Hi Sean,

Now that I am closer to 60 than I was 50, I can say with some reasonable authority, of the wear on my body from carving in both timber and stone that "hand tools" can and do have. It will kick the chronological ass of human physiology!!!

It keeps me in shape yet at the same time, any "repetitive task" will have an impact and swinging a mallet to chiesel, be it stone or timber, will (over time) cause immense wearing of the body. Anything to mitigate and/or ease that is a asset to lasting longer in doing this wonderful craft...