strengthening nails

[Bernie Cosell]

Any advice on how to strengthen nails? I've tried "Hard as Nails" and it
mostly just flaked off and didn't much help [it especially flaked off the
ends of the nails, which is where my nails would split and break ]. I
tried some vitamin that was supposed to strengthen nails , and after
something like a year of using.. nothing. Is there something else to
try/do?

/Bernie\
--
Bernie Cosell Fantasy Farm Fibers
ber...@fantasyfarm.com Pearisburg, VA
--> Too many people, too few sheep <--

[Steven Bornfeld]

On 8/26/2022 8:37 AM, Bernie Cosell wrote:
> Any advice on how to strengthen nails? I've tried "Hard as Nails" and it
> mostly just flaked off and didn't much help [it especially flaked off the
> ends of the nails, which is where my nails would split and break ]. I
> tried some vitamin that was supposed to strengthen nails , and after
> something like a year of using.. nothing. Is there something else to
> try/do?
>
> /Bernie\

I've given up on trying to strengthen my nails--nothing I've tried
works. But my repair for split nails works pretty well, recommended by
my teacher.
Best to repair before the broken segment comes off completely. I use
self-adhesive "Swiss Silk":

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002MFWH70

Cut to size, and then painted over with nail glue (cyanoacrylate). My
nails suck, so I get quite a bit of practice. I've had some of the
repairs last until the cracked segment grows out, but occasionally I
have to re-repair.
I have avoided using fake nails--I have them in case the urge ever grabs me.

[John]

I have a nail that splits badly. I use Nailtiques, recommended by Strings by Mail, and Healthy Hoof, applying them once or twice a week. I also drink raw Knox gelatin in fruit juice every day. Some combination of all that works.

[gtr]

On Aug 26, 2022 at 5:37:31 AM PDT, "Bernie Cosell" <ber...@fantasyfarm.com>
wrote:

> Any advice on how to strengthen nails? I've tried "Hard as Nails" and it
> mostly just flaked off and didn't much help [it especially flaked off the
> ends of the nails, which is where my nails would split and break ]. I
> tried some vitamin that was supposed to strengthen nails , and after
> something like a year of using.. nothing. Is there something else to
> try/do?
>
> /Bernie\

I've tried a number of things. I'll try more--I now have some "Swiss Silk" in
my Amazon cart from Steven Bornfeld's recommendation.

My nails have become stronger in my later years and perhaps less likely to
damage now that I immediately file any tiny fissure out before beginning an
afternoon of playing or practice. I always check them before I start playing.

But I know this: Anything that you paint over your nail cuts it off from
oxygen. It will begin to yellow and become dehydrated starting at that point.
My use has proved it, and many other players have said the same. If you want
to put something like that on your nails, or you glue fake nails glued over
your real nail, you must be prepared to keep doing it indefinitely. Whenever
you remove that stuff your nails will go to hell until they have grown
completely out and replaced themselves with freshly produced nails.

Other than that--good luck!

[Bernie Cosell]

gtr <x...@yyy.zzz> wrote:

} On Aug 26, 2022 at 5:37:31 AM PDT, "Bernie Cosell" <ber...@fantasyfarm.com>
} wrote:

} I've tried a number of things. I'll try more--I now have some "Swiss Silk" in
} my Amazon cart from Steven Bornfeld's recommendation.

I'm awaiting some "Health Hoof", recommended by a usenet friend and by
StringsByMail. We'll see how well it works...

} But I know this: Anything that you paint over your nail cuts it off from
} oxygen. It will begin to yellow and become dehydrated starting at that point.
} My use has proved it, and many other players have said the same. If you want
} to put something like that on your nails, or you glue fake nails glued over
} your real nail, you must be prepared to keep doing it indefinitely. Whenever
} you remove that stuff your nails will go to hell until they have grown
} completely out and replaced themselves with freshly produced nails.

That's what it took me way too long to learn while using "Hard as Nails".
Good riddance.

[Paul Carmichael]

El Fri, 26 Aug 2022 08:37:31 -0400, Bernie Cosell escribió:

> Any advice on how to strengthen nails? I've tried "Hard as Nails" and
> it mostly just flaked off and didn't much help [it especially flaked off
> the ends of the nails, which is where my nails would split and break ].
> I tried some vitamin that was supposed to strengthen nails , and after
> something like a year of using.. nothing. Is there something else to
> try/do?

