have had many the occasion to use my marlinspike seamanship skills at one time or another over the years.

Rick... Not to hijack this thread but MSO or MSC or both?

[rick-in-seattle]

Eddy,

MSC-209 USS Woodpecker
Until she was decommissioned and sold to the Figi navy.
http://www.navsource.org/archives/11/05209.htm

MSO-438 USS Esteem
http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/Bu...70/mso438.html

These pictures show how old I am.
http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/Bu...smantling.html

[dart]

I have RA and Osteoarthritis. My left elbow hurts most of the time and both wrists have carpal tunnel in them. I have had to limit my carving time. I may start using the flexshaft tools tho I don't like using power tools much. My rheumatologist said to get exercise but don't over use my wrists. I am taking medicine for the arthritis, prednisone, one pill a day. Does not seem to help much if I am carving or using my hands and arms. The arthritis is in my other joints and spine too. Exercise sometimes helps and sometimes it makes it feel worse. But that is probably just in my case. I hear from other folks that exercise helps them a lot. Just depends upon the person with the arthritis I guess.

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

We have some friends that live in Kansas, his hands give him fits there and he rubs WD-40 on them ...when he does, you can't tell he has arthritis! The rest of the time he comes to Arizona and doesn't have a problem. I told my Mom that years ago and she just laughed , thought I was joking......no joke! As with lots of things, some remedies work for some folks, not on others, but I guarantee you I would sacrifice a can of WD-40 to find out! Interesting note about exercise easing the pain, my wife has touches of it and has about quit carving because of it.... Karen has tried the WD-40 and it helps, she also bought some stuff called "Unkers" at Quartzsite at the pow wow and she says it really helps, except she doesn't like the smell....I think it smells good, smells like wintergreen......ok, that will be 75.00 consultation fee