[whitecree]

What with the grandson being underfoot so much lately - and his grampa smilling and enjoying every minute of it - I haven't been able to lay my hand on a knife to carve for quite some time. No big deal, when I take a break from carving, I find I am more enthusiastic than ever, and my technique generally imroves as well.

So, with some anticipation yesterday - with grandson and daughter out the door for a couple of days - I ran downstairs and into the shop, sat down, picked up my favourite knife in one hand, a long neglected project in the other, and started making woodchips.

Not even five minutes in, my left arm is in agony. Huge heaps of lightning bolts thundering up from my wrist to elbow and back down. My left arm from elbow to wrist cramps up and my hand turns into a claw. I actually had to pry the wood out of my left hand with my right.

Off to the doc I go. I didn;'t know what the heck this was, maybe some weird sort of heart attack pain?

No, it isn't that.
(ya gotta have a heart in order to have a heart attack )
Tennis elbow.

?!?!?!?!

I've never played tennis in my life! And I barely use my left arm, it serves mostly as a general purpose clamp, than anything. But there it is.

The cure? Wear a brace and don't use that arm for anything. This includes carving, since how the heck do I hold a piece, or give my right hand a little extra steadying, without using my left hand/arm?

So, now it appears I won;t be carving for a while. Maybe a few months. (sob)

Poor me.

[Kenny_S]

Sorry to hear of your misfortune WC. One thing is for sure, we know you have a heart, the way you post about your Grandson. Eh?

Hey bud, ya ever hear about clamping the piece??????????May find you like it that way.

Heal up soon WC!

[slivers&dust]

Sorry to hear that.

Can you mount your piece in a vise or some other fixture to give your "general purpose clamp" (arm) time off yet still carve?

[wood-whittler]

whitecree,

sorry to hear about your tennis elbow, i would go stir crazy if i could not carve i may have to cheat a little.and carve

bart

p.s hope your arm heals quickly.

[Just Carving]

Whitecree,

It's not necessarily anything strenuous that you did. I got tendonitis in my right elbow a couple of Summers ago from a combination of shaking out heavy wet grass from the grass catcher from the lawn mower at home, and having cold air from the air conditioner blowing down on my right elbow while working in a damp office. You cause a little strain and then something causes that strain to become inflamed. At first, I tried using ice on the arm, and that really aggravated it. So, I switched to moist heat and that helped a lot. I tried to keep the brace on for a while but it was more irritating than helpful. I just kept the cold air off it at work by wearing long sleeves (the AC vent is in the ceiling right above my arm when I sit at my desk using the computer for 8 hours). Then I massaged the elbow (on the upper arm side just above the "bump" on the outside of the elbow when it's straight) when it stiffened up from lack of significant movement and too much repetitive limited movement like using the computer mouse for too long. I used light to moderate range of motion exercises to keep it from stiffening up. It took a couple of months before the exercises finally worked out the tendonitis. Hang in there, it'll go away eventually.

If you want to try this for carving small projects--clamp a 1x4 or 1x6 (use a bigger and heavier board for bigger carving pieces) securely to a bench so it hangs off your bench by about 18 inches or so. Lay the carving on top of the board (putting a groove in the center of the board helps sometimes depending on what you're carving). Take a loop of rope and drape it over your carving so it hangs about 6 or so inches off the floor. Put your foot in the loop and let the weigh of your foot and leg pull the rope tight and downward against the carving against the 1x6. This frees up your "vise" hand, and you can still carve. It's a little different than holding the carving with your hand but it doesn't take too long to get used to. And it's easy to reposition your wood while carving--at least easier than unclamping and clamping a vise or clamp.

[Colin_Partridge]

Whitecree,
Been there done that. Buddy dont worry it isnt your heart. I was doing a large tree carving and I had spent a couple of days putting the detail in with a mallet and chisel. The same thing happened I couldnt let go of the mallet. I had to pry it from my hand. I thought I was having a stroke so I went to the hospital. Nothing more than over use and the tendons cramping up. Now when it happens I just massage it and quit carving for the day and I find it is fine.
Colin

[squbrigg]

Ah geez Whitecree......... you going to let a little thing like that slow you down??? LOL Stick a chunk of wood in a vice and hack away!!! You'll manage!

Or start walking with a camera in your one good hand, and snap some pictures of all those critters we hear about but never see.....eagles, bears, wolves, ...! Give you lots to carve when you're back fit and able to hold a gouge again.

Get well soon.

Bob

[Ron Davidson]

Sorry to hear about your misfortune Whitecree. I hope it heals up sooner than expected. Like Bob said it might be a good time to look for ideas when you can carve again. Good luck!
Ron

[jillsy]

Whitecree,

I know the pain of being in pain while trying to carve! If you really want to, you might just say "To heck with it" and carve anyway. Prescription strength Motrin really helps (just take 4 normal strength pills).

If it's gonna hurt anyway, I say - Carve thru the pain!

Jillsy

[Nancy_G]

Whitecree -- that's really too bad. I hope that ends very soon.
The problem has happened as such a busy time of year .... is that a plus?