Wear
a thumb guard on your carving hand. You can wear one on the hand that
holds the wood, too.
Realize
that everybody's hands work differently so you'll be developing your
own way to comfortably hold a knife, other tools and wood.
When your
knife starts to catch in your project and breaks off little pieces of
wood, stop carving and turn the wood the other way.
Take your
time and make small chips. Work at your own comfortable pace; you are
not in a race to complete your carving. You also need to learn how to
feel the wood and what it is telling you.
Check
your work from time to time to see where more attention is needed.
Don't
be afraid to ask questions when you are in a carving class or at a meeting.
Stop carving
every 30 minutes or so to rest. Shake your hands occasionally and run
hot water over them to keep from cramping.
