Any tricks to reduce/prevent hand pain?

[ltdbjd]

All good responses. Putting the cylinder in a vice and just working the pick & bar can also help. I find holding the cylinder while picking can cause some stiffness. I had the same issue when I first started from doing a lot of shimming until I built up the endurance.

Out of everything posted, I think this is the gem:

I would also like to add that stopping and periodically stretching your hands once you have them warmed up will help with recovery and stamina.

[Emma]

I just got my first picks today and I'm picking a Master Lock no. 3 quite well already. I have something else to add to helping with the discomfort of building endurance while working with the locks for extended periods of time.

My other suggestion is more of a dexterity building exercise.

After you notice some fatigue building in your pick hand, like I had happen tonight.

Switch hands. I'm right handed so I started off holding the lock with the tension wrench in my left hand. I noticed the fatigue first in my left hand and switched up my grip so that I was feeling the tension with my index finger after I worked with my thumb.

Then I switched hands completely. Feeling the tension with my right thumb and picking with my left hand.

I think that will not only help with newb discomfort with building a tolerance and your endurance with the muscles you're not used to using extensively.

This I know will work with padlocks, and I'm sure you can do this with others.

Working with the sensitivity in both hands so you can feel what is going on can't be a bad thing.

[OrMeanGene]

Soak your hands for 6 hours in Dettol. You won't feel a thing.

Stallone says horse piss helps too.

[tpark]

All good responses. Putting the cylinder in a vice and just working the pick & bar can also help. I find holding the cylinder while picking can cause some stiffness. I had the same issue when I first started from doing a lot of shimming until I built up the endurance.

Out of everything posted, I think this is the gem:

I would also like to add that stopping and periodically stretching your hands once you have them warmed up will help with recovery and stamina.

The vice really does help for opening locks. Holding the pick correctly helps reduce hand stress too. If what you're doing isn't working, take a short break and try a different pick/wrench.

[dshel]

haven't tried this yet, but maybe you could try compression gloves. they market them for arthritis, carpal tunnel and for needle-hobbyists (people who sew, embroider, etc). that last group sounds like they use the same muscle groups as picking, so they may help.

[Razor2016]

I have had the cramping issue for years and when I discussed it with my doctor he had a simple solution, drink a half a glass of "Tonic Water" each day, the quinine used to give it its flavour also prevents cramps. Now I drink it cramps are gone. I was amazed.

Ray

[Silverado]

When I was younger my grandmother gave me some stuff for an awful neck pin in as having. I want to say it was called liniment oil but I've not been able to find it anywhere. It was great though. Tiger Balm works wonders though!

[GWiens2001]

When I was younger my grandmother gave me some stuff for an awful neck pin in as having. I want to say it was called liniment oil but I've not been able to find it anywhere. It was great though. Tiger Balm works wonders though!

You can find liniment oil in animal care supply stores. Some 'herbalist' shops will sell it as well. Used to use it on horses back when I worked a cattle ranch. Think our liniment oil recipe came from an old book called "Henley's Formulas"

Gordon

[billdeserthills]

When I was younger my grandmother gave me some stuff for an awful neck pin in as having. I want to say it was called liniment oil but I've not been able to find it anywhere. It was great though. Tiger Balm works wonders though!

When I was younger I had an awful stomach ache, and my mom pulled out a bottle of paragoric-
you sure can't beat opiates for their ability to kill pain