How do I avoid sore fingers?

[Hilly]

I don't know why, but I can stitch and stitch and stitch, and my fingers/hands never get sore. It's been that way since day one.

[paris3200]

I stitched a concealed carry gun belt yesterday without having to use anything on my fingers. Last Friday I made another belt and was in pain before I was a quarter way done. Just goes to show if you can stick it out for a week your fingers will toughen up.

Jason

[Shorts]

I use a leather/canvas gardening/work glove that's got leather reinforced palm pads. To supplement that, I glued additional leather pads on the palm and index finger so I can really push on the end of the needle. This also keeps my pinky from getting torn up by the thread like it use to.

There's lots of good options listed above, try em out and see what works for you. Can make all the differnce in the world.

My fingers index finger and thumb get a little swollen/sore from cutting leather with the utility/craft knife (need a head knife) - from the pressure I put on it. I normally sew every other day to give my fingers and neck a break (I need a stitching pony too!)...but a holster a day, usually have two going so I can do a separate part of the project...like molding and dying or cutting stitching to let my bdy rest. Who'd have though this would kick my butt...lifting weights and marathons didn't get me this worn out :D

[Rawhide]

I don't know why, but I can stitch and stitch and stitch, and my fingers/hands never get sore. It's been that way since day one.

Hilly, sounds like either you have callouses already, or you're not pulling tight enough.

Marlon

[Hilly]

Hilly, sounds like either you have callouses already, or you're not pulling tight enough.

Marlon

Marlon, if I pull any tighter than I do, the leather gets all puckered looking along my stitching line. And, no callouses, either. Just really lucky, I guess. Maybe I don't have as much sensation in the pinky fingers, due to past surgery for medial tendonitis. The nerve that supplies feeling to the ring and pinky was giving my trouble, so I had surgery to fix the tendons, and move the nerve a bit. The tendons still hurt, but at least I no longer feel like someone's whacking my funny bone all the time

[Rawhide]

Marlon, if I pull any tighter than I do, the leather gets all puckered looking along my stitching line. And, no callouses, either. Just really lucky, I guess. Maybe I don't have as much sensation in the pinky fingers, due to past surgery for medial tendonitis. The nerve that supplies feeling to the ring and pinky was giving my trouble, so I had surgery to fix the tendons, and move the nerve a bit. The tendons still hurt, but at least I no longer feel like someone's whacking my funny bone all the time

Hilly,

You are indeed a lucky one. When they get sore, whew!!, they get sore. Sounds like you pull tight enough. Just plain lucky.

Marlon

[Hilly]

Hilly,

You are indeed a lucky one. When they get sore, whew!!, they get sore. Sounds like you pull tight enough. Just plain lucky.

Marlon

Sort of a mixed blessing, I suppose.

[Tina]

Well, I try to avoid those callouses for the life of me:-) That tape (green) someone here had a link to looks like the best idea so far. For now I use yellow masking tape, I tried gloves and such but they just "glide around" and make blisters, and That hurts!

//*Tina who tryes to keep the hands soft*

[calanneh]

This is slightly off topic, but I actually tore a muscle in my shoulder from hand sewing two pair of knee-high moc boots in 1 week.....

Doc made me lay off for 4 week b4 I could do any more...lol

cal

[TrooperChuck]

When I first started leatherworking my little fingers would get really sore and cut from tightening the thread. I tried taping them a couple times, but I didn't like it, so I just tried to ignore the pain, and kept stitching (and wincing).

This discussion has made me realize that it's probably been over a year since I last experienced any pain from stitching. It's true, eventually your skin will toughen up. I'm kind of surprised that I never even noticed it until reading these posts.

[Mongo]

I use thin strips of athletic tape on the first joints of my pinky fingers and index fingers. It works very well, much better than the gloves I use to use.

[UKRay]

Is this before you clean your teeth or afterwards, Jim? LOL

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.

[1996strokerkid]

athletic tape on the effected areas

[TexasLady]

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.

7/11/09

Dear Mikeymoto,

Your knife sheath is just beautiful. I hope I'll be able to make something so nice later on. - TexasLady

[CliffFendley]

I cut the index finger and middle finger tips out of a pair of leather gloves.

[rookie]

Sports Tape works for me. The stuff we used in college to tape our ankles.

Justin

[Handstitched]

I now have 'hard' parts of my fingers where I've been hand stitching.

I do on occasions have bandaids on my fingers......but thats mainly from using solvents and spirit dyes drying my hands out.(yeh yeh yeh...I should use moisturiser on my hands)

Once upon a time when I first started handstitching, I used to hit the roof if I pricked myself with an awl or a needle.

Now, when I prick myself , it's now a case of " yeh , whatever"....and carry on.

I think over time our hands just toughen up with use....and perhaps ...abuse.

all the best

HS

[Windom Leather]

When I started and found my fingers getting real sore I used athletic tape and that helped. I got tired of searching the house looking for it after the wife stole it for something. I dont use anything anymore and my hands are fine. If i dont stich for a while I find they start to get sore but work through it, and if they get real sore I use different fingers or different part of the pinky to pull tight. just my 2 cents

[Boertjie]

I noticed that this topic is more than a year old, but here are my two cents worth ..... throw away the balm and the tape! A leather friend of mine shared the templates he uses for fingersleeves for hand stitching. Here it is, in format ready to download and print.

Fingersleevecan30001.pdf

For the lefthand, just flip over the template ( mirror image). Not shown is the wrist strap, but that can be cut to size fit and attached with the appropriate rivets and snaps. Fit to the finger can be adjusted by the stitching line, don't make it too tight. For large hands, scale the template. The indexfinger's sleeve is attached with a snap so it can be removed when not needed. Here is the finished product.

Notice the flap on the sleeve of the littlefinger. This is used to push the needle obviating the need for thimbles and sewing palms. Heavy stitching would need something more robust though.

I finished a pair of these sleeves in under an hour using 3oz suede and it will probably lasts for years to come.

Fingersleevecan30001.pdf

[CEversole]

I think everybody who has ever sewn leather has had this problem. A simple, fast, and cheap way is to buy the white tape that athletes use to tape their wrist, ankles, etc and wrap that around your fingers. Plus that particular tape has a pretty rough surface so it really helps you grip the thread and needle. Hope this helps.

-Cord