Carving Safety $ Protection

[Merle Rice]

I use Gloves all the time, if I didn't I would have put a # 3 Gouge theu the Center of my Left Hand and that would have ended my Carving. I do not use a Glove when using a Power Tool, a Glove gives a great Object to Grab onto and Serious Injury . I say think Twice before you decide not to use a Glove. Merle

[scotia carver]

I wear a cushioned glove on my left hand not for safety but to help prevent carpel tunnel syndrome, holding small items in the left hand with out the glove for long carving sessions will sure bring on the pain. I buy the gloves at the local dollar store for $3 a pair. If you are looking for safety you should look at filleting glove from walmart.
Bruce

[Nomad]

I think there's a big difference between vet wrap and carver's tape. Carver's tape is much more difficult to slice through and therefore provides much greater safety. I buy mine at the Woodcraft Shop in Iowa.

Wimp Wrap

[DiLeon]

I been on here long enough to see cuts from beginners and other, then they get on here and yell about the equipment. A few stitches for me....is meaningless, tie the darn thing up and go back to work. Right now we have a beginner on here and tons of beginners who read but do not post......I do not think it is wise to tell new people I do not do safety. I do not know about most people but all my accidents where when I was learning......now, I have not made a trip to the doctors in over five years for cuts,....no I do not wear a glove all the time but I know if I am not super careful, what can happen. I say all beginners should wear safety gear then later,... after they are seasoned like everyone else then they can decide. It is noted although the most serious injuries that I have seen been from the people who been doing the wood carving a very long time and one day something happens....like my dad been doing wood work since his mid teens.....50 years later lost three fingers. I get post all the time on face book.......really bad, bad cuts from the tools....that make your stomach flip. No one asked them if they wear safety equipment. What happens we get super comfortable in knowing we will not have an accident, we stop paying attention to what we are doing.....our minds are somewhere else because we have been doing it a long time.....and then the worst happens. Safety is know your tools, knowing the danger they can cause, knowing how the tool causes dangerous things that you can get hurt. And being alert at all times.

[Northwest29]

For me I use a home made thumb guard. A piece of leather shaped around my thumb then wrapped with carvers tape. For me it stays on much better that the commercial one with the elastic on the back. I have used a few leather gloves for the left hand and they work okay, I guess. However, I find, for me, they are too bulky and make things difficult to hold. I would like to kind a glove that is thin enough to allow me to easily hold small carvings and not retain perspiration. So far I haven't come across one. So, the shorter version is I don't wear a glove on my left hand. )-:

[pallin]

I have NOT said "I do not do safety!" I have simply stated some alternate safety rules. The rules work. Gloves do not!

[Spiritwolfe]

I been on here long enough to see cuts from beginners and other, then they get on here and yell about the equipment. A few stitches for me....is meaningless, tie the darn thing up and go back to work. Right now we have a beginner on here and tons of beginners who read but do not post......I do not think it is wise to tell new people I do not do safety. I do not know about most people but all my accidents where when I was learning......now, I have not made a trip to the doctors in over five years for cuts,....no I do not wear a glove all the time but I know if I am not super careful, what can happen. I say all beginners should wear safety gear then later,... after they are seasoned like everyone else then they can decide. It is noted although the most serious injuries that I have seen been from the people who been doing the wood carving a very long time and one day something happens....like my dad been doing wood work since his mid teens.....50 years later lost three fingers. I get post all the time on face book.......really bad, bad cuts from the tools....that make your stomach flip. No one asked them if they wear safety equipment. What happens we get super comfortable in knowing we will not have an accident, we stop paying attention to what we are doing.....our minds are somewhere else because we have been doing it a long time.....and then the worst happens. Safety is know your tools, knowing the danger they can cause, knowing how the tool causes dangerous things that you can get hurt. And being alert at all times.

Hey Dileon,
I'd like to start by thanking you for giving me the "carving safety protocol." It's something that should be mentioned in this discussion so I certainly respect and appreciate the post.... BUT in all fairness here I didn't ask for carving safety protocol. If I wanted that I could google that myself.
My post indicated that I was 'aware' of safety precautions but was open to other alternatives which is EXACTLY the answers I got.
I wasn't looking for a 'right' answer.
I was looking for 'real' answers. Reality often differs from what we 'should' do.
It's easier to give the right answer but takes courage to be honest and tell it like it is.

There is some excellent alternatives and ideas for staying safe while carving that ARE realistic so while I'm going through my learning curves will have these resources to reflect on.
There are some that I can already relate to like 'wearing a glove while power carving could prove MORE dangerous than NOT wearing one.'

