Great Nails
Thursday, January 10 2008 @ 04:55 PM CST

Yes...welcome to the "Guitapick Beauty Salon"...time for a manicure...

Actually...this is for anyone who really likes to play fingerstyle with their nails. And I promise you won't be sniffing any formaldehyde.

Some people use fingerpicks. Some use the flesh of their fingers. Great sounds either way. I was taught to use my nails when I play (esp. with the nylon string) and have to say that it's been both very rewarding and VERY frustrating. The sound has so much depth. I love it. But my nails have never been very strong...and I've never been one to wear white gloves. Use my hands a lot. So: I break nails. Sometimes a day or two before a performance. Can remember gluing a fake nail on and it went flying off in the middle of some intense part of a piece and "YIPPEE!!". I'm screwed.

I tried LOTS of remedies. Knox gelatin made my hands break out and look like The Thing. Almost all the brush ons use formaldehyde, which, I believe, is banned in Europe. And it makes the nails brittle. It got me down and I ended up getting seriously into the steelstrings with fingerpicks along with electric/flatpick to get over it. Not a booby prize, to be sure...wonderful sounds. But I missed my nylon string...

Then I heard about this stuff called "Onymyrrhe". Based on the formula used by an African tribe that prides itself on having very long, curving nails:

http://www.thetetracorp.com/products/onymyrrhe.asp

Been using it for about 9 months, now and it's been fantastic. Took about 6 months for me to really notice a difference...but I'm really glad I've stuck with it. The nails are noticeably stronger but still have a bit of give. Don't get nearly as many splits or cracks. I carry around a small file for when I feel/see the potential for problems (like when I'm lifting 3 ton boulders with my pinky)...keep things smooth. And use a hand cream during the winter.

Can't tell you how happy I am about this and wanted to pass it on to anyone who's interesting. I'm playing my nylon string guit much more than I have in years specifically because of this stuff. I highly recommend it.

Re:Great Nails
Thursday, January 10 2008 @ 11:51 PM CST

Very Interesting, I bookmarked it. Thanks for the tip!

I have been using ping pong balls

I using superglue and cut the ping pong ball to a very small moon shape. Then squeeze on the super glue on the cut and shaped ping pong ball then fit it under my fingernail with tweezers and press for a few minuets. It works pretty good even on steel string but not full proof. I've never heard what you mentioned though. I have pretty tough fingernails. They have to be pretty tough to survive tile installation. But i do try to be careful, but even on the job I finished yesterday I didn't use gloves.

It is easy to do something stupid and go directly at something head on with my nails. It's the things that you least expect, like just moving your hand wrong at a door knob or go do something and if your hand is slightly off target wham back to the ping pong balls.

In the tile business there are so many hard objects around, like the tiles themselves, even buckets, tile cutters. It is amazing I have not broken my nails more. But it takes time to grow back and when I constantly dip my right hand in water to clean my hands of from getting thin set on it I can over time loose the ping pong cut ball nail.

Again, thanks GP for the terrific suggestion!

A 10 on that one bud !

Re:Great Nails
Friday, January 11 2008 @ 06:21 AM CST

I've always wanted to meet someone who used the ping pong balls. I read where John Renbourn used it and wondered about the practicality. Considering you're a tiler, looks like it's fine. Guess, using superglue, that you've gotta leave them on?

Renbourn's been one of my biggest influences. That's a great sound he gets...and you, too. Always admired your sound/playing. Good to know about the physical source.

Except for the Onymyrrhe, I was amazed at how strong my nails got when I was studying judo. All that grabbing of the gi must have done it, because they got REAL strong. But I don't do that, anymore. Too much of a commitment, for me, that is. And I'm very impressed with the Onymyrrhe. Gotta stay with it, though. Takes awhile. Once a night, before turning in.

BTW: you MUST have strong nails. Tiling's rough cut work. I worked construction for awhile and...well...let's just say I stopped. Just doing handiwork 'round the house is tough enough on the hands. When I demo'd and reno'd mine, my nails were a mess. But it's much, much better, now. And those little "bangs" and "bumps" don't crack the nails anywhere near as much, anymore. Moisturizer's important in the winter, too.

