Index finger nail wear

Tatcho

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Been playing now for just over a year and I am finding that the nail on my right hand index finger is wearing down quite quickly when strumming. So much so that when I go to my ukulele club for a two hour session my nail is worn down to the 'quick' and starts to bleed slightly.
Do any of you have a cure for this sort of thing? I did think of trying some picking clips on the finger but I would think they would face the wrong way when wearing them.
Would like some help with my problem please.
Thanks
 
I experience the same thing, especially after a 2hr song circle and after any gigs :)

I used to have an index fingernail extending a good 1/4" beyond the tip that used to
get a 'groove' after being used per the above.

now it doesn't even reach above the tip, so can't be seen from the palm side.

All I do is keep on playing, and resting the nail between sessions. I also file the nail
a bit, not to file away the 'groove' or 'notch' but just to smooth the edges.

i've never had the bleeding component that you are experiencing, so please take care
and don't get any infections.

I suppose what helps me a bit is that I tend to roll strum using my pinky fingernail
and my index fingernail. Although I still experience the wearing down of the index nail.

my short index fingernail has been this way since Oct as we were preparing for the
Holiday Season. and since i play several times a week (songcircles, classes, and gigs) it really
hasn't had much 'free time' to grow out. So, since Oct it hasn't grown to be able to be seen
from the palm side! yikes.

keep uke'in', though,
but also please take care,
 
Hi Uncle Rod & Strumsilly thanks for your input. Apart from only playing in a group once a week I do try to practice a lot. Practicing at home is not too bad, don't get any comments but at the group I do like to try my best. As it is I have a life long habit of biting my nails too (80 odd years of it...!!) but I do give my nails a rest and I don't bite my thumb and index finger nails which I promised my granddaughter I wouldn't. I think I might put a rubber page turner on my finger for this weeks club meet but they wear out so quickly. Must try something else too, just put my thinking cap on.
 
I play a lot and have soft fingernails, so I have the same problem. No nail hardening polish helps. It just scrapes right off, even with multiple coats. I thought about having a med. short acrylic nail placed over my right index finger by a nail salon, but I really didn't want the bother. If I'm playing for an hour or more, I either use a pick (usually a standard Dunlop thin pick) or I use a Kelly Freedom pick, usually worn backwards if I'm just strumming. This simulates holding a pick without really bothering with having to concentrate much on holding the pick. I never really used to like the sound of a pick, compared to fingernail or flesh but I have come to appreciate it over time and like how it saves my nail and gives me more volume playing acoustically.
 
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OK, ready for something radical?!

how about either SuperGlue or thin Gorilla Glue on the nail?

I sometimes use either of the above to strengthen a crack or tear especially
in my thumbnail. in fact, I think the reason my index fingernail has remained
so short, is because it did tear and hasn't had the time off to grow back.

anyway, SuperGlue can help and it builds up to strengthen the nail. it might
be stronger than regular clear nail polish, etc :)

keep uke'in',

PS Note: this will not extend the nail, but it could strengthen it so that it may not
wear down as quickly.
 
Yes, I have weak nails, and have tried superglue. I'd never do the whole nail, but have tried a drop or 2 of the gel type (not runny) on a piece of glass, then dip a pin into that, and apply thin coats only to the edge of your index finger's nail. Strengthens the edge for sure, and easy to reapply when needed. For me, it's that, or play with the index flesh, or another finger, since I just can't see myself at a nail salon for a fake. If I don't do that, the playing side of my index finger nail wears down, and never gets long enough, like the other ones.
 
I went to the nail salon and got 3 acrylic nails - thumb, index and middle. I have paper thin nails and they just don't hold up. I visit for a touchup every 2 weeks or so and I have very robust fakes that never wear down. They also give me better variety, as I can strum with flesh or nail and mix the two.

Consider it!
 
Thank you all for your input on this problem. I attended our weekly session on Friday and took along a felt pick which I found I kept dropping as not being used to one it slipped from my fingers. Then I tried a finger pick which wrapped around my finger snake like but I couldn't get on with that as it kept sliding round my finger I think if I had some adhesive surgical tape I could have stopped it slipping. might try that in future. Lastly I took along a tube of super glue and squeezed a little on my nail and that worked a treat. My nail never wore down after that so thats the answer I reckon. All my fellow players had a laugh with me trying these different methods so that was good. Anyway I do appreciate the help and advice you have given me and I do wish you all well in the future. Thank you very much the problem has been solved.....!!
 
I just tough it out.
 
