How do I avoid sore fingers?

[mikeymoto]

I stitch with needles from Tandy, and I use Marlow (or other brand 40 lb. test polyester 3-ply waxed) thread, and I work with holes drilled with a 1/16" bit. I find that the sides of my fingers get very sore, and on some occasions have abraded through, from pulling the stitching tight after each stitch. Is there a glove or something I can wear to keep the thread from digging into my fingers so much as I pull stitches tight?It might be worth mentioning this is when I'm working on knife sheaths. I generally have several (3-6) layers of glued leather to sew together. I like pulling the stitches tight to snug up the sheath.

[Kevin]

Some people use finger cots. Just a sleeve of leather to go on your fingers, I have them for my ring and pinky fingers. Some people cut the ends of the fingers off leather gloves and wear the whole glove. In reality I go 'til I have splits on the top joints of my pinkies and blisters on my ring fingers and your hands toughen up eventually. My right pinky finger is actually curved from pulling thread tight on billets. There is an episode of The Simpsons where Marge is teaching Lisa how to sew and pokes her finger with the needle and it just bends because her fingers have gotten so tough. Kevin

[HorsehairBraider]

Rio Grande (a jeweler's supply place) sells a couple of things that might help. One is leather finger guards. They go on the thumb and forefinger. Another is this stuff called "Alligator skin". It's like tape but only sticks to itself. You wrap it around the fingers that are going to get the worst puishment. These things are intended to protect from heat while polishing jewelry but should work for what you want.

An alternative to Alligator skin is this stuff you can buy called Vetwrap. It's the same stuff, it just comes in wider rolls to be used to hold a bandage on an animal. Since I have horses, I can hardly imagine not having this stuff around, but in case you don't you could try a local vet. I bet they could sell you a roll for a couple of bucks and you could try it out and see if you like it. I think they even sell thinner rolls for use on dogs and cats that would work nicely for wrapping around the fingers. The leather finger guards do a good job too, and you won't have an entire glove on your hand which is nice. You could just cut some fingers off an old glove, and see if you like that method.

[gunfighter48]

When I was hand stitching, I got a pair of cheap leather gloves (soft leather driving style not the heave duty work gloves) and cut the finger tips out of them. That way I had a good grip on the needles but the gloves protected my hands, especially around my little fingers, from pulling the thread tight. Then I got smart and got a sewing machine!!!

John

[mikeymoto]

Great info, thanks folks.

[Hidemechanic]

I made myself a set of finger covers that look like backward archer gloves.GH

[Rawhide]

mikey,

You can make little sleeves for your fingers from scraps of leather & some elastic, but I'm lazy, so I went to Joann Fabric and found some leather quilter's thimbles (I think they call them thimbles). Works like a charm. They are in the quilter's section, made of white leather on one side, and multicolored elastic on the other. Slip them over your pinkies and off you go.

Marlon

[Pip]

try an eskimo thimble for pushing through, fits snug over the thumb you need to get a bit of offcut cut it oval shape about 1cm bigger than your thumb. put your thumb on top with 5mm either side spare leather and draw around top of thumb to 3/4 ish of the length of your nail then cut out the strap, bend back the loop slot over thumb, it is easy to put on and off and cheap to replace. i use a tube on my little finger to stop leather cutting into the knuckle when I pull tight too.

[David]

Mikey,

Please post some photos...I'm dying to see a sheath with 6 layers of leather....that has GOT to be cool

Dave

[Jordan]

bandaids or a sewing machine.hehehe

[mikeymoto]

Please post some photos...I'm dying to see a sheath with 6 layers of leather....that has GOT to be cool

Hi Dave, I don't have any photos showing the thicker sheaths I've made (for heavy use/camp knives), but here's a smallish knife sheath with 5 layers. 6 only if you count a small skived section where the belt loop tucks back in. I apologize for my poor edge slicking.

[steve mason]

When hand sewing cantles I use "high friction guard tape" from lee valley tools. I just put a few wraps of the tape around my fingers, this way I still have my fingertips to work with. here is a link http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=...207&p=31213

[skipj]

Here's a picture of the quilters thimble Rawhide spoke of.

SkipJ

[Rawhide]

THAT'S IT!!!!!!!

Works great.

Good pull skipj.

Marlon

[mikeymoto]

I'll have to make myself one of those leather thimbles. In the meantime I ordered some of the tape Steve mentioned, from Lee Valley. I needed some more sanding belts anyways.

[Bob]

Today while sewing a cantle binding, I tried a pair of latex gloves. They worked great, the best part was the extra grip for pulling needles through. Got them at Costco, 12 bucks for 50 pairs. They're great in the shop for using neatsfoot oil.

[Don101]

LOL its like every think it only hurts the firs time the more you stitch the harder the skin will get and after a bit you wont hurt its like playing a guitar it is murder on the fingers if you dont keep at it, Don

[badLoveLeather]

I use those rubber office thimbles you can get at Office Depot or any office supply. They're cheap and made out of a non marking rubber and they have those little gripper thingys on them. An added plus is when they get all grungy grom workin you can throw them away. I usually wear on on my thumb, index finger and one on my middle finger. Whats even cooler is when my gal gets pissy with me for grabbin her with them!!!

[paris3200]

LOL its like every think it only hurts the firs time the more you stitch the harder the skin will get and after a bit you wont hurt its like playing a guitar it is murder on the fingers if you dont keep at it, Don

I keep telling myself that. I'm hoping that it won't be long before those calluses come in.

Jason

[jimsaddler]

I keep telling myself that. I'm hoping that it won't be long before those calluses come in.

Jason

Hey try Piddling on your fingers at night. (This is aproffesional tip) I was told this whe I started up many years ago and have passed it onto every learner I have taught since (over 1.000) It forms the callouses faster. Just a little word also, use your whole hand to take the strain on the Thread when sewing very heavy items and you'll get better tension, no stitches will show. Thimbles etc only prolong the agony, 8 or 10 days of stitching will harden up your hands. Are you Beeswaxing your threads? Beeswax also helps to condition your Calouses.

Please have a Happy day. Regards Jim.

Edited March 17, 2008 by jimsaddler

[Srigs]

Now that I have a stitching machine my hands are coming back to normal. Golf gloves work well with the finger tips cut off.

I still do some hand stitching on some sub assemblies but does not cause to much problems.

[gunfighter48]

If you have a farm/feed store anywhere around you get some bag balm. The last time I had to get some I found it at a Walgreen's pharmacy. It will make your skin tougher in no time. Back in the day when I worked in sawmills during the winter my hands would crack from the cold, bag balm always heeled them right up. Forgot all about it, my grandmother recommended it to me years ago, works great but smells bad.

John

[David Genadek]

Here is on one thing I have done. I often just by gloves and cut the fingers off too.

David Genadek

[Cora]

I usually just tape my fingers but I am going to give that vet wrap thing a try.

Cora

[paris3200]

8 or 10 days of stitching will harden up your hands

I've been making it a point to at least stitch a foot or two every day. I've been doing that for about a week now and I can notice my fingers toughening up.

Jason