Carving Safety $ Protection

[Spiritwolfe]

Carving Safety $ Protection


Normally I dislike wearing gloves but realize this isn't sensible with this hobby.

Is there such a thing as a comfortable Carving Glove?

Can I just make myself a thumb guard for carving towards me?

There are a few things to get besides good knifes.

What do you carvers use and why?

[Michelle]

I use a leather palmed glove from the CarvingGloveGuy.com. http://www.thecarvinggloveguy.com/im...mg=KLGLOVE-LHS Once you get used to wearing it you'll feel naked without it. I have been thankful I've had it on a couple of times when I wasn't careful enough with where my fingers (thumb mostly) were placed. I also wear a RH thumb guard. I've tried various things for the right thumb, but mostly use vet wrap.

I learned early not to carve without the glove, but I walked by my bench a few days ago and picked up my WIP. Then I picked up the knife. No glove. One guess what happened....

[Spiritwolfe]

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I use a leather palmed glove from the CarvingGloveGuy.com. http://www.thecarvinggloveguy.com/im...mg=KLGLOVE-LHS Once you get used to wearing it you'll feel naked without it. I have been thankful I've had it on a couple of times when I wasn't careful enough with where my fingers (thumb mostly) were placed. I also wear a RH thumb guard. I've tried various things for the right thumb, but mostly use vet wrap.

I learned early not to carve without the glove, but I walked by my bench a few days ago and picked up my WIP. Then I picked up the knife. No glove. One guess what happened....

Thanks Michelle. So you wear the leather glove on your left hand while holding the wood and the. wear a thumb guard on your right thumb for when you are carving towards you?

I have a pair of steel woven fabric which are actually quite comfortable but my hand does sweat after a while but that's probably to be expected.
I 'm not sure how well these work but I'm sure someday I'll find out.

[Michelle]

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Thanks Michelle. So you wear the leather glove on your left hand while holding the wood and the. wear a thumb guard on your right thumb for when you are carving towards you?

Correct. The biggest annoyance for me is the glove picking up wood chips from the bench. I've had to throw out two gloves over the years where I sliced clean through the thumbs, but thankfully, no cuts to me. I've never tried the steel gloves, but folks have discussed them here, so maybe someone else can weigh in.

[Spiritwolfe]

Correct. The biggest annoyance for me is the glove picking up wood chips from the bench. I've had to throw out two gloves over the years where I sliced clean through the thumbs, but thankfully, no cuts to me. I've never tried the steel gloves, but folks have discussed them here, so maybe someone else can weigh in.

Yes the dreaded wood chips. Do you use an exhaust fan and I mask?
I' do only used this briefly for manual carving but I can just imagine how dirty it gets while power carving.

Does the leather glove make your handy sweaty?

[Michelle]

I don't use power so no dust collection, fans, or masks. I've never noticed my hand getting hot, but I'll pay better attention the next time I wear it and let you know. The back of the glove has more of a cloth mesh fabric so maybe the heat escapes a bit. (?)

[DiLeon]

One thing a leather glove is good for carving power tools but they will not stop a sharp knife or chisel from cutting through. How do I know, I cut myself pretty bad and then could not get the glove off and had to cut it also. That one was a trip to ER to get sewn up. Steel gloves are ok, but then again I know people who have gotten a stab wound ....it will not stop that kind of wound. But they stop most cuts......there are carving gloves of all kinds.....but they do not 100 percent stop a hard fast cut from a sharp tool. But they do help a great deal.....after a few trips to the doctors to get stitches....they are worth using major. But you still have to be careful when carving. What do I use when using a knife or chisel.....actually I use a leather garden glove wrap in special tape that stops ....somewhat.... the knife from cutting through....comfortable....no ....you will get used to them. Anything is better then loosing a few weeks or longer til stitches heal up. This is finger guard tape from Smokey Mountain Supply.....I know a lot of different carvers wrap it around the different carving gloves thumb and index finger. tape.jpg

[DiLeon]

Mask are must if you are sanding or using any kind of power tools. Safety glasses are must if your chips are flying or there is dust. Do not carve on your lap unless you have a lap board and that can be made.....what I did not know is that you can cut a major artery in your leg, and pow your dead. So watch for those legs. Safety is do not not carve when you are exhausted, sleepy. or upset.....this is when you make major mistakes. Safety is do not catch a falling tool....it will go right into your hand, your foot or what ever it hits.....I know to many people who have done this one and stitches time. Always have a mini first aid kit for bleeding and wounds, have glaze to stop the bleeding and some tape, then some good band aids, I use them to stop bleeding also.

[Spiritwolfe]

One thing a leather glove is good for carving power tools but they will not stop a sharp knife or chisel from cutting through. How do I know, I cut myself pretty bad and then could not get the glove off and had to cut it also. That one was a trip to ER to get sewn up. Steel gloves are ok, but then again I know people who have gotten a stab wound ....it will not stop that kind of wound. But they stop most cuts......there are carving gloves of all kinds.....but they do not 100 percent stop a hard fast cut from a sharp tool. But they do help a great deal.....after a few trips to the doctors to get stitches....they are worth using major. But you still have to be careful when carving. What do I use when using a knife or chisel.....actually I use a leather garden glove wrap in special tape that stops ....somewhat.... the knife from cutting through....comfortable....no ....you will get used to them. Anything is better then loosing a few weeks or longer til stitches heal up. This is finger guard tape from Smokey Mountain Supply.....I know a lot of different carvers wrap it around the different carving gloves thumb and index finger. [ATTACH=CONFIG]n1090154[/ATTACH]

Oh Thank you Dileon,
That finger guard tape is EXACTLY the info I was looking for.

[Michelle]

You can find the tape at places like Tractor Supply, too. I think I got mine on Amazon.

[Brian T]

If pressed, I can think of 10 reasons that I wear gloves for carving and, safety is NOT on my list. I rarely carve with chisels. Either gouges or crooked knives or adzes.

[pallin]

I am one of the mavericks that doesn't wear a glove. The rules I follow: 1) Never hold the piece you're carving in one hand. 2) Always know where your cutting tool is going.

[Steve Reed]

pallin, I'm the same way, been carving so long without a glove that I just can't get used to it. Good rules to follow! I will say that for my beginners classes at the store, glove use is mandatory, from a liability standpoint. Yes you can still get poked/stabbed with most gloves, so the rules still apply!

[Brian T]

Top of my list is my cold shop. The steel of a gouge just sucks the last of the heat out of my hands.
But, I'm convinced that it's not much more than what you get used to. Slivers, vibration, hand grime,
the list goes on.

I see many styles of carving here in WCI which really do require talent, experience and safety.
Gloves and tapes. Was not somebody using the bowls of plastic spoons as thumb protectors?

[Bob K.]

I don't use a carving glove...never have...I learned 50 years ago to keep my fingers out of the way. And yes, I find them cumbersome and uncomfortable to wear. But I think if I was just starting out today I would probably use one. No glove gives 100% protection...especially from stab wounds from a gouge. I suggest finding a glove that you are comfortable with and you will get used to wearing it in a short amount of time. As far as your hand sweating, you might try putting some powder (baby powder) on your hand before putting on the glove...it may help. For my carving thumb I like to use the vet wrap that has been mentioned already...and by the way, that's not fool proof either. Several times I have sliced right through the tape and into my finger...95% of the time though I'm fine. There are also several types of commercial thumb guards out there. I like to use the leather ones I get from MDI Woodcarvers (http://www.mdiwoodcarvers.com/). They also carry the vet wrap tape and a nice kevlar reinforced carving glove that I see a lot of carvers using.