# Trimmed my nails too short - Ouch!



## hollowbody

I have a practice tomorrow and the nail on my middle finger is killing me! Is there anything I can do to make it hurt less so that I can actually play? I spend today practicing, but I had to use my ring finger in its place, which certainly isn't ideal.

What do you guys and gals do when you get a little overenthusiastic with the old clippers?


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## zontar

I've done that before, the only thing that's ever worked for me was toughing it out until it grew back.

Sorry I don't have anything else--other than sympathy.


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## hollowbody

zontar said:


> I've done that before, the only thing that's ever worked for me was toughing it out until it grew back.
> 
> Sorry I don't have anything else--other than sympathy.


Yeah, I kinda figured that was the one way out. I was hoping someone would have a response that involved a strip of leather and some glue or something along those lines.


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## MarkO

hollowbody said:


> Yeah, I kinda figured that was the one way out. I was hoping someone would have a response that involved a strip of leather and some glue or something along those lines.


Superglue, remove it with acetone (nail polish remover)


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## keeperofthegood

kqoct DON'T QUOTE ME.... but oragel >_> "might" work, might not, may even cause your finger to fall off and your ankle to sprout chest hairs....


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## jimihendrix

well...when i used to get an "owie" such as a skinned knee or paper cut...nothing worked better than having my mom kiss it better...i can give her a call if you'd like...but there's no guarantee she will offer to help as my dad is the rather jealous type...other than that...i'm afraid you're on your own...they say time heals all wounds...:smile:


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## hollowbody

jimihendrix said:


> well...when i used to get an "owie" such as a skinned knee or paper cut...nothing worked better than having my mom kiss it better...i can give her a call if you'd like...but there's no guarantee she will offer to help as my dad is the rather jealous type...other than that...i'm afraid you're on your own...they say time heals all wounds...:smile:


Hahahahahaha...thanks!

And I was seriously thinking about superglue. Never heard of the Oragel fix (and I don't have any anyway). Come to think of it, I don't have superglue either, but I do have 2-part epoxy. Although that could be trouble.


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## keeperofthegood

hollowbody said:


> Hahahahahaha...thanks!
> 
> And I was seriously thinking about superglue. Never heard of the Oragel fix (and I don't have any anyway). Come to think of it, I don't have superglue either, but I do have 2-part epoxy. Although that could be trouble.



kqoct Sudden memory from the drunken haze of college... a woman in Mexico caught her husband with another woman... in bed, de lecto   nudge nudge... and miraculously she had a tube of glue handy so she GLUED the other womans hands onto his... parliamentary member >_> the surgeons got the hands off the member, only the glue was toxic, and enough had seeped into his skin he was dead by morning anyways...

:rockon2: at least the funeral didn't need that extra set of hands so that wend down without a hitch :rockon2:


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## jimihendrix

holy toledo there is a product out there for guitarists...

Galaxy FT-1™ Finger Protector...found here...

http://www.galaxyguitar.com/


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## hollowbody

jimihendrix said:


> holy toledo there is a product out there for guitarists...
> 
> Galaxy FT-1™ Finger Protector...found here...
> 
> http://www.galaxyguitar.com/


That is awesome! Except their blurb says that they won't guarantee that it fits you or works for you, and the damned thing is *$77!!!!!!!*


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## keto

hollowbody said:


> That is awesome! Except their blurb says that they won't guarantee that it fits you or works for you, and the damned thing is *$77!!!!!!!*


Tony Iommi in a box! 

I'd try superglue, and definitely do NOT use the epoxy lol. Superglue is commonly used on cuts etc.


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## The Kicker Of Elves

keto said:


> Tony Iommi in a box!
> 
> I'd try superglue, and definitely do NOT use the epoxy lol. Superglue is commonly used on cuts etc.


I think there is a medical superglue on the market. It might be less toxic than the standard "strong enough to hang this moron by his helmet" type found in Walmart.


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## hollowbody

Alright, I'll pop into the drugstore today and see if I can find any, otherwise maybe I'll give the superglue a go.

thanks everyone!


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## Starbuck

Go to Business depot and get some rubber fingers (used for flipping thru papers) Get the pink or the green ones, take it home and trim it then maybe use sand paper to remove the little knobs. Will work the same as a finger protector, likely for a quarter or something.


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## ne1roc

I am a mould maker. My hands are exposed to coolants which cause the finger tips to crack, especially in the winter. It is very painfull to play with these cracks. I discovered Nexcare-Skin-Crack-Care. I don't know if it will work for you situation, but I can tell you that it seems to numb the pain immediately on application and creates a hard but flexible coating. I'm thinking if you apply this stuff, it will help with the pain and bond you nail to the skin, so when you do bends, it won't pull the skin from the nail. 

Available at any drug store.











http://www.shop3m.com/70071221652.html?WT.srch=1&WT.mc_id=3m-com-AtoZ-Nexcare-Skin-Crack-Care


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## hollowbody

No Home Depot easily accessible for me, but that's a great idea Starbuck! Never would have thought of that.

ne1roc, that sounds like it's worth a shot. I was thinking of trying a liquid band-aid type product, but that Skin Crack stuff might be more effective.


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## flashPUNK

I know this situation all too well - i've got a horrible right hand habit of strumming/picking at such an angle that my index finger nail brushes against the string - so my index finger nail is almost always very thin and brittle.

The last tour I was on in the spring it actually broke skin and I started bleeding because a blood blister had formed after playing so many shows.

I've tried that Nu Skin stuff - doesn't work.

Superglue might work, never thought of trying that.


