Help Playing With A Cut Finger

I had a table saw get in the way of my fretting hand last weekend and cut of the pad of my thumb and put a decent groove through the nail of the index finger and part of the absolute tip of the finger. I got real lucky, left no parts on the saw bed and it's starting to heal up OK. (Wen to Dr and had it taken care of, no stiches because there was no skin to sew through, they cauterized both wounds.

The problem is we have two shows next week (Thurs and Sat). The strings will lay across an undamaged part of the index and the cut itself is perpenducular to the string. The thumb is the worse off but can be positioned on most chords to miss the part that hurts, plus I can have it bandaged it while playing. Worse comes to worse I 'll have to use three fingers, tried that last night and for sure it will not be my finest moment playing if I have to do that.

My biggest concern is opening the finger tip back up. I've real about using superglue and the Band-Aid liquid bandage (superglue and other stuff) to help with this in guitar forums. Anyone have any advice or experience with doing this?

Ouch! I hope you recover nicely. I've used both glue and liquid skin on small cuts. Your wound sounds a little more challenging. Good luck with the gigs!

Thanks Cletus, Did you use both LS and SG at the same time? I was going to try the liquid skin layers first then top off with SG and some baking soda. I won't be playing guitar on any songs just Concert and Bari. I fel like such a DA with this happening, as I was not practicing good table saw safety. Too bad it's not closer to halloween....

My personal experience as a cook would suggest that SG on its own is your best bet. The Liquid Skin just peels off way too quickly and for that reason I have my doubts about it as an undercoat. Super Glue will also form a bit of a hardened layer that will reduce some of the ouch factor. (beyond the initial sting) But being a week out, you're more likely to be cracking a scab than anything. It ain't gonna be pretty, but you should get uncomfortably through it.

I also know from experience that blood doesn't really effect most finishes.

Have you tried a finger pick on your index finger for strumming...I modified mine with the heat of a lighter so it
wouldn't catch on the upstrokes...

I'm sorry to hear about your finger! ouch!
I guess thats why you're called ukulele blues!

har har bad joke.
good luck at your shows. it might even help to take some tylenol or something beforehand so you dont feel the pressure so much on the wound.

Maybe one of these might pad the tip. You might have to add some tape or something to let the finger slide along the strings better, but it might give you a little cushion and help hold the wound together. Probably won't work, but in theory, it sounds more comfortable than just glue.
http://www.concordsupplies.com/swingline-rubber-finger-tips-54014/75264.html

–Lori

Wow, I'm sure sorry to hear about the damage, and glad it wasn't worse! And here I was feeling aggravated because I was in too much of a hurry trying to make a REAL dinner and was tired and my best big chef's knife that I love and have used for years slid right across the pad of my thumb because I work a lot by "feel". I sure felt that. Didn't bleed in the food though. But can't do any picking practice without it sticking on the string, it's lined up so that it just slides right into the cut. I can't imagine trying to fret!

Hey, I know for a fact Lori is pretty ingenious, and her idea is one I would try myself.

Good luck with however you decide to go.

Thank God it wasn't worse!!! Used to work in the ER!!!

BTW, don't take Tylenol esp. if you'll be drinking even 2 beers whatever...or just don't drink...

Hope you get well and heal up soon. That sucks.

thats a bad deal...

I would struggle either picking or fingerstyle with that injury - get well soon dude!

(perfect excuse to practise thumb picking bass lines...)

Update - Made it through the first show

Just made it through playing tonight for 2+ hours. I bought some "liquid skin" at the pharmacy and filled in the index finger where the saw blade whacked the skin out. Then I put the tape part of a bandaid over the tip and coated it with thick super glue and finished it off with thin super glue around the edges. I doubled padded the thumb and taped up. I need another two weeks before I play a steel string instrument but there was no damage tonight.

It was hot, 93 at 4PM. 108 heat index and the "cap" I put on the finger stayed in place thorugh all the sweat. Had to put thin SG around the bottom edge twice when it got caught while playing a lead run. The liquid skin was great. I bought the cheapest brand I could find and it was really resilliant. If I didn't have such a valley from from the saw blade ripping out the skin I could have played with just that. I am definately bringing a bottle with me to shows. See pic.

Nicely done, trouper!