Thread: Hand cramping

Gents,



I have an AOS shaving brush that I've been using exclusively since Christmas, when I started on this adventure. During a recent shaving session as I was building up a nice batch of lather from Da Bomb, I realized that my hand cramps up across the palm, near my little finger, and even into the wrist and forearm if I swirl the lather for any length of time (much past 30 seconds, I start to feel it).

It occurred to me that a bigger-handled brush might work better for me since this one really does feel small in my hand.

Do any of you have similar experiences, and if so what did you do to get around it? Any brushes or grips or techniques that you'd recommend? Thanks!

I think the problem here is on your end, not the brush. Tension is often the culprit in this sort of thing, so make sure that you are holding the brush no tighter than you need to to keep it in your hand, (this is much less pressure than most imagine!) and use no more energy to move your arm than necessary. Most people will clench all the muscles down their arm when they try to make a fast whipping motion, but this is the exact opposite of what needs to happen in order to move quickly and avoid injuries.

Hope this helps.

(If it does, don't tell anyone until AFTER you use it as an excuse to buy a Thäter!)

I totally agree with Ben, I reckon this is due to you tensing up whilst making an unfamiliar movement.

I find the same thing with new guys when they start playing guitar. If you get them to pick fast or trill, or anything else that requires a controlled repetitive movement they always tense up and it takes a real effort to not do that. I imagine the same thing is happening with you when you are making your lather.

Try to keep your muscles as relaxed as possible and see how you go..!

Does this happen with both hands? Just curious.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Does this happen with both hands? Just curious.

Nope. I hold the bowl or mug in my left hand and the brush in my right. I haven't tried it the other way 'round.

I agree with the others, but I do have a deeper bowl that will cause me to flatten my fingers on the brush handle thus tensing the muscles in my hand and forearm. I have since turned a longer handled brush which helped that. I am not saying that this is what is happening to you, but you may want to keep it in mind.

And lets face it there is never the need for an excuse to purchase a new brush.

You may be beginning to have a carpal tunnel issue. Try bending (arcing) your wrist a bit and see what happens. You may be dehydrated. Try drinking a glass or two of water early in the AM. I may not know what I'm talking about.

I have two Shavemac DO1 brushes that I use. One brush is a 3 band with a 50mm loft and 52mm handle height and the other brush is a 2 band brush with a 44mm loft and a 47mm handle height. The 2 band brush is 11mm shorter than the 3 band. Both brushes have the same 38mm handle diameter.

When I use my Georgetown scuttle to make lather with the 3 band brush my fingers are above the scuttle's rim and I use the entire interior of the bowl to make my lather without hitting my hand or the brush handle against the side of the scuttle.

When I use the 2 band brush with the scuttle, my fingers are below the rim and I find that I only use the lower part of the bowl so I don't hit the side of the scuttle with my hand or the brush handle. This causes my swirls to be a lot tighter and I find that I have a little more tension in my hand while holding the brush and trying to reach into the bowl. My hand does not cramp, but I do notice a difference between the two brushes and I find the longer 3 band brush is a better match for my scuttle.

If you are currently using a deep lather bowl or mug with your short brush, you may want to try a shallow lather bowl with a wide mouth to see if it makes any difference.

Originally Posted by Wortmanb

Nope. I hold the bowl or mug in my left hand and the brush in my right. I haven't tried it the other way 'round.

I'd try switching hands. That'll be diagnostic in the sense that if it happens in your left hand it shows that you're tensing up. Switching hands will take some pressure off the right hand. You could also do a pre-shave stretch by placing your hand flat on the counter-top and pressing on it. You could also straighten the fingers of your right hand and gently pull them back with your left hand.

If you're looking for an excuse to buy a new brush, that's just a case of Brush Acquisition Disorder. There is only one cure for that: buy a new brush, then another, then..............