There is another option. However, I wish I'd learnt with nails because
it's hard to play clean without.


--
Paul.

https://paulc.es/elpatio

[Ken Blake]

On your recommendation, I just bought and tried Swiss Silk. I put one
on my breaking thumbnail last Thursday. It was fine until yesterday,
when the nail broke almost completely off--down .to the quick.

Maybe it's better for some kinds of breaks or for some people. but it
wasn't great for me. Perhaps I'll try it again the next time I have a
problem,

I think I'll play with no thumbnail for the next few months, until it
grows back.

[gtr]

Months?! You mean weeks, right. Despite my pessimism about such things--and
the pouting--I usually get enough nail to navigate inside two weeks or less.
Thumbnail--okay a few more.

[Ken Blake]

Maybe I'm exaggerating a little, but not by much.I think it will take
two or three weeks for the nail just to grow to the end of my thumb,
then a few more weeks for it be a little longer than the thumb so it
can touch the strings.

Do nails grow more slowly as you get older (I'm almost 85)? I don't
know.

[Steven Bornfeld]

Sorry to hear. It's much easier to repair when the split isn't complete
(that is, the broken segment is still attached at one end). I have fake
nails as well (as recommended by my teacher) but I have not used them,
and will try to avoid it.
Some of my repairs have held up better than others. And when I've seen
one repair starting to fail, I put another layer of silk and glue on to
secure it. That's worked too, though eventually it makes the nail look
a bit lumpy. With one break--a crack transversely across the thumbnail
from one side to another--I was able to maintain the repair for a couple
of months (needed to patch 2 or 3 times) until the fractured segment
grew completely out. With another repair I was not so lucky--caught my
m fingertip in something (can't remember just what), and there was some
bleeding under the nail. That led to a distinct dent in the nail across
from one side to the other. I tried to patch it, but before it could
grow out the whole thing failed. Just missed tearing into the flesh.
But now that's grown out too, and the nail is starting to look normal again.

[Steven Bornfeld]

I don't know that they grow more slowly--mine seem about the same. But
the hairs in my nose and ears definitely grow more rapidly!

[Ken Blake]

On Fri, 9 Sep 2022 11:34:46 -0400, Steven Bornfeld

I had two horizontal splits, one at each side. As they lengthened, the
combination was almost completely across the nail. Eventually they
met, even with the silk on.

>I have fake
>nails as well (as recommended by my teacher) but I have not used them,
>and will try to avoid it.

I tried one on my m finger with a broken-off nail once, also
recommended by my teacher at the time (he actually put it on for me),
but it lasted only about three days, and fell off when I was wiping my
butt on the toilet.

>Some of my repairs have held up better than others. And when I've seen
>one repair starting to fail, I put another layer of silk and glue on to
>secure it. That's worked too,

I thought of doing that, and in retrospect, I should have.

> though eventually it makes the nail look
>a bit lumpy.

I wouldn't care.

[Steven Bornfeld]

Ouch!

[gtr]

I'm 71 and I've not seen a change in speed. To increase the speed you should
push back the cuticle at the base of the nail, disconnecting where the skin
attaches to the top of the nail. That will let it grow (marginally) faster, so
I'm told by a couple of manicurists.

[Ken Blake]

OK, thanks. I've just done that. I'm not optimistic that it will help,
but it can't hurt.

[gtr]

So to get a reference point, report back when it clears the thumb, and again
when it's marginably playable. Without documentation we can't make
evaluations!

[Ken Blake]

it's got about 5/16" to go, so it won't be soon.

> and again when it's marginably playable. Without documentation we can't make
>evaluations!

OK. No guarantees, but I'll try to remember to do that.

By the way, I'm playing with the flesh on my thumb now, and I'm
pleased by how well it's working. It's not as good as it was, but it's
better, both in comfort and sound, than I thought it would be.

[Ted Haskell]

I've had good luck with "n-Butyl Cyanoacrylate Fingernail Glue and Strengthener" from Strings by Mail. It's liquid, not gel, so it can go on in a thin coat and it doesn't chunk off like gels do for me. I don't add silk unless the nail is badly damaged--it's hard to get as nice a tone with the silk. I've not had additional weakening or discoloration from it. That may be because I only use it on the last 1/3 of the nail. Luckily, I don't need a long nail to get the sound I want, but keeping your nails as short as possible helps. People's nails are wildly variable, so this may or may not work for you.