Help needed! Hand problems and stropping

freebird · 07-21-2008, 11:11 PM

Hi Guys,

I'm not sure which is acting up, Neuropathy or Carpal tunnel, but whichever it is, it is giving me fits when trying to strop. Has anyone else on the board encountered this problem? If so, how did you get solve it?

One thing I am curious about, is whether a paddle strop would make it any easier. I do not want to give up my straights, but if I can't figure out a solution, then I may be doomed to return to the land of Double Edges.

Tony

nun2sharp · 07-21-2008, 11:16 PM

Have you tried switching hands for about a week, give the one wrist time to heal and learn the other a new trade. And as I've heard elswhere if you use the other hand it feels like somebody else doing it.

AFDavis11 · 07-21-2008, 11:54 PM

The nice thing about a paddle is that you can use a little more pressure without ill effect. I would doubt though that that would help very much. I would lay the strop on a flat surface, like near the edge of a table, and try that. If that helps, then a paddle is the ticket.

Some things to consider:

Anybody else in the house that could do it? It really does not need to be done prior to every shave.

Would using both hands help? Put the fingers of your other hand on the spine of the razor while stropping. Try that . . . Barney style!

Finally, going out on a ledge, if your really having trouble, put the strop on the edge of the table, put the razor down at one end, hold the razor steady and light; and pull the strop along/under the stationary razor.

thebigspendur · 07-22-2008, 12:28 AM

Even if you stropped 60x once a day that would not be enough to cause problems. I would guess the problem is coming from some other activity and the stropping is just aggravating it.

eggman · 07-22-2008, 01:19 AM

Tony,I too have had the same problem. I worked production work at the factory I work at for about 14 years. My wrists, hands hurt and somwtimes went numb when stropping. I transferred to shipping in Feb. and after the months away from the production lines and tons of ibuprofin I can strop almost pain free now. But I know it will come back just a matter of time.

Eggman

netsurfr · 07-22-2008, 02:10 AM

You might find the paddle strop or a bench strop to work much better for you. You will not need to stretch the strop and there should not be enought pressure required to strop with the stropping hand to cause any problem. HandAmerican makes a nice bench strop that uses Corian as a base with a nice leather for the strop. This leather strop is mounted on corian with leather on the reverse side that can be impregnated with Cromium Oxide. I find it very useful during times when I want to strop while watching TV in the evening.

sensei_kyle · 07-22-2008, 02:25 AM

Get a wrist pad, the nice big foam kind that go next to your computer keyboard. Place your strop on top of that and have a go. Cheap & easy!

freebird · 07-22-2008, 04:36 AM

thanks guys, I appreciate the help. Switching hands isn't an option, unfortunately I have the same condition in both hands (carpal tunnel combined with diabetic neuropathy). It's just recent that my right hand started showing any symptoms. One thing I may try is standing to the side of the strop rather than at the end. Dad might strop it for me,but he's in almost as bad a shape as I am, and Mom has Alzheimer's . If the switching positions in relation to the strop doesn't work, then I'll try the paddle strop with some paste. There has to be a way to beat this.

Dean · 07-22-2008, 11:50 PM

I am kind of in the same boat as I have sort of a gimpy right hand due to work accident. What I do is lay the strop down flat on a bench, then use both hands like you would do if you were honing a razor.

hi_bud_gl · 07-23-2008, 03:34 AM

Hi Freebird.will you be a little presize .Exacrly what is bothering you? our hands innervation is 3 nerves

1 radial.median and ulnar nurves
carpal tunnel is median nerve problem and you should have tingling etc on your thumb,next 2 finger because last 2 finger's innervation is ulnar nurve.
You said you do have DM and it does complicate process.which DM you have i mean i or ii.
would you pm me i will do my best to help.Just have patience.
sorry about my mistakes type etc

Wildtim · 07-23-2008, 03:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by freebird

thanks guys, I appreciate the help. Switching hands isn't an option, unfortunately I have the same condition in both hands (carpal tunnel combined with diabetic neuropathy). It's just recent that my right hand started showing any symptoms. One thing I may try is standing to the side of the strop rather than at the end. Dad might strop it for me,but he's in almost as bad a shape as I am, and Mom has Alzheimer's . If the switching positions in relation to the strop doesn't work, then I'll try the paddle strop with some paste. There has to be a way to beat this.

NO PASTE!! use the paddle just as if it was your hanger.

What exactly is the problem? Pain, weakness?

The paddle could help with pain by allowing you to use varying positions giving your wrist and hands a break.

If you have weakness you might just need to affix a ring onto you strop to make it easier to grip, and perhaps wrap the shank of your razor to make it easier to hold, I'd recommend latex tape.

freebird · 07-23-2008, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wildtim

NO PASTE!! use the paddle just as if it was your hanger.

What exactly is the problem? Pain, weakness?

The paddle could help with pain by allowing you to use varying positions giving your wrist and hands a break.

If you have weakness you might just need to affix a ring onto you strop to make it easier to grip, and perhaps wrap the shank of your razor to make it easier to hold, I'd recommend latex tape.

both pain and weakness...fortunately (?!) my left hand is worse than my right (I'm right handed) but the right hand is getting there.

Shaved this evening without stropping, and I could really tell the difference, the razor seemed to pull some of he whiskers rather than slicing through them. I see Guigi has a paddle stop in the classified section, will see if the finances will allow me to pick that one up. Have an old one in storage, but it would need to be totally rebuilt.

hi_bud_gl · 07-23-2008, 01:53 PM

i need to ask a lot questions but in short way
1st have you ever checked your A1c level what was it?
DM i or DM ii do you have?
Name o f the medication currently are you taking it?
how old are you?
does pain goes away when you rest your arm/
have you dropped any classes etc from your hands
this is minumum i can ask.the best way let mek now your messenger name and what time you can be online or phone number .today is the best day for me i will be at home. i can meet you online.

freebird · 07-23-2008, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hi_bud_gl

i need to ask a lot questions but in short way
1st have you ever checked your A1c level what was it?
DM i or DM ii do you have?
Name o f the medication currently are you taking it?
how old are you?
does pain goes away when you rest your arm/
have you dropped any classes etc from your hands
this is minumum i can ask.the best way let mek now your messenger name and what time you can be online or phone number .today is the best day for me i will be at home. i can meet you online.

Yep,my last A1C was 5.7, but my regular readings are so scattered that they can't get an accurate A1C....the Diabetes Educator called it the shotgun effect. Currently I'm on an insulin pump using Novolog or Humalog (Same med, different manufacturers). Not entirely, my right arm does get better, but the left the fingertips stay numb. The left fingers being numb was the reason I was tested for Neuropathy and carpal tunnel. No, so far I haven't dropped anything, if I start dropping things, I'll go to a safety razor, rather drop one of those than my straights.

matt321 · 07-24-2008, 12:22 AM

My wife had carpal tunnel in both hands. She had numbness and fairly severe discomfort at night so she couldn't sleep well. She had arthroscopic day-surgery for the carpal tunnel last week. The pain and numbness problems were cured immediately.

freebird · 07-24-2008, 12:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by matt321

My wife had carpal tunnel in both hands. She had numbness and fairly severe discomfort at night so she couldn't sleep well. She had arthroscopic day-surgery for the carpal tunnel last week. The pain and numbness problems were cured immediately.

That's good news.I've got neuropaty in conjunction with carpal tunnel. Am supposed to go visit a hand specialist, but withou medical insurance (and income) it's rather difficult to add yet another medical bill to the already growing stack. At least there is light at the end o fthe tunnel!