Diesel mechanics work on a different scale. Bigger bolts, bigger tools, bigger consequences when something goes wrong. Chris has been working on heavy equipment for fifteen years. His hands show it.
"Everything's heavier. The wrenches, the parts, the forces involved. Your hands take more punishment just from the scale of the work."
Protecting the Tools
Chris treats his hands like precision instruments, even though the work is anything but delicate. Tape on pressure points. Moisturizer every night. Immediate treatment for any cuts.
"Diesel work isn't gentle, but that doesn't mean I have to be rough with myself. The guys with destroyed hands are the ones who thought they were too tough for protection."
The Career View
Heavy equipment mechanics are in demand. Chris could work until seventy if his body holds up. That long-term view shapes how he treats himself today.
"I've got decades left if I take care of myself. A few minutes of hand care each day is a small investment in a long career."