a band-aid did the trick! If this was a 1:1 scale and I was a factory worker in WWII for the Curtiss manufacturers they'd fire me real quick . "Harrison why is propeller backwards and you forgot to put the cockpit in..."
Ok. Here you are a few other shots about how you should keep the stick in your hand. Of course if you need the sanding end of it being longer you can move your hand along the stick length.