finger callous hazards

fretie · Jul 11, 2014

So , maybe it's just me but the callous on my left fingertips seem to kind of 'shed' a layer of skin now and then. And because of the peeling skin, sometimes the mini flap actually catches on the strings at inopportune times. What's the deal... should I be sanding the callouses down so they don't snag while playing?

Steveperrywriter · Jul 11, 2014

I polish mine with the smooth side of the Revlon Shape 'n' Buff nail thingee.

bird's eye view of my ukelele · Jul 11, 2014

seconding what steve says, i - what's the word? sand them down??!! with a nail file, or if the flap of hard skin is really sticking up and driving me crazy, i clip it right off with a nail clipper, and then file it smooth if necessary

fretie · Jul 11, 2014

wow, that's really cool... I sort of thought it far fetched to be sanding down skin... but hey, if it's the thing to do among us uke players and, for sure, would help avoid getting the finger tip caught on the strings...I'm in!

coolkayaker1 · Jul 11, 2014

I think sanding them down is a great idea. Conversely, I often just use my teeth and bite them off.

Note: if you start shedding skin in places other than your fingertips, you might be a snake. Call a veterinarian immediately.

kypfer · Jul 11, 2014

the callous on my left fingertips seem to kind of 'shed' a layer of skin now and then

... hmmm, I play ukulele, guitar or banjo more or less on a daily basis. To a greater or lesser degree I have done for the better part of 50 years. I don't remember ever having this problem. I'm wondering if it's a life-style thing wherein the thick skin is only on the very tips of the fingers. I don't have brick-layer's hands, but they are a bit gnarled and battered from re-building motorcycles when I was younger and working in the vegetable patch in more recent times

KnowsPickin · Jul 11, 2014

I used to play octave mandolin at a Renaissance Festival, which is all day long both Saturday & Sunday for seven weeks. I developed some pretty good calluses. Near the end of the festival the weather got quite cold and the calluses became brittle. One of them peeled about half way off. I could not quit playing; nor did I want to bite it off, which would have meant playing on a fairly raw finger pad. So I found a tube of Super Glue, glued the callus back onto my finger and continued to play. Luckily it was Sunday and I had till the next Saturday to get my finger back in shape.

stevepetergal · Jul 11, 2014

I've sanded them down, bitten them off,... I'm thinking of carving them into little animal shapes. Maybe baby bunnies. Like finger-tip topiaries.

barrybush · Jul 11, 2014

I've been playing guitar for about 40 years, Bluegrass banjo for about 20 years and Uke for 2 years. When I am playing every day I have to sand my fingertips. Nothing fancy, just a piece of sandpaper will do.

SailQwest · Jul 12, 2014

I file my fretting finger calluses with a crystal file when I file my nails. (I chew on them occasionally, too, but that's usually more about putting things in my mouth than finger care.)

When it's really dry here, I put rosebud salve on my calluses to keep them from getting too deep.

ericchico · Jul 14, 2014

KnowsPickin said:
I used to play octave mandolin at a Renaissance Festival, which is all day long both Saturday & Sunday for seven weeks. I developed some pretty good calluses. Near the end of the festival the weather got quite cold and the calluses became brittle. One of them peeled about half way off. I could not quit playing; nor did I want to bite it off, which would have meant playing on a fairly raw finger pad. So I found a tube of Super Glue, glued the callus back onto my finger and continued to play. Luckily it was Sunday and I had till the next Saturday to get my finger back in shape.

SUPERGLUE FTW!! When a cut is exposed and you cant stop playing to let it heal. Bust out that tube of superglue and mend it, get back to playing.

moetrout · Jul 14, 2014

I've only been playing for sixth months and I already have my own nail file/sandpaper thingy. Not something I have ever needed before in my life.

finger callous hazards

fretie

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Steveperrywriter

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bird's eye view of my ukelele

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fretie

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coolkayaker1

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kypfer

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KnowsPickin

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stevepetergal

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barrybush

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SailQwest

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ericchico

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moetrout

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