Holding onto a punch needle and punching for a long period of time can cause your hand stress. This is especially true for someone with arthritis or other joint problems.
I have frequently been asked which punch needle works best for someone with arthritis.
While I can’t answer that question specifically since everyone’s hands are different, I can arm you with information to help you make a decision as to which punch needle would work best for your hand.
In this post, I will measure the two punch needle embroidery tools that I recommend and compare them to items you might have in your house so you can feel those in your hands and see what is most comfortable to hold for you.
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Punch Needle Diameter Measurements:
I borrowed my husband’s dial caliper again to measure the diameter of the handles of two different punch needles.
Let’s start with the Ultra Punch Needle. It measures about .456 inches in diameter at the place where you would hold it.
This is very similar in size to a regular Sharpie marker.
I have also seen people add things (tape or padding) to this punch needle in order to make it even larger and easier to hold.
Now, we’ll look at the Smart Punch needle. It does not have a round tube like the Ultra Punch needle, so it is hard to compare to a writing implement. It has a rounded rectangle shape with an oval indention where you put your thumb when punching.
It measures right under one inch wide and about 1/2″ in the thumb indention area. I was able to find a spatula in my kitchen that had about the same measurements.
When punching, I hold the punch needle like a pencil, so I would recommend holding the two things like a pencil and seeing how they feel in your hand. Keep in mind that the thumb indention on the Smart Punch does help you hold onto it easier than it would be to hold onto a spatula for a longer period of time.
I have seen people use the Ultra Punch needle and add tape around it to make the tube larger because that feels best for their hand.
I hope this will help you decide which punch needle is best for your hands.
If you want to learn more about getting started with punch needle, be sure to check out my Beginner’s Guide to Punch Needle ebook.
Blessings~
Amy
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