Beginner callus/blister on hammer hand

[damienfr6]

I have been looking for specif information about the experienced of blacksmiths who have experienced blisters. I have searched forums on a lot of sites and can't find anything regarding this specific...obstacle. 

 

I've been working at this art for the past 5 months. I have come gotten some nasty blisters. I have gotten a nice callus...that turned into a blister and ripped off a good chunk of my hammer swinger.

 

****I'm not complaining.****

 

it's obvious that it comes with the territory...but I am looking for a way to help, not only myself, but other people who may be in my position; to help them work through this in a manner that will help them find a desired condition of their increasingly important hands. ;)

 

I'm curious what experienced blacksmiths would say about this. I'm guessing the smart thing to do is to work in spurts at first. don't work through the pain and let your hands heal up before you get back to your forge. 

 

Any specific advise to add to this? :)

 

Many thanks to any attention this gets.

[ThomasPowers]

Do you choke up on your handles? That blister isn't anywhere near where I get them.

[Neil Blythin]

In the short-term:
If you're wearin a glove, take it off. If you're bare-handed, try a glove.

When you feel a 'hot spot' starting (before a blister forms), try putting a bandaid on that spot (the fabric ones with the 'strong' adhesive stay on a while longer than others).

Long term: you may need to re-shape your hammer handles, or adjust how you're gripping them.

If your hands sweat, you can try chalk (like climbers use).

[Charles R. Stevens]

Change your grip, the hammer sould lay in the center of your palm (between the muscle for the thumb and the pinkie. Pinch the handle between your thum and index finger ( not to tight on the way down) hold your other fingers progressively looser. When the hammer strikes the work, your palm sould be flat to the ground.
Second, sand off any varnish of the handle. Re shape the handle might be in order, your fingers should come close to touching your palm.
In the mean time, a pice of duct tape (on your palm) will reduce the friction.

[ThorsHammer82]

I wouldn't call myself an experienced Blacksmith, but I've never gotten a blister from hammering. My thoughts would be either use good leather gloves that are properly sized for your hand. it should be snug, not loose. there is a reason there is the saying "it fits like a glove" Costco has decent leather gloves in a 3 pack for like $19 that work great for me for all kinds of work. other than gloves you need to work on how you hold the hammer and how said hammer fits your hand. the location of your blister is odd. that part of my hand never touches the handle at all. Shaping the handle to fit your hand. or just plain making your own handles that are specific to the way you like to hold the hammer would be a place to look. also you may want to adjust how you hold the hammer. if you hold it loose, tighten your grip. If you hold it tight. loosen it.

[damienfr6]

The hammer in this case is the cross pein blacksmith hammer from lowes with the plastic handle. I don't use gloves on my hammer hand. I will try to hold it differently. I have been holding it more and more loosely. I guess I was getting sloppy last night. Great advice! I'll work on them tonight! I hope this post helps more people! can anybody post where you normally get blisters and calluses? :)

[brianbrazealblacksmith]

I usually tell people about pine tar. Put it on your hands to help prevent blisters, and use it on your hands if you get blisters. It will take pain away and help heal wounds faster.

[Charles R. Stevens]

I bet your holding the handle in a closed fist.

[damienfr6]

I am holding it...with my knuckles pointing down at my side...with a closed fist grip. my grip is like a punch...with a hammer in it. :) 

[damienfr6]

I've been watching videos...and yea. I see exactly what grip you are talking about. I appreciate you guys helping. 

[jwilson645]

I am very new too. One tip that I was told of by a destinguished IFI member is to reshape those wooden handles. Grab the hammer and find your sweet spot (where you choke up on it) then chop it off right behind your hand. Most handles are round so take a rasp or a sander and make it more oval, almost rectangle. Then adjust your grip as the poster above suggested. You'll be amazed at how much better that hammer feels in your hand.

[Glenn]

Get rid of the plastic handle. It is generally accepted that wood is the preference for handles.  Use sand paper and remove the lacquer or finish from the handle. Mix half and half mineral spirits and BOILED linseed oil and wipe it on the wooden handle until no more soaks in. That is usually once an hour for a day, twice a day for a week twice a week for a month, and once a month for a year. Wipe off any excess before using, and reapply after use. When it takes no more of the mixture you can apply 2 or 3 times a year.

 

Look at the HOFI hammer holding technique that can also be applied to long handle hammers.

 

Blisters are the bodies way of trying to protect itself from abuse. Figure out the problem and learn a better method.

