Nail care

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Nail care

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yc.flamenco

Posts: 13
Joined: Sep. 7 2008
From: California

Nail care

How do you guys protect your nails during your day at work? If you have a job that demands you use your hands what's the best way to protect them?

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 21 2012 2:58:32

Erik van Goch

Posts: 1787
Joined: Jul. 17 2012
From: Netherlands

RE: Nail care (in reply to yc.flamenco)

Just be careful and after a while it becomes second nature. Even if they throw things to me my instinct reaction is not to catch it by hand but either to let it fall (to pick it up afterwards) or to catch it with my feet.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 21 2012 5:31:04

Doitsujin

Posts: 5078
Joined: Apr. 10 2005

RE: Nail care (in reply to yc.flamenco)

Exactly, just do everything you can do, with your feet instead of your hands.

Jokes aside: Just be careful... at least Im not protecting my hands and its ok.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 21 2012 12:28:43

Erik van Goch

Posts: 1787
Joined: Jul. 17 2012
From: Netherlands

RE: Nail care (in reply to Doitsujin)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Doitsujin

Exactly, just do everything you can do, with your feet instead of your hands.

Jokes aside: Just be careful... at least Im not protecting my hands and its ok.

That was not a joke. Most people have the instinct reaction to catch if you throw them something. MY instinct reaction is to save my hands first. Obviously people don't throw things to me on a daily base, bud over the years i did became handy in catching things with my feet as a possible alternative. I operated light switches with feet kicks for over 20 years as well, not to safe my fingers but because i liked martial arts. As a youngster i was less careful with my hands and i even practiced nunchacu with lots of complex gripings.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 21 2012 20:28:03

shaun

Posts: 176
Joined: May 11 2012
From: Edmonton, Canada

RE: Nail care (in reply to yc.flamenco)

The shorter they are, the less likely they are to break. Only grow them as long as you need them and file them regularly. It isn't usually a problem. That being said, I broke my thumbnail today. When that happens, I use Krazy Glue to fix the nail.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 21 2012 23:43:56

etta

Posts: 342
Joined: Jan. 20 2010

RE: Nail care (in reply to yc.flamenco)

Wear a glove on your right hand, keep your hand in your pocket, or learn to play the banjo and wear metal picks. Either way you will be seen as weird.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 22 2012 13:52:06

Doitsujin

Posts: 5078
Joined: Apr. 10 2005

RE: Nail care (in reply to yc.flamenco)

quote:

When that happens, I use Krazy Glue to fix the nail

me 2

But I grow them too long...when I dont play..they get too long. And lately I scared off a nice girl. She didn´t believe me that nails have anything to do with guitar playing.... -.-

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 22 2012 14:14:36

Paul Magnussen

Posts: 1805
Joined: Nov. 8 2010
From: London (living in the Bay Area)

RE: Nail care (in reply to Erik van Goch)

quote:

i even practiced nunchacu with lots of complex gripings.

Are they legal where you are? They’re banned in California now.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 22 2012 14:47:13

Erik van Goch

Posts: 1787
Joined: Jul. 17 2012
From: Netherlands

RE: Nail care (in reply to Paul Magnussen)

I guess regulations changed over the years. I did it in the 80's. At the time one could buy rubber or plastic ones at specialized stores. On top i had a professional one obtained via a russian sailer (small and very heavy) and a home made one (broomstick) based on bruce Lee's pair in enter the dragon. At the time one was allowed to poses and to handle them in a martial arts dojo. I guess one was also allowed to cary them in a closed back. Once i practised outdoors and it was transfiscated within an hour.

We even had a dutch open championship at the time. The european champion gave a demonstration handling 2 pairs covered with razor blades. The slightest mistake would slize his fingers or worse, completely mad if you ask me.

I have no idea of present day regulations. A couple of years ago i fount out that even the toy ones made of plastic and rubber are no longer allowed to be sold publicly.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 22 2012 23:57:01

britguy

Posts: 712
Joined: Dec. 26 2010
From: Ontario, Canada

RE: Nail care (in reply to yc.flamenco)

quote:

How do you guys protect your nails during your day at work? If you have a job that demands you use your hands what's the best way to protect them?

I sympathize. Sometimes nothing will work over a long period.

I work daily on a small farm, growing apples and pears. Even wearing heavy gloves (horrible in hot weather) I constantly break or tear my natural nails working with tools, tractors, digging holes, messing with irrigation systems, and a dozen other manual chores that are normal everyday stuff in farming.

It was almost enough frustration to make me want to give up trying to play flamenco guitar - in fact for some years I played only 5-string banjo using fingerpicks!

But about a year or so ago I tried using those glue-on (guitar-players) nails, and so far they seem to work O.K. Bit tricky to put on right at first, but practice improves. Mine seem to last about three to four weeks and usually just drop off. And usually after getting wet. Replacement takes about 5 - 10 minutes.
So now I dont worry too much about losing a nail. But I'd still prefer to use my natural nails if I could. . .

Good luck with whatever method you try. . .

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Fruit farmer, Ontario, Canada

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 24 2012 12:57:43

britguy

Posts: 712
Joined: Dec. 26 2010
From: Ontario, Canada

RE: Nail care (in reply to Doitsujin)

quote:

just do everything you can do, with your feet instead of your hands.

That's a hell of a good idea, Doit!

Why didn't anyone else think of that?

Just forget about the hands and play flamenco guitar with the feet! ( 'Look man - no hands. . .' )

Just imagine those thundering rasgueados, played with the big toenail. . .

( Maybe that's worth another beer?)

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Fruit farmer, Ontario, Canada

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 24 2012 19:06:04

Doitsujin

Posts: 5078
Joined: Apr. 10 2005

RE: Nail care (in reply to britguy)

quote:

That's a hell of a good idea, Doit!

Why didn't anyone else think of that?

Just forget about the hands and play flamenco guitar with the feet! ( 'Look man - no hands. . .' )

They did.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 24 2012 19:44:16

britguy

Posts: 712
Joined: Dec. 26 2010
From: Ontario, Canada

RE: Nail care (in reply to Doitsujin)

quote:

They did.

Ouch!!

What can I say?

(Other than he sounds better than some of the hotshots in our local folk clubs. . . )

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Fruit farmer, Ontario, Canada

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 24 2012 23:10:19

XXX

Posts: 4400
Joined: Apr. 14 2005

RE: Nail care (in reply to Doitsujin)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Doitsujin

quote:

That's a hell of a good idea, Doit!

Why didn't anyone else think of that?

Just forget about the hands and play flamenco guitar with the feet! ( 'Look man - no hands. . .' )

They did.