Is there such a thing

[kamagong]

as whittler's thumb? I picked up my first stockman a couple of days ago at Wally World. It's a Buck 373. Birch scales and 440C blades. I convexed and polished the edges last night. This afternoon I started on my first whittling project. After a couple of hours my thumb was killing me. Am I doing something wrong or does my thumb just have to get used to this whole new activity?

 

[Psychopomp]

as whittler's thumb? I picked up my first stockman a couple of days ago at Wally World. It's a Buck 373. Birch scales and 440C blades. I convexed and polished the edges last night. This afternoon I started on my first whittling project. After a couple of hours my thumb was killing me. Am I doing something wrong or does my thumb just have to get used to this whole new activity?

You'll get used to it.

The best example I can give is playing mandolin after years of violin. Neither are comfortable under the fingers at first, but you get used to having that string pushed into the center of your finger tips. I started playing violin when I was 8, at 18 I picked up a mandolin. Now instead of one string in the center, there were two around the center. My fingers throbbed for weeks until I got used to it. Six years later, neither hurt.

The same applies here... you're used to using and holding a knife in a certain way. Now you're doing something different.

Give it some time and when it does start hurting a little, stop and rest.

And be sure to take pictures of your projects and show everyone .

 

[KeithAM]

I don't have the pain, but after many hours of whittling, my left thumb n9ow needs to be "cracked" to bend.

 

[rev_jch]

yes, it goes with the "territory" ...not so bad once you get use to it.

Something that might help, that I do. I whittle with my right hand. I use my left hand thumb to help push the blade thorugh when making deep cuts. Gives me more stability and helps me to make better cuts, and last longer.