Seems like everytime I am running a plane along an edge, the finger gets sore....
Thumb gets a cramp, from hanging onto the edge of the plane for dear life.
Maybe I should stop using that finger as a fence?
Seems like everytime I am running a plane along an edge, the finger gets sore....
Thumb gets a cramp, from hanging onto the edge of the plane for dear life.
Maybe I should stop using that finger as a fence?
I have a bad habit of letting a finger drag on my water stones. On more than one occasion, this has resulted in abrading away the surface layer of skin, exposing the capillaries. I don't notice this until the water begins to take on a pinkish hue.
Jeremy.
Do you loop the thumb around the knob? When I plane as you're describing, I loop my thumb around the knob, and it doesn't get much pressure. But maybe I don't use the technique as intensively as you do.
Afraid my thumb won't quite reach the knob.....short thumb/big plane?
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
- Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
I read in a lot of sources that people let their fingers drag along the work under the plane, as a fence or guide. That works OK on small, smooth stock, but when you are jointing long pieces of rough lumber the friction and slivers get to be too much. I have learned that I need to keep the plane square to the face without dragging any body parts on the reference surface.
LongJointing.jpg
Wood Hoarder, Blade Sharpener, and Occasional Tool User
My fingers naturally migrate away from compromising positions such as the bottom of a plane. My fingers dislike me for my use and abuse of them when I carve with knives, they dislike my carving knives too, so they've learned to protect themselves. I once woke up to my left hand stretched across my neck, I don't know if it was just me still being half asleep or because my hand was numb from laying on it. But I truly believed I was on the verge of a possible choking. I can't trust my hands. Like I said, it's almost instinct keep them away from there. Instead of use them as a fence, I clamp a straight-edged board section at the desired distance away from the edge of the board I'm planing. In Steven's case, I can recommend nothing aside from maybe, take it easy with the plane man!
I was once a woodworker, I still am I'm just saying that I once was.
Chop your own wood, it will warm you twice. -Henry Ford