[Wm.Jacobson]

Moisture softens the callouses on my fretting hand, so I’m careful to let them dry before I play. If they become rough and catch the strings, I sometimes use fine sandpaper to smooth them a little.

I can’t seem to keep nails on my picking hand; there are just so many hazards encountered in a day that I seems to break them often. I try to keep them shaped with a coarse file, followed by a finer one. Sometimes I can use my nails when I play, but I tend to play music that does not require a classical touch and I rely more on the meat of my fingertip. I’ve tried a lot of fingerpicks, but I haven’t found any that gave me the tone I want and didn’t bother my playing. I’m giving the Pro-Pick F-tone picks a try now.

[Peter]

Thanks William, that’s good advice. I got a little too enthusiastic last week and tried to smooth out my callouses all in one shot. Not a good idea as my fingers were too sensitive to play. I’m going try slowing it down with the fine sandpaper as you have suggested.

<font face=”inherit”>As for nails, I’m hoping as winter ends that my nails will become less brittle with less </font>tendency<font face=”inherit”> to crack and break. Like you, my nails are an issue. Fortunately I love to flat pick so functioning nails are a luxury rather than a </font>necessity<font face=”inherit”>.</font>

[markvguitar]

Picking hand nails are a constant challenge. Easy to bust in real life. I file mine really carefully with a “pick” just beyond the meat of the fingers. I’ve heard that eating jell-o helps harden the nails. Also use a black mountain thumb pick for many but not all of my finger style playing.

[Michelle-PSL]

There was a great discussion on this in the past. I had an issue with my calluses drying out and pealing off (guess I heal well) and it was like starting all over every 2-3 weeks. Plus my nails are very thin and brittle and would not grow out.

I learned that I do have to moisturize, and I also have to file any rough callus edges. I saw a video where some guy talked about using Baby Oil (basically mineral oil). So I used that for a while and it helped. But the best advice was from another TACer who recommended a product called Hard As Hoof. It moisturizes without softening my calluses, and it helps harden the nails on my picking hand. It doesn’t smell too “girly” and might be worth a try.

@Derrick also had good advice on filing nails to use for picking.

[Peter]

Thanks Michelle and Mark. Great advice – but Hard As Hoof takes the cake. I’m keeping that one LOL. Apparently after a life time of taking my hands for granted I’m discovering that if you take better care of them, they will take better care of you.