Blisters from sticks...and slippery sticks

[Animal78]

Hi all,

I've been playing now for quite a few years and still go through patches where I'm getting blisters still...

i used to use stick tape which caused more problems as it rubbed my skin away, I'm currently using Zildjan 5B dipped with nylon tips.. I find sometimes though that the dipped part stick and causes blistering between my thumb and index finger, mainly on my left hand as I play left handed..

I play for about 2-3 hours when gigging and suffer a fair bit, yet I can practice for the same amount of time and not suffer at all...

I prefer using my VF 5B but find that the hickory gets smooth shiny and polished and therefore slippery, any tips for stopping this too...

Cheers all..

[planet_boom]

Sounds very common to me. I think part of the reason that I get blisters at gigs only is due to holding sticks tighter due to adrenaline, if its a really good gig.

[Animal78]

Sounds very common to me. I think part of the reason that I get blisters at gigs only is due to holding sticks tighter due to adrenaline, if its a really good gig.


I think that's the problem really... and you cant take away the adrenaline..

the only thing I can think of doing is to carry on using the gloves I got,,,, The bad thing is they make your hands really sweaty..!

[timmdrum]

I'd recommend just learning to relax during the gigs and hold the sticks like you do when you practice. I went through it years ago also. No gloves, no wrap, no sticky stuff, no unfinished sticks (I use ProMark if that matters), no issues.

[Toolate]

rub a regular white, odorless candle on the shafts for 15 seconds or so. The wax warms and becomes a nice sticky coating that needs occasional updating but really works for me.

Only down side is the occasional waxy spot on the rims and bell of the ride

[tard]

If the sticks get shiny and polished from sweat and use just sand them with a fine sanding pad, scotchbrite pad or steel wool, I have the same problem, any stick tape, dipped coating, varnished, painted, roll on stick covers or anything else like that seems to grab the skin and cause blisters, the more it grips the worse the blisters. I can only use non varnished sticks which are able to move some with out grabbing the skin and causing blisters. My sick of choice is Vic Firth 5bn. I also find that non varnished sticks dont leave those hard to clean varnish marks off the cymbals and hats ether so I guess its a win win situation...lol

[CreeplyTuna]

The same happens to me. Dropping a stick on stage sucks, so I used grip tape when I played in front of a crowd, because I play fine at home, but I think I just get extra sweaty when others are watching... that sounds weird, but onto my point. Grip tape causes too much friction, and I end up getting blisters and ripping them off as I play. Now I've switched to Vater Nude Series, which have no varnish and don't slip. Promark also makes similar sticks, but I'm not sure what they're called, but they also have no coating, and feel like natural wood, and not polished.

[tkav1980]

I'm a new guy here and oh lets say a lot of years out of practice, but I did study for a long time with some master technicians. When I first switched to coated sticks, those vic firth "Dave Weckl"s my hands would sweat and the sticks would slip, causing me to grip tighter and eventualy there would either be a blister or my chop's would suffer from muscle fatigue. 2 things that helped me immensly was a dollar bill, and changing where I gripped the sticks. I used to play really far back kind of like Weckl used to in the 80's, and once I actually gripped the balance point and really started working on sticking technique I was able to relax and not have this happen.


Now' I assume your wondering about the Dollar Bill. We'll you'll need a fresh new one. simply rub the dollar where you grip the sticks. It is a trick that a colleague, who used to be a professional pool player told me about. It absorbs the oils left over from your hand. He used it if he was ever in a random pool hall using a house cue and there was no chalk or powder. Funny enough it does make a bit of a difference.

[Mike Mandaville]

...2 things that helped me immensly was a dollar bill, and changing where I gripped the sticks...

Now' I assume your wondering about the Dollar Bill. We'll you'll need a fresh new one. simply rub the dollar where you grip the sticks. It is a trick that a colleague, who used to be a professional pool player told me about. It absorbs the oils left over from your hand. He used it if he was ever in a random pool hall using a house cue and there was no chalk or powder. Funny enough it does make a bit of a difference.

I was going to suggest using a chalk bag, and now I am scratching my head at your suggestion of using a chalk bag substitute. I see nothing wrong with using a chalk bag myself. Then again, maybe I am missing something.

[tkav1980]

I was going to suggest using a chalk bag, and now I am scratching my head at your suggestion of using a chalk bag substitute. I see nothing wrong with using a chalk bag myself. Then again, maybe I am missing something.

It's only something I ever did in a pinch. If its particularly hot out and I'm going to sweat no matter what, and had no other way to deal with a grip issue. Money is actually made of linen and not actual paper, so it absorbs fluids just like any other cloth would.