Rule of thumb

As a kid my father always taught me that, when hitting a toll with a hammer, never wrap your thumb around the tool. That way, if you miss hit, the tool is knocked out of the way but it doesn't take your thumb with it. However, I frequently see tradespeople and presenters on TV with their thumbs firmly wrapped around the shaft of the tool or object they are hitting. The same applies with holding tools used with lathes. When supervising a woodwork class, every student held the chisel, gouge etc with their thumb wrapped around the handle. When asked if they had been taught to do it that way they all said it was.

Am I wrong and overcautious in holding a chisel with my thumb on the same side as the palm of my hand or is this just a thing of the past. Or more to the point is it only my father and I who do (did) it this way.

turnignshisels i keep my thumb on top and palm unberneath or vicversa.

you are limited to the angles you can hold a chisel with all fingers on one side.

if you miss you need more practice.:U

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Originally Posted by Wood Worm

As a kid my father always taught me that, when hitting a toll with a hammer, never wrap your thumb around the tool. That way, if you miss hit, the tool is knocked out of the way but it doesn't take your thumb with it. However, I frequently see tradespeople and presenters on TV with their thumbs firmly wrapped around the shaft of the tool or object they are hitting. The same applies with holding tools used with lathes. When supervising a woodwork class, every student held the chisel, gouge etc with their thumb wrapped around the handle. When asked if they had been taught to do it that way they all said it was.
.

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If you hold the tool as you suggest, you actually have the tool locked in your hand, preventing use of a Fulcrum in your hand

Isn't that what an opposable thumb is for?
I've heard of that for holding a steering wheel but not a tool. I can atest though that people around me take a dim view when I'm punching nails and the punch shoots off because of a misstrike and a poor grip:)

Cheers
Michael

Depending on the manner of presentation, it seems more natural to grip the shank with the thumb toward the striking end. Many stone cutters hold it thus too. But if the hammer slips off, it may strike the bony parts of the thumb or fingers. It's generally safer to grip the shank with the thumb away from the striking end. Then when/if the hammer escapes the striking end, it strikes the fleshy part of the palm or thumb, and does less damage. It takes practice to acquire the habit, but it can be accelerated by doing it wrong a few times. BTDT.

Cheers,
Joe

My wood shop teacher always said that the only people that hit chisels with a hammer are stone masons.

A similar thing was taught to me at a chainsaw course with DPI at the Gympie forestry training centre. The left hand which holds the front handle should never have the thumb wrapped around in an opposable position. It should stay with the other four fingers on top of the handle, so in a case of kickback the thumb isn't broken. It was hard to get into the habit, but the instructor was adamant!

Cheers.

When starting an old car with a starting handle you always keep your thumb the same side of the handle as your fingers in case of kick-back, but holding hammers etc this way would surely give you less control over the tool. As mic-d says the oppossable thumb attribute is what created a superior race of ape we now call humans.

The grip used with the thumb on the same side as the fingers, used by masons (as was told to me by an old bricklayer when I was quite young) was called the "Sculptor's Grip" or something very much like that.

This was self preservation for someone using a heavy club hammer on a steel chisel where a slip could render the fingers broken. I still use this grip when using say a steel chisel and heavy hammer, especially if I am wielding a forceful blow.

However for a wood chisel or the like, I have always been taught to use the opposed grip to ensure stability and accuracy. As we all know woodworkers should be caressing the timber as distinct from those steelworker ruffians who like to beat the living daylights out of everything.

Whilst you may get a sore finger out of the opposed grip, if you miss your strike, it will rarely cause a lot of damage other than the clip across the ear if your wife hears your expletives.:o

So horses for courses on this one for me.

It all makes sense now. My father's techniques would have been based on his time in a munitions factory during WW2 manufacturing artillery shell casings and projectiles. Years of belting steel and brass with big hammers.

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Originally Posted by Wood Worm

It all makes sense now. My father's techniques would have been based on his time in a munitions factory during WW2 manufacturing artillery shell casings and projectiles. Years of belting steel and brass with big hammers.

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I reckon its not something that I would be doing in a munitions factory.

But I guess he survived to have you, so he couldn't have had too many mishits onto the detonators.:U:2tsup:

It's OK he wasn't in the filling and arming section. Just in the pressing and turning of the big metal bits.

On the chainsaw grip, what a load of rubbish, I would rather a broken thumb than a chainsaw bar at full revs up my forehead. By the way check out a stihl operators manual if you need convincing
Regards inter

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Originally Posted by InterTD6

On the chainsaw grip, what a load of rubbish, I would rather a broken thumb than a chainsaw bar at full revs up my forehead. By the way check out a stihl operators manual if you need convincing
Regards inter

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Only repeating what the forestry guys were teaching.

On the chainsaw grip

http://www.commerce.wa.gov.au/worksa...Chainsaws.html

6. Safe chainsaw operation

While cutting, always:

• run the chainsaw motor at full revs. This makes the job safer, as there is less chance of pull-in or kick-back;
• position your body to the left of the chainsaw so if it kicks back uncontrollably, it goes over your right shoulder;
• keep a firm grip with your left hand on the front handle, with your thumb securely below the handle. The swivel of your wrist in a kick-back situation will activate the chain brake;

Those guys that instructed you were probably only trainers with no actual experience in the field.
regards inter