I very much appreciated the DIY ideas for thumb guards etc, and the ideas of wearing other more comfortable gloves that might not necessarily , be used for carving , but could work. This is EXACTLY what I was hoping for and I wouldn't change a single word here.

This, right here, is what I like the most about this site . The fact that most of you 'keep it real'.'
There's nothing more infuriating being on a site getting repeatedly lectured about safety precautions from the very members who don't use them and the Internet is FULL of such sites.
It was truly refreshing not getting the typical rehearsed PG version on a topic so controversial . It's very much appreciated.

Nikki

[Michelle]

Since I mentioned VetWrap first, let me say that it works for *me*. Sometimes I use it exclusively and sometimes I cover a thumb guard with it. I was wrong, it seems, in stating it's the same thing as carver's tape, though I've read some bad reviews of that stuff, too. When someone finds the perfect thumb protection please let me know!

[Spiritwolfe]

I have decided since I'm just starting out that I'd like to get used to wearing a glove. The ones I currently have might be more appropriate for protection but they certainly aren't for carving. The wood slips too much which I find dangerous in itself.
Leather does seem like a practical choice. It's breathable and has some grip factor. It seems like the majority of you who wear gloves have chosen leather also.,Thanks again .

[Nomad]

Since I mentioned VetWrap first, let me say that it works for *me*. Sometimes I use it exclusively and sometimes I cover a thumb guard with it. I was wrong, it seems, in stating it's the same thing as carver's tape, though I've read some bad reviews of that stuff, too. When someone finds the perfect thumb protection please let me know!

Michelle, I think the big difference between carver's tape and vet wrap is that carver's tape is impregnated with latex.

[Blinky Bill]

For what it's worth, I save any worn or damaged carving gloves and cut the fingers from them, glue a leather patch in the appropriate place and then use them as thumb guards

Regards
John

[Eddy-Smiles]

I don't care who you are or how long you've been carving. The day will come when Murphy will show up at your carving table. This is my standard advice for all carvers. It's based on lots of experience and multiple trips to the Emergency Room. I wear a soft cotton garden glove under the stainless steel chain link glove for comfort. As we age, some of lose the fat in our hand and it make holding things uncomfortable. The soft cotton glove adds a cushion between the hand and the links of the stainless steel glove with no affect on gripping power or maneuverability. I also add vet wrap around all my leather thumb guards to custom fit them to my thumbs.

[mpounders]

I have decided since I'm just starting out that I'd like to get used to wearing a glove. The ones I currently have might be more appropriate for protection but they certainly aren't for carving. The wood slips too much which I find dangerous in itself.
Leather does seem like a practical choice. It's breathable and has some grip factor. It seems like the majority of you who wear gloves have chosen leather also.,Thanks again .

Think of leather as an extra layer of skin, which it is! It helps when power carving with a big aggressive bit, because it doesn't tangle up with the bit like a cloth or kevlar glove. It just gets chewed up, which hopefully you notice before it gets to regular skin. I like kevlar gloves to protect my holding hand from slices and slips when carving smaller objects. It doesn't protect much against stabs, which can go between the woven material, but there are some brands that have little rubber dots on them that improve your grip. I am currently using a glove (from the carvinggloveguy) that is kevlar with part of a leather glove sewn over the palm. I guess the idea is that leather will offer some protection from minor stabs and cuts with the backup of kevlar. After using it for a bit, I noticed a pattern of areas that the leather was getting sliced on this glove, which was primarily the thumb and base of the thumb. So I have wrapped those areas with vet wrap to protect the leather and add an additional layer to protect my hand. The glove is fairly cool because the back is the woven kevlar. So you might try wrapping certain areas of your gloves if you stick with just regular leather gloves. Paying attention to dangerous cuts is still advised, as I have heard of people cutting their chests, stomachs, legs, and feet from various slips and accidents. You can't protect against everything, but it sure does slow your carving down when you hurt yourself, not to mention getting blood on your carving and tools!

[Tinwood]

Great info Mike and thanks for the link.

Tinwood

[jimp]

I use the glove from The Carving Glove Guy, also. It is comfortable enough, and he is great to do business with!
I used to work in a slaughterhouse and as a meatcutter.
Sharp knives in your hands for MANY hours every day. TRUST ME the BEST way is to get used to a glove. Keep your appendages out of the way and know where that blade is going if (when) a slip happens.
If after carving, there are no nicks in your glove, count yourself lucky. If there are no nicks in it, count yourself VERY lucky!
Jim