Nail care

[FinnArild]

Okay, guitarists - do you use your nails, and if; how do you care for them.

I have tried to save nails for a year now - I've bought nail hardener, a cutter and a file. Still, even though one should think we lived in a equal-opportunity society, I'm the one who has to change tires on the car, haul wood and use the power (and unpowered) tools.

How do you guys'n'girls care for your nails?

[Alistair]

I care for mine by biting them!

I don't really finger pick when I play guitar and if I do pick I use a plectrum. Yes, I know it's not the same. I really must learn some day.

[hariossa]

I have really strong nails, so they don't need much care, I just sand them once a week or so when they begin to look nasty... sadly I don't use them much but I like to have them always ready. I don't own a nylon string guitar...

[ATom2]

I run mine down a blackboard. SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECH!

[Alistair]

I run mine down a blackboard. SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECH!

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[Rudi]

The standard advice is not to cut your nails but file them. Use emery boards and not metal files. Always file in one direction only (dont 'saw') and finish with the fine side of the board.

Dont let your nails dry out. Buy a good nail cream from the Pharmacey and rub the cream into the cuticles.

When picking a lot, I used to use clear varnish indispersed with layers of tissue (bog roll) paper. Build up three or four layers to minimise nail damage. You need to remove this every 3 days or so to lube up the cuticles again.

Prevention is better than cure.

Never work on cars. Get them serviced.

Under no circumstances, never, ever wash up. Get in paper plates & plastic cuttlery or else invite your mum around for every meal.

[Steve]

Make sure you eat a balanced diet. Lots of iron and calcium.

[Alistair]

Make sure you eat a balanced diet. Lots of iron and calcium.

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Lots of iron would make you unbalanced surely?

[FinnArild]

Yep - I've been both caring for my nails a while now (check date on the first post) and it turns out that just by taking good care of them they become stronger. Probably since they don't get the chance to chip and crack.

Can't say I've been on any kind of diet, though. Quite a lot of beer - that might be it?

[Steve]

Can't say I've been on any kind of diet, though. Quite a lot of beer - that might be it?

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OK. forget the healthy diet. Just go for the beer.

[hariossa]

BEER!!!!!!

I just ran out of it...

[Steve]

BEER!!!!!!

I just ran out of it...

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Me too...

[Alistair]

Never, EVER, run out of beer.

I don't.

The pub is only 1OO yards and Sainsburys do 40 bottles of 33cl Stella for £12.

It's always Beer O'Clock at my house

[Hope4Peace]

hmmz well i just keep mine filed down with a very fine emery board. and i use a calcium fortifying gel along with a growth enchancement formula so that when i wanna grown them back out, i can within a few days so that i dont loose too much time with playin. also, it is fine to cut them so long as u do it right. which is first straight on in the middle and then the sides....hmmmz but anywhoses!! take care.

*~peace and love~*