Re:Great Nails
Friday, January 11 2008 @ 09:24 AM CST

I think would really grinds down the nails of course is the constant playing on the steel strings. I am intrigued by that product though Iove the fact that it makes the nails actually grow faster, wow. Not just harder and that is something that I have problems with. The constant grinding of the nails on the steel strings really does were em down. And I think my nails are tough. I get them so low sometimes I have to have two ping pong ball portions torn out of the ping pong ball.

I guess that product can make strong nails even stronger. But I love the fact that that grow faster.
"It will cause your nails to grow twice as fast and twice as thick, from the root outward, and it’s unconditionally guaranteed."

That statement I guess is true by what you say. They do indeed grow faster ? Twice as fast?

Seems like an amazing product indeed !

Re:Great Nails
Friday, January 11 2008 @ 09:39 AM CST

Quote by: thetiler ..They do indeed grow faster ? Twice as fast? Seems like an amazing product indeed!

So... fingernails are essentially the same as your hair... so... I'm waiting to hear what the side effects are... when's the next full moon? (smirk)

Re:Great Nails
Friday, January 11 2008 @ 09:57 AM CST

What does it taste like?

Re:Great Nails
Friday, January 11 2008 @ 10:34 AM CST

Quote by: thetiler The constant grinding of the nails on the steel strings really does were em down. And I think my nails are tough. I get them so low sometimes I have to have two ping pong ball portions torn out of the ping pong ball. "It will cause your nails to grow twice as fast and twice as thick, from the root outward, and it’s unconditionally guaranteed." That statement I guess is true by what you say. They do indeed grow faster ? Twice as fast? Seems like an amazing product indeed !

Yeah...steel strings are especially tough on the nails. Much more so than nylon. That's what got me into using fingerpicks. Along with the fact that, with the picks, I wouldn't NEED to worry about those freakin' NAILS! Took some getting used to...but I really love them, now. National steel for the fingers and a plastic Pearse thumbpick.

My nails definitely grow back quicker than before. Requires more time filing. Twice as fast? Hmmm...well, I don't know how easy it would be to really quantify that if we wanted to file a class action suit for false advertising (hehhehheh) (Oh...that's right: Reagan did away with those "burdensome regulations", didn't he? Now it's legal to lie..."buyer beware" and all those other nice "you can screw others and it's ok because they're stupid" slogans).

I'd say you can expect improvement and maybe you'll notice th 2x speed, maybe not...but definitely an improvement. I really didn't notice dramatic improvement in nail strength 'till 6 months. Not 4. And it's definitely getting better as time goes on. It's a commitment in time, but if you get the results you want,then it's worth it, IMHO. If you don't...well...you can write a song and post it here. Something along the lines of: "Guitapick Lied to Me" or "Death to Guitapick" or "I'm Gonna KILL Guitapick". You know...subtle...paint your ping pong balls red...

You used to play the Sloop Clearwater? I was at a couple of concerts you guys did in Tarrytown. Met Arlo. Might have met you backstage. What wonderful times those were...

Re:Great Nails
Friday, January 11 2008 @ 10:37 AM CST

Quote by: guitapick I tried LOTS of remedies. Knox gelatin made my hands break out and look like The Thing.

Just out of curiosity, Bob, were you drinking the gelatin or applying it to your nails?

Re:Great Nails
Friday, January 11 2008 @ 10:50 AM CST

Quote by: drakonis Quote by: thetiler ..They do indeed grow faster ? Twice as fast? Seems like an amazing product indeed! So... fingernails are essentially the same as your hair... so... I'm waiting to hear what the side effects are... when's the next full moon? (smirk)

The only ingredient is myrrhe. And I have this wiseman (or guy) delivering it to me once a year.

Seriously, though: that's it. Now...that sounds all nice and green...naturally occurring...but so is hemlock and strychnine...so I suppose there should be some concern. All systems go at this point, though.

Re:Great Nails
Friday, January 11 2008 @ 10:58 AM CST

Quote by: DWL What does it taste like?

That's actually a very good and practical question, Dick.

It tastes very bitter. Not pleasant. Which can be a problem. Even (or especially) at beddy bye time. But you can get around that by:

1) Massage it into the cuticle and finger area 1/2 inch below the cuticle once a day, preferrably at bedtime. 30-40 secs for each finger.

2) Rinse off the residue with cold water and towel dry. This won't effect the outcome at all. The stuff's already been absorbed into the skin/cuticle. And it gets rid of the taste.