How do I avoid sore fingers?

[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.