Many finger style guitarists use acrylic nails. James Taylor uses them as well as Michael Johnson. James used to have finger picking tutorials on his website. One of the videos covered press on nails. I just checked his website and he still has the video on finger nails.It's in the free guitar lesson section. Worth a look if you are thinking of going that route. If they are good enough for James Taylor that would be good enough for me. He's always been one of my favorite guitarists. Best of luck.
 
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I always played steel strung guitar, both six and 12 string
with my fingers; never used a pick. I play my ukuleles the
same way, but without thinking about it, as a hang over
from my guitar days (I suspect!) I tend to use all of my
fingers,not just the index finger, and I have never had a
problem!
 
just a thought :)

remember, there's a difference between fingerpicking (generally from below the string) and
strumming (generally striking from above).

I know fingerpickers like to use artificial nails, but strummers seem to have issues with using
them. Probably has to do with the differences in the forces and direction of forces used in
those techniques.

anyway, lots of good advice and suggestions!

keep uke'in',
 
I wonder if there might not be a technique issue here too. When I first started playing I tended to strum with my fingertips, and that wore my nails down very quickly. It wasn't till I started teaching (ie demonstrating strumming techniques) that I actually started to attack the strings with the top side of my nail (the 'nail body' in the attached image) rather than the top edge; if you see what I mean. That slowed down the rate of wear considerably.

Nail-1.jpg


Pic from Amazing Nails 4 Guitarists, btw, full of handy (ha! see what I did there?!) tips
 
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My fingernails wear, but not to the point where they bleed, or anywhere close. Since this thread has started I've been wondering if I'm blessed with strong fingernails or if it is some technique that I developed. But my usual strum is that strum where one waves the fingers up and down over the string, rather then just sticking a finger out and alternating between pointing up and pointing down. I do the finger pointer strum as well, but not as much. But one thing that I've noticed since I started paying attention to it, is that I do not strum particularly hard. I was watching a person yesterday who I was playing with and she was really strumming hard. Harder than she had to in my opinion. I think that she could have gotten more volume if she had lightened up a little and smoothed out her strum. But after reading this thread I was thinking about it while she was playing and I thought that she is going to have fingernail problems eventually if she keeps it up.
 
I like these Fred Kelly finger picks. https://www.amazon.com/Fred-Kelly-P...=8-18-spons&keywords=clear+finger+picks&psc=1
They fit on your finger like a nail and allow you to strum down and up with no catch. They are very comfortable and give a great ring out of the strings.

The other thing I would suggest is to add a gel nail polish to that finger. You can put it on yourself or go to a salon. There are a lot of professionals that do this. A gel nail is not the same as acrylic. Its a softer thinner product. A salon could put that on for you in a matter of minutes.
 
Good subject, I have the same problem. I am a classical guitarist, so I need my nails for that, but I found that ukulele strumming would thin my nails, especially the index one, leading to dents and breakages. Now, when playing in anger (gig or long rehearsal) I protect my nail using a system that is pioneered by Rico Stover. He calls it 'Riconails', and he sells it. I bought this from him. I now use a similar method using material that I buy from various sources. First, get a box of false nails (the 'no step' ones). They are very cheap and a box contains several sizes. Second, buy "glue dots", these are little pancakes of glue. Also fairly cheap, find the thin type. Now, select the right size of nail, file it into shape, and glue it onto your natural nail using a glue dot. This is a one gig solution, you take it off afterwards, using water. It is non-toxic (having false nails permanently attached IS). Attaching superglue just to the nail rim, as posted before in this thread, is done by some classical players (mixed with acrylium powder for strength), but for strumming this would not be my solution, as you get a 'step' into your nail. There is more to say about the gluedot way, but we could discuss this if there's interest. I find this solution saves me. The feel of natural nails is best, but you can come close.
 
I've seen a couple of people use aLaska Piks. The plastic kind are similar to the Fred Kelly, but fit over your fingertip and under the front edge of your fingernail. Aaron Keim provides a good description/explanation of them here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AL5uUUhtdp4

If you're interested, you get them here:

http://alaskapik.com/order.php

Fortunately, I think my fingernails are made of granite. Oddly enough I've found them starting to flatten, but that's about it. I have to use a toenail clipper on my fingernails, regular clippers break. I'm not complaining.
 
It is a problem, this wearing down of nails. While nail hardners will wear off, if you apply every day it should help carry you. "Poofy Polish" is organic, and a base layer of that and top layer of "Hard As Nails" or the like helps. I like the Poofy because it's easier on my nail, and hardens nicely, the HAN because it's pretty hard. Remove with a non-acetate and re-apply fresh weekly. Might help. You'll have a few layers to remove, and you can build it up again. HAN by itself was ok, but tended to dry out the nail.

The above is probably horrible advice, but it's the only thing I've found that helps this issue.
 
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