Charles

[Charles J. Lange]

I am a disabled carver. I cannot use a carving glove because I cannot get it on. I could use a mitten, there would be no fingers to deal with. Is a mitten available, any suggestions?

[Ron T]

Hello and welcome, Charles. It's nice to have you here with us.

I, too, am disabled and cannot get a glove on my left (holding) hand because my fingers are curled closed.

You can still carve without a glove but you have to learn to be extremely careful. I've only had one really bad cut and that was from carelessness.

Since you can use a mitten, could you have someone split open the fingers and sew it back open like a mitten.

Good luck. You can pm me if you have any other questions.

[Claude]

Charles:
Welcome to the forum! You might go up to the green bar and click on Search, then put in "carving vice" and you'll see a lot of messages about different vices. Some are extremely simple and inexpensive, and others are not. But the goo thing about them all is the vice holds the wood for you so you can use one or both hands on the chisel and gouge. If using a knife, you can use the other hand to steady the hand holding the knife.

Another option for you would be to do most of your carving as power carving, using a Fordom, WeCheer, Dremel, or one of several other power carving devices. With the appropriate burrs or carbide bits, these can quickly remove lots of wood, or they can delicately smooth a surface like nothing else. The current issue of Woodcarving Illustrated has an article about a disabled carver who only has partial use of his hands, yet carves beautiful waterfowl decoys, using power carving tools. Magazine available in most large bookstores.

Hope this helps,
Claude

[Joy]

What kind of carving do you do? If it is small hand held work then we need to figure out something for you. Maybe cutting the fingers off and wearing only the palm part. Then wrapping the fingers as a solid mit with the vet type wrap. Or shaping a mit from duct tape that you can slip over your fingers.

Many do carve without a glove, but there should be something you can do to give you a little protection.

[Mottles]

Hello Charles, and welcome..don't know if this would work for you or not but how about several wraps of vet tape as a temporary measure.
I use vet tape for a thumb guard and when carving relief's I wrap my fingers on my holding hand. I have a tendency to rub my fingers across the wood while working. The vet tape can be found in most pet and ranch supply stores.
As Joy mentioned there are folks who carve without a glove and thumb guard, it's up to the individual. I use both!
Kathy

[AlArchie]

Sounds like what you are looking for just might be a leather "CHOPPER". Maybe they don't call them that any more...it's a leather mitten that goes on over a wool mitten liner.


Henry's Shoe Repair - Henry's Shop - Moosehide Chopper Mittens - Ely Minnesota - Chopper's Mittens
Al