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Subject

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Date

02-05-2007

Posted by Rob on February 5, 2007, 9:26 am

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I was doing a little blacksmithing this weekend and I was beating on a
bar uncoiled from an old car spring. Afterward, I noticed numbness in
the hand I was using to hold the bar. I was wearing leather gloves,
but that didn't help. What other precautions should I take to avoid
RSI or whatever?

Thanks for your help,
Rob

Posted by Chilla on February 5, 2007, 10:51 am

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Hi Rob,

I have experienced the first twinges of RSI, but this was in my student
years doing computing, not beating the crap out of a piece of hot metal.

I don't get any pain at all from impact, so can forge until the muscles
bunch up and become too swollen to move. The reason my arms are like
this is due to a side effect from some strength and coordination
exercises I do.

The exercises can be done by yourself, however a partner will give a
better workout.

The equipment :- a sledge hammer handle and something to hit, either a
solid wooden post in the backyard, or a partner similarly equipped with
a sledge hammer handle. It is advisable to get a cricket glove for your
hammer hand if you have a workout partner.

Basically the sledge when striking a solid object will transfer some of
the vibration and impact into your forearm. The first few times your
forearms feel like they're going to explode, however your muscles adapt
and you learn to hit without getting damaged. This means that you can
hit with solid force and be fine.

Sounds like crap, but it worked for me. I could video the exercises if
anyone wanted them.

Regards Charles

Rob wrote:

> I was doing a little blacksmithing this weekend and I was beating on a

> bar uncoiled from an old car spring. Afterward, I noticed numbness in

> the hand I was using to hold the bar. I was wearing leather gloves,

> but that didn't help. What other precautions should I take to avoid

> RSI or whatever?

> Thanks for your help,

> Rob

Posted by Rob on February 5, 2007, 12:14 pm

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> Hi Rob,

> I have experienced the first twinges of RSI, but this was in my student

> years doing computing, not beating the crap out of a piece of hot metal.

> I don't get any pain at all from impact, so can forge until the muscles

> bunch up and become too swollen to move. The reason my arms are like

> this is due to a side effect from some strength and coordination

> exercises I do.

> The exercises can be done by yourself, however a partner will give a

> better workout.

> The equipment :- a sledge hammer handle and something to hit, either a

> solid wooden post in the backyard, or a partner similarly equipped with

> a sledge hammer handle. It is advisable to get a cricket glove for your

> hammer hand if you have a workout partner.

> Basically the sledge when striking a solid object will transfer some of

> the vibration and impact into your forearm. The first few times your

> forearms feel like they're going to explode, however your muscles adapt

> and you learn to hit without getting damaged. This means that you can

> hit with solid force and be fine.

> Sounds like crap, but it worked for me. I could video the exercises if

> anyone wanted them.

> Regards Charles

> Rob wrote:

> > I was doing a little blacksmithing this weekend and I was beating on a

> > bar uncoiled from an old car spring. Afterward, I noticed numbness in

> > the hand I was using to hold the bar. I was wearing leather gloves,

> > but that didn't help. What other precautions should I take to avoid

> > RSI or whatever?

> > Thanks for your help,

> > Rob

Note that the symptoms are in my workholding arm, not my striking
arm. I also wasn't working that long, perhaps 1/2 hour.

Thanks,
Rob

Posted by Todd Rich on February 5, 2007, 1:19 pm

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(snip)

> Note that the symptoms are in my workholding arm, not my striking

> arm. I also wasn't working that long, perhaps 1/2 hour.

> Thanks,

> Rob

One of the things my silversmithing instructor recommended was leather
bicycling gloves with gel-packed palms. It helps absorb the vibrations.
You can get fingerless ones and wear them under regular leather gloves as
well.

Posted by John Husvar on February 7, 2007, 9:55 am

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> (snip)

> > Note that the symptoms are in my workholding arm, not my striking

> > arm. I also wasn't working that long, perhaps 1/2 hour.

> > Thanks,

> > Rob

> One of the things my silversmithing instructor recommended was leather

> bicycling gloves with gel-packed palms. It helps absorb the vibrations.

> You can get fingerless ones and wear them under regular leather gloves as

> well.

I've found soreness in the holding arm more common than in the hammer
arm. Lots of beginners hold the work with a death grip. Since that arm
isn't moving as much, it gets sore then numb. Even the subconscious
apprehension of a flying piece of red hot steel makes them grip harder.

Later, as they develop both hammer and tong control and maybe do some
exercises to work harden the arms and hands, the problem solves itself.
They develop a better feel for how tight a grip is adequate to the task.

Sooner or later, everyone is going to have something slip and fly. It
does take a while to learn just to let a workpiece fly and pick it up
after it lands. Above all, don't try to catch it, even with good gloves
on. :)

A trick some of the folks on theforge have mentioned is to drill a
couple of holes a few inches apart in the hammer handle near the head
and jigsaw a cut between them. I haven't tried that, but it would give
the handle more flex and absorb more shock. I just hold my hammers
lightly but firmly and ease my grip just as the hammer hits the steel.

I guide the hammer more than grab it.

HTH

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