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Noticing more chat about hand pain in our community
Lately, I've seen a lot of bookbinders bringing up sore hands and wrists. It really clicked for me after I did a big leather project and my fingers felt weird. We get so into the details that we ignore how our bodies feel. I've changed how I hold my tools and now I take breaks often. Small adjustments can stop bigger problems. We should talk more about how to stay well while we bind. It's important to keep enjoying this craft without pain.
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oliviaj284d ago
Wait, your fingers felt weird just from one leather project? I mean, I get sore after folding a ton of paper signatures, but leather seems way tougher to work with. I can't imagine how my hands would feel after that.
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jason_stone594d ago
Yeah that "weird finger feeling" is real. I heard a shoemaker say it's about hand strength you don't know you're missing until you work a tough material.
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the_miles4d ago
Leather definitely fights back more than paper. What helped me was learning proper hand positioning for each tool, taking short breaks to stretch, and using thinner leather while building up grip strength. That weird finger feeling went away after maybe three small projects once my hands adapted. Muscle memory kicks in faster than you'd expect.
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