Which muscles do you use?

[pallin]

Recently reviewing the threads about carving gloves and cutting oneself, I noticed there seems to be little instruction to beginners about what muscles are used in different forms of carving.

Whittling and small caricatures are typically done by holding the workpiece in your hands and carving with "paring" strokes of a knife toward the thumb. The muscles used should be those of the knife hand, not the arm. One has much more control over the fine muscles of the hand. If you do this type of carving with the arm muscles, there is a greater risk of the knife slipping, and if the stroke is toward yourself, a greater risk of cuts to the body or legs. Chip carving is usually done with the hand muscles.

Most other forms of carving are done with the workpiece secured. If the carving is done with gouges and other hand tools, the cuts are directed away from the carver, and the force applied with the arm muscles or mallet. There some exceptions, of course, such as using drawknives, scorps, or spokeshaves, but most of these keep both hands on the tool.

I can't say much about power carving. Most power carvers have a healthy respect for the dangers of their tools, expecially the guys (and gals) with chain saws.

[Larry Marshall]

I agree that more should be done to teach people proper technique. For myself, I've studied how Gene makes his cuts in his videos and have simply followed his lead. It is probably the case that I will cut myself at one point but as a newbie, thus far (5 simple carvings) I haven't even come close to cutting myself while carving. Proper technique does seem to help the 'ouch factor' considerably.

[Robert Cahill]

Speaking only for myself most of the times I have cut myself is because I didn't take the time to stop and hone my tools.

[Ed Redwine]

Phil: Yes, you're right about the different muscles in these cases you've described but I find I make certain cuts using strength in the upper arm and something within the shoulder itself. I say this because I can feel the shoulder joint under stress. There is some pain and I can feel it "popping" and "grinding". I know I should have something done but for now I just try not to stress the shoulder and upper arm.
Ed