[Neil Blythin]

Also, perhaps comsider knocking that plastic (fibreglass) handle out and give it a wooden handle - which you can reshape to fit your hand properly.

I've had a few inexpensive hammers from Princess Auto (think Canadian version of Harbor Freight) that came with a fibreglass handle. Knock that handle off, properly 'dress' the hammer head on a belt grinder, and add a new handle and they're actually a halfway decent hammer. They feel worlds different to use than how they came from the store.

... Just a suggestion.

[Frank Turley]

Yes. "Shake hands with the handle" but no death grip. It should be relaxed. Get the right weight for yourself. It'll probably anywhere from 2 to 4 pounds. I don't recommend gloves unless you're shoeing horses outside in the winter time. You want sensitivity to the work.

 

The idea of removing varnish is good, but you can go further. Shape the handle to your hand and thin the 'neck' with a sanding belt or horse rasp. The old timers often finished the wooden surface with a sharp piece of glass or steel scraper. This removes the residual sandpaper "fuzz" and any tiny grits of sand. My preference is to give a final application of ½ linseed oil / ½ turpentine, rubbed in.

 

Sayings and Cornpone

"No sense in holding the wrong end of a baseball bat."

     Frank Turley

[stuarthesmith]

I bet your holding the handle in a closed fist.

you and I agree on many things, including hand positioning and removal of finish oh handles

[Charles R. Stevens]

Yep, I'm right. Look at the picture

[Charles R. Stevens]

Suart, that is high prase, thank you.

Don't go chopping off to much handle. Hold the head in your hand (make a fist around it) and cut the handle at the crease ov your elbow.

As to replacement handles, unless you mail order them its a XXXX to find the right handle ( I used to use claw hammer handles and reshape the square) if you can find appropriate material to split a handle blank out you'll have a better handle, if not by a sledge hammer handle and make three blanks. It isn't as much work as you think, as you need to rework the comersial handles any way and I find they have less wain.

And thank Thomas for this, don't spend all that time wiping the handle with oil, just soak it for a day in 1/2 linsead oil 1/2 thinner (mineral spirits or turpentine) wipe it off and let it dry a day or two. Then install it.

[rockstar.esq]

I've also found that wet hands make it worse.  

[Glenn]

If you think you might like running, you do not go out and buy new shoes and the next day run a marathon as your first run.  

 

It helps to go slow and build up time at the forge. 10 hours the first day will cause many problems as it is a new activity. One hour at a time then come back in the evening or the next day, (yes I know your excited and want to dive right in) will let the body adjust to the new activity. Tools need to be adjusted by the individual using them, so they are comfortable for that individual.

[stuarthesmith]

you must have been hammering blister steel

[Charles R. Stevens]

I get these really knarly calluses on the out side of my pinkies....
... But that's from the driving lines.
Actually I have a very pronounced callus on the side of my index finger proximal and distal of my second joint.
My palms are clear, the pads under my first and second joint on all my fingers are calloused but that's from the post hole digger and tamping bar.

[jmccustomknives]

Never gotten a blister before.  Why?  I always use good gloves.  I've got hammers with 'glass handles, wood handles, long and short.  Personally, I'll take a glove like Tilman's 1415L and slip a cheap cotton jersy glove in.  This does two things, it makes the glove very comfy and warm in the winter/soaks the sweat in the summer. 

Now lets talk about those nasty little burns from seeing eye flux that finds it's way down in the cuff.  Well, it's smithing and your just gonna get burned. :blink:

[Rhettbarnhart]

If you do manual labor you will get blisters.....fact of life dude.As your hands get accustomed to the work you are doing the blisters will get less and less.

[Daniel S]

I've never gotten a blister from a hammering, but definitely from what I was hammering. How often do you work? I know that when I don't hammer for a while my calluses go away. When I was rowing in college, I had some gnarly calluses. I also had sub callus blisters that came off, not pleasant. It's a strange feeling when the palms of your hands are bleeding but you can't stop what you're doing.
Good luck with the blisters going away.

[arkie]

This is a little late in the thread, damien, but looking at the photo it appears that you are resting the outside heel of your hand on the hammer while striking rather than a "handshake" like some have suggested.  Next time at the forge, freeze part ways through your strikes and take note of where the heel of your hand is.  Looks like it's taking the brunt of your rubbing. 

 

Agree with many others, lose the synthetic handles.  Wood is the way.  I have one hammer with a plastic handle and hate it.  Will be re-handleing it.  Love the others with wood.