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## hollowbody

flashPUNK said:


> I know this situation all too well - i've got a horrible right hand habit of strumming/picking at such an angle that my index finger nail brushes against the string - so my index finger nail is almost always very thin and brittle.
> 
> The last tour I was on in the spring it actually broke skin and I started bleeding because a blood blister had formed after playing so many shows.
> 
> I've tried that Nu Skin stuff - doesn't work.
> 
> Superglue might work, never thought of trying that.


Yeah, I have a similar habit. For me the the right side of my index finger on my strumming hand. I guess I really should work on technique hwopv


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## Jeff Flowerday

:smile:

http://www.kissusa.com/Product.aspx?ProductID=6&CategoryID=11&RootCategoryID=11


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## hollowbody

Jeff Flowerday said:


> :smile:
> 
> http://www.kissusa.com/Product.aspx?ProductID=6&CategoryID=11&RootCategoryID=11


hahaha, I was waiting for someone to say something like that.

My gf's old guitar teacher used to go see a manicurist every couple weeks to get fake nails on his picking hand.

Every time the nails on my right hand get a touch long, I always spend sometime fingerpicking and debate whether I should grow them out a bit more and learn me up some awesome clawhammer. I get over it pretty quickly.


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## james on bass

I've used the Superglue technique a few times for blisters and it works very well. 

The Orajel suggestion is one I've never heard before. I bet that might just work to get you through a set.


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## flashPUNK

When I was playing classical guitar a few years ago (I sound old - i'm only 26) - I spent a lot of time on nail maintenance... I had varying grades of sandpaper, files etc etc - its a very important part of your tone.

Now-a-days though, I cut both hands as short as I can go, except on my right index finger where I have 'the habit' - I find leaving it a bit longer reduces the blistering I get.... I've thought about getting nail strengthener polish, but i'm too chicken to walk into the nailpolish department 

I've heard that tapping your nails on a hard surface a lot will increase the density of your nails - but i've never been able to remember to do it enough to actually say it works.


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## fraser

im late to the thread, your nail probably has grown by now lol- but i break my nails at work a lot- i always keep them kinda short, but they get chipped or broken sometimes in a way that makes fretting or bending painful- i use super glue, whatever kind ive got.



> I know this situation all too well - i've got a horrible right hand habit of strumming/picking at such an angle that my index finger nail brushes against the string - so my index finger nail is almost always very thin and brittle.
> 
> The last tour I was on in the spring it actually broke skin and I started bleeding because a blood blister had formed after playing so many shows.
> 
> I've tried that Nu Skin stuff - doesn't work.
> 
> Superglue might work, never thought of trying that.


i tend to break through the skin on my index finger, just below where the nail starts- i had skin grafts done there when i was a kid, to repair an injury, so the skin from the last knuckle upwards is a bit weak- i use that finger and that area of the finger a lot across the strings- and when im playing a lot it bleeds- i use masking tape on it.:smile:


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## flashPUNK

fraser said:


> im late to the thread, your nail probably has grown by now lol- but i break my nails at work a lot- i always keep them kinda short, but they get chipped or broken sometimes in a way that makes fretting or bending painful- i use super glue, whatever kind ive got.
> 
> 
> 
> i tend to break through the skin on my index finger, just below where the nail starts- i had skin grafts done there when i was a kid, to repair an injury, so the skin from the last knuckle upwards is a bit weak- i use that finger and that area of the finger a lot across the strings- and when im playing a lot it bleeds- i use masking tape on it.:smile:


Yep, sounds exactly like what happens to me - I'm not alone!


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## Starbuck

flashPUNK said:


> Now-a-days though, I cut both hands as short as I can go, except on my right index finger where I have 'the habit' - I find leaving it a bit longer reduces the blistering I get.... I've thought about getting nail strengthener polish, but i'm too chicken to walk into the nailpolish department
> 
> I've heard that tapping your nails on a hard surface a lot will increase the density of your nails - but i've never been able to remember to do it enough to actually say it works.


Ha! No worries bout the nailpolish dept! Believe me, women in retail see far stranger things than that. Besides, LOTS of men get manicures these days. However being a girl who always wanted those beautiful long nails and had very weak ones, I tried everything, must have spent !00's on all that crap but nothing really works. Once I started playing I don't care though and I do a fair amount of finger picking with the tips of my fingers. BUT the one product that was not bad is called witchcraft.

I once read and interview with Clapton and he used to soak his fingers in rubbing alcohol for ten minutes a day. Although I would think that would make the nails brittle...


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## ashm70

I bite my fingernails :kkjq: Have done so since I was a kid, a really bad disgusting habit, I know...

For me to get the same sound as nails, I pop the strings more and play with the edges of my fingers and thumb which are nicely calloused.


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## Cvlep

such as a skinned knee or paper cut...nothing worked better than having my mom kiss it better..


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## zztomato

Cvlep said:


> such as a skinned knee or paper cut...nothing worked better than having my mom kiss it better..


You waited 11 years to ad _that_?


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## Chitmo

Crazy glue!

Edit! I just realized that this thread is older than my children, hopefully it’s grown back by now


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## Chito

zztomato said:


> You waited 11 years to ad _that_?


He seems to have joined just to add that comment. LOL


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## jb welder

zztomato said:


> You waited 11 years to ad _that_?





Chito said:


> He seems to have joined just to add that comment. LOL


I was kind of waiting for a spam payload. The country flag doesn't exactly inspire confidence either, but who am I to talk.


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## player99




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## zztomato

jb welder said:


> I was kind of waiting for a spam payload. The country flag doesn't exactly inspire confidence either, but who am I to talk.


lol. Just wait...I'm sure it's coming.


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