I have a terrible, terrible tendency to hurt myself while filing something. I usually file down not only the piece I'm working on, but a bit of my fingers as well. So I started to look for something that would protect my hands during those kinds of activities ( because, clearly, paying more attention to what I am doing works only until I get bored to death by something so repetitive as filing, and my mind starts to wander, and... I end up with a scratch again. I remembered reading somewhere ( I think it was etsy metal blog? But I'm not sure, it was, if I'm not mistaken, about 2 years ago. Maybe 1.5. ) about alligator skin finger protection tape. I looked for it, found it, and bought it to try it out (kind of veni, vidi, vici sequence I did there ;P So... quaeri, invenivi, emi :D).
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| It's so cool it got its own dramatic picture! |
It works really well! But, in case you don't know what alligator skin tape is... It's a fabric, self-adhering tape, that comes actually from medical industry - it's used as bandage, for example. But it's great for jewellery makers, for several reasons:
- it has quite... loose? (that's not exactly the word I'm looking for, but you can see what I mean if you look at the picture) weave, that creates a great texture on the tape, meaning you have a really good grip on whatever you are working on.
- it's quite flexible, and thin, so you can wrap your fingertips with it, and still have a decent sense of touch
- although, as I mentioned, it's thin, it's also pretty durable, so even one layer can protect your fingers from those dreaded files. What leads us to...
- you don't need to wrap your fingers with many layers to get protection. I usually go for two or three, and it works very well for my purposes.
- It adheres only to itself, and to nothing else, so you're not left with any sticky residue after using it, and it's really easy to take off of your fingers.
- Also, a bit on the side note, I actually reused several wrappings - I managed to slip them off my fingers, and, as they were in pretty good condition, put them on few times more, and they worked just as well ( I hate wasting something that can still be used )
- I just started to use it, but, based on what I learned so far, it seems that the 27m (90ft) roll I bought will last for quite some time.
I used it when I was filing, sanding, polishing, sawing jump rings (I managed to cut myself on several occasions while doing it), and also when I was making some chains. It worked brilliantly during all of these activities. I was really happy to find that it helped during chain-making process - I always end up with sore, slightly swollen parts of my fingers (it's not really surprising, as using pliers in both hands for 3h+ is prone to somewhat irritate your hands). I experimentally wrapped the most vulnerable parts of my fingers in the tape, not really expecting anything - after all, its just thin, no padded, woven tape - and I was rather surprised when it worked. Two of my fingers were a bit sore after I finished the chain, but nowhere near to extent they would be without wrapping them. I actually considered the possibility that the tape will make it worse - as it wrapped my fingers in sections where quite a bit of bending and flexing occurs - so I was positively surprised. Next time, I intend to add a bit of some padding material between my fingers and the tape, and I'm quite sure now that it will eliminate any discomfort form using the pliers.
That's how it looks like on fingers... after a day's work. I don't know why it's this colour here. The colour is better on the first photo.
Also, I would like to add that, after I first wrapped my fingers in that tape, I had to give myself a few minutes to get used to it. It seemed a bit stiff at first, and whenever I was manipulating something I had an urge to slip the tape off my fingertips to better feel whatever I was holding, but after a short time I got used to how the tape felt on my fingers, and the wrapping itself became a bit softer. I definitely prefer it to protective gloves.
To wrap it all up (no pun intended, I swear!), I think that it was a great buy, and it's a great product. I protects fingers from abrasions, cuts, scratches and scrapes, while still providing good grip and flexibility.
Hopefully, there will be no more sore fingers for me in the future :)
Unless I forget to wrap them with that tape. Knowing my memory, that may just happen.
Till the next time!
Kasia
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