Finger Placement? My current HURTS!!!!

[Dent]

Hello... This sounds like it should be obvious but since I am in some major pain I thought i'd ask...

What is the best finger placement on a pick(southord style) to use?


I currently hold like a pencil, putting first finger and thumb on each side of the tool holding it, and then my 3rd finger rides below perpendicular to the pick down on the shaft near the lock face to provide vertical movement.

However, because the pin is so thin, I get this NASTY looking notch in my third finger from moving the pick up.

It stays there too for many minutes perhaps hours and I feel if this continues I am going to get a nasty callouse there perminatly in that shape....

I switch it up to use my 4th and pinky fingers as the finger that goes on the bottom, but they get indented and hurt too.

This pain takes all the sensitivity out of the finger and just doesn't feel good and that limits my picking sessions and even ability to pick.

I've tried different grips but this feels the most natural and gives the most feedback and control...

I've tried moving the finger from the bottom, but I just can't get any upward force without it.

Also, i'm using light tension, only enough to hold up set pins, and I'm only pressing hard enough to get the pin stack to move, and yet I stil get this huge indentation from picking.

I feel like I should tape a penny or something to my finger to spread out the pressure but now only would that be extremely dorky, but I think I'd lose some sensitivity...


So any thoughts on this?

Is it normal?

How to avoid?

[Romstar]

Put simply, you don't avoid it.

Don't be afraid of a callous either, it won't reduce the sensativity, it will just help to spread it out across your finger.

What you want to do is to take short breaks each time you begin to feel discomfort. Eventually, you will develp a bit tougher skin at that point on your finger. Mine is right at the first knuckle on my second finger.

When I am holding a pick, it is similar to the way I hold a pencil, but I will try to describe it.

The rear of the pick is against the bottom of my index finger, while the index finger itself almost follows the top of the pick, where the tip of my index finger is pushing the top at the junction of the handle and the tang. The first knuckle of my second finger is just under the end of the handle, directly under the tip of my index finger.

My thumb puts holding pressure on the outside center of the handle pushing it against the base of my index finger, and the first knuckle of my second finger.

Come to think of it, it's almost like holding a chop stick.

In any case, just take short breaks, and you won't have as much pain, and the callous you do develop will not be huge and misshapen. Nor will it impead your sensativity.

Romstar

[raimundo]

If you want to modify the southern ordinance hold the pick in a way that feels more natural, so that you are pressing on the wide sides rather than the thin edges, then get two pliers, and put them on the pick shaft about 3eighths of and inch apart and near the handle of the pick, and make a twist on the shaft, so that when the pick is verticle in the keyway, the handle is offset to a more comfortable angle.this might be about 30 to 45 degrees off the pick verticle. Do this to only one pick at first and try it for a while to see how it goes.

[stick]

You could also try just putting some kind of grip along the handle, whether it be the whole handle or just the area that's bugging you. For an easily removable handle that's really comfortable, you can take a Bic pen (important: remove the ink first), and flatten it, so you have a sort of flattened tube. The Bic pen will attempt to return to it's original, round shape, so once you slip it on, it'll tighten itself around your handle. To remove it, if it's too tight, just take a pair of pliers and squeeze the tube, and it'll slide off.

This was raimundo's idea, from quite a while ago, and it works quite well. I've just gotten used to the pain, but it helped at first.

[Dent]

I've thought about that but usually my middle finger slides over the pick trying to keep contact with the plug face, so I'd have to modify my finger, because modifying the pick would case the handle part to go inside the lock which is too tight already.


Do most of you get your second finger up close on the thin part of the pick or do you hold it back farther on the handle(I have the southord handles but I never actually use the handle part).

It seems I cant get as much control without my middle finger right up on the plug face helping to control the tip.

[Vek]

And here I am thinking I was the only one this happened too.

I feel your pain, man. I just got my pick set yesterday, and already the second finger on my right hand is sore in that one spot where it is in contact with the pick. I think I'm just going to follow Romstar's advice and just wait for the callous to develop.

Although it is hard to take short breaks. Too much fun.

[Geek142]

Hey

I dont suffer this problem because i hold my picks close to the way i hold my pen, since i have been using my hold of pen incorrect it has caused a callous to form where my pick rests so i suffer no pain but the top of my thumb sometimes get sore but i just give it a rest and go back to it later.

Geek

[ECG]

Most tool supply shops sell a can of handle gel coating. You can easily dip you pick handles to give them a softer rubberized grip thats easier on your hands. I've done this with several older picks I have and it has made a world of difference.


Regards.
ECG.

[Vek]

That sounds really neat, actually. Does it affect the "feel" of the pick at all? Or at least, have you noticed any "feel" difference?

And how much, approx?

[vector40]

SO's have handles, anyway, sillies. But frankly, it doesn't help all that much; you still can rub your fingers raw.

Think of it like a mark of your trade. If you fired a gun all the time, or swung a blade, or banged a hammer, or hauled sandbags, you'd have similar marks in various places; it's the nature of the activity.

Or just think of it like, you're not doing it fast enough?

[Geek142]

Hey

I found something that worked well to protect your hands. Golf gloves, yep those thin leather golf gloves. I paly golf so i had no trouble getting a glove but i just tried it on and it work like a charm, i could still feel the pins in the lock probaly because they are only thin.

Maybe someone else will give it ago and see if it works well for them, the bad thing about my glove is that it goes on my left and i am right handed when picking so i was a bit akward picking with the other hand

Cya

[digital_blue]

... so I'd have to modify my finger, because modifying the pick would...

Exactly what kind of modifications do you plan to make to your finger, and how long does it take to heal? That's one deticated lockpicker!

db

[omelet]

just think, if lock pickers inbreed for centuries, eventually we will evolve into a super race of pickers. Not only will our hands be suited to holding the picks perfectly, our hands will themselves turn into picks, our eyes will become quite useless, and lp101 will be considered the word of god.

[Geek142]

Wow imagine that, it would be the best, and us pickers would be looked upon as kings and queens (for the lady pickers out there)


Cya

[NKT]

Being that good with your hands? You would be quite the catch if word got round the ladies...