sore hands from walk behind

[Stonewall]

My hands are always sore at the start of the season from my walk behind and this year I have more work than usual using it instead of my rider. What gets me is the metal operator presence control lever. It works on a blister on the palm of my hand. Has anybody found some sort of rubber wrap to ease the tendency for blisters? I tried some rubber spray compound but it rubbed off pretty quick.

[oneEXMARKfan]

I just took my OPC off, and got a kill switch like on a jet ski. keep the tether around my wrist.

[greens1]

The only thing that I can think of off hand would be the rubber tape that they use to wrap handle bar grips on bikes, I think it is actually called grip tape. One other place to look would be in some of the "woker safty equiptment catalogs", they come up with some pretty inovative solutions to long term problems in the work place.
Good Luck,
Jim L

[TJLC]

I had that problem with an old belt drive unit I used to have. It would wear my hands out. With my hydro's I don't seem to get that.

[geogunn]

stonewall--you didn't tell us what kind of walk behind you are using.

otherwise, why don't you wear gloves? it works for me!

something else to consider is why are you palming the handles so hard that the OPS is being a problem? on my unit (lesco 48, belt) I rarely have to do more than keep my hands on the OPS.

GEO

[David Gretzmier]

gloves. I gave up walks because of carpel tunnel, and now lookee at the hustler w/b. no grips there! Dave

[65hoss]

Operating the hydro makes my hands hurt. When I use the belt drive I never have a problem. BUT, I never get tire using the Lazer.

[slabpile]

Only one thing to to, buy a toro t-bar. then no more probs!!

[Stonewall]

I have a 36" Scag hydro. I think part of the problem may be that I need to adjust my tracking. On one side, the reverse is almost non existent, but I haven't adjusted it yet. That's one of today's projects. I don't want to wear gloves because of the heat here in the summer if I don't have too. Has anybody tried those fingerless gel gloves?

[jrebeiro]

I have a scag also and the operator handles kill me. I am gonna run to home depot and get the latex you dip tools in to coat the handles. I am hoping this will help. Eventually they will callous up and I wont have a problem until next year. My first full day was yesterday and my hands are sore as heck!

[grassyfras]

i posted a thread like this they told me to do a search so do a search maybe idk but ilike the glove idea the exmarks alwasy turn your hands black and then they smeel bad til u take a shower this mowing lawns buisness gets u so dirty i hate to complain like a little abby but when i get home i have grass in my ears and i had a small rock in my eye thats freaky so i dont know hwat to tell u wear gloves or get some cheap labor that do a good job