Emergency nail repair/replacement

Chipotle · #1 11-11-2018, 08:45 PM

Through sheer bad luck, I completely broke two fingernails on my right hand within a couple of days of each other (ring and thumb). Had to cut them back pretty much to the quick. I don't have a gig for almost three weeks, but I'm not sure how much usable nail I'll grow back in that time.

I you needed an emergency nail replacement, what would you use? Stick-ons like Rico Nails? Go ahead with acrylics (though not sure I want that in the long run)? Or buy some fingerpicks right away and learn to play with them (what kind)?

JonnyBGood · #2 11-12-2018, 04:18 AM

I definitely wouldn't try and learn a new way of playing (fingerpicks) with all your repertoire in that time, it's asking for trouble. getting acrylics done will mean you will be dependent on that method for a long time, its not a good temporary fix (your real nails will become paper thin as the back of the entire nail is filed down before the acrylic is applied).

Riconails would be good to try or simply get a pack of plastic nails eg. Kiss Active oval nails and glue dots to attach them (effectively the same solution as Rico Nails) or a tube of nail glue, and you are sorted. Use the search function and you will see plenty of discussion on these.

I use Kiss nails plus glue as the Riconails package is much more expensive and you don't get the range of nail sizes, or quantity, that you get with Kiss nails. The nails drop off after a few days.

Fret-O'File · #3 11-12-2018, 06:22 AM

Order some of these pre-formed nails and keep them on hand, especially for a gig.
If you break a nail in the middle of a set, you will need something to get you through. These are about the best fake nails, I've found.
You don't have to order the glue, you can use regular nail glue or super glue.
Their nail files are really good though.

https://guitarplayernails.com/

.

Gobo · #4 11-12-2018, 08:24 AM

There is silk you can buy with a light adhesive on one side. Stick that over the damaged part of the nail and then use some superglue (not too much). The silk will absorb the glue and you should have your nail back until it grows out again.

Bob Womack · #5 11-12-2018, 08:46 AM

I faced this once in the nineties and my wife dragged me down to her nail salon and had the guy apply liquid acrylic and form new nails for me. I've been using it ever since as caps over my natural nails. The benefit is that you can get a repair the same day you suffer a casualty. More HERE.

Bob

lodi_55 · #6 11-12-2018, 09:25 AM

I agree with Bob.. A good nail salon will fix you right up!

mercy · #7 11-12-2018, 10:25 AM

Im totally against acrylic nails unless youre a pro. I use the Rico/Kiss system but am now using the Revlon brand as they sound more like my nails. The dots I get at a hobby store. Not all dots are the same. Some are too strong and some too loose but then some are just right. Im using Aleens dots.

Gobo · #8 11-12-2018, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mercy

Im totally against acrylic nails unless youre a pro.

^^^

This.

NoodleFingers · #9 11-12-2018, 11:47 AM

I've been experimenting with the James Taylor method for a few weeks now. It's not hard at all, but it is time-consuming. I started doing it to replace a lost nail, but also did it to reinforce other nails that were still the right length. I use this for the fiberglass part, and either this or Loctite brush-on superglue as the matrix.

I absolutely love these nails. My own nails aren't soft, but they are a little thin. The improvement in feel and tone was startling. However, there are some problems that I'm still trying to find answers for:

1. They only stay on for a week or so, maybe a little less. You can usually glue them back on once, but then it's probably better to let them come off and make a new one.

2. They start off barely noticeable, but get kind of cloudier/whiter and more noticeable over time.

3. My main concern is that I think they may be taking a very thin layer off the top of the nail with them when they come off. My nails are already a little thin to start with, and I don't want to thin them any more.

Some points/tips in case you want to try this:

A. Regular brush-on superglue seems to work just as well as the specialized stuff. Don't use a gel superglue--it's too thick. And something about the formula of Gorilla Glue superglue turns them bright white.

B. They most often start to separate at the back, which can lead to the nail part that sticks out buckling and bending while the back of the nail comes up like a flap. Pretty easy to glue back on, but the crease will seriously weaken the natural nail part that's bending.

C. Separating the fiberglass mesh from the backing is a PITA.

D. A clear quick-dry topcoat seems to improve the longevity somewhat. I use this, which I had no trouble finding at a local drugstore. The fiberglass you'll probably need to get off of Amazon.

E. JT suggests six layers. I use six for reinforcing an existing nail. I like eight better for a nail replacement. But I would recommend adding glue after two layers, letting it dry, then adding glue and letting it dry after each pair of new layers. This is time-consuming.

F. I wouldn't trim them until after you've made all the layers. The fiberglass/superglue composite is tough, so I'd do rough shaping with a coarse file then try to smooth them with a finer one. The Wolfram crystal two-sided file is great for this, but I can't seem to get them quite as nice and smooth as just natural nails. Nevertheless, they play just fine.

G. You may find yourself gluing the skin under the nail to the nail itself. Separate these right away using whatever sort of tool you have for cleaning dirt out from under your fingernails. Most nail clippers have an attachment for this. Nail clippers are also an excellent tool for initial trimming of a new nail before you start rough shaping.

I hope this is helpful. And if there's anyone else out there who uses JT-style fiberglass nail wraps and has some wisdom and experience to share, I'd love to hear it, as I'm still very much experimenting with these things.

Malcolm Kindnes · #10 11-12-2018, 12:19 PM

I would definitely recommend acrylic nails. No problems at all in several years!

HeyMikey · #11 11-12-2018, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fret-O'File

Order some of these pre-formed nails and keep them on hand, especially for a gig.
https://guitarplayernails.com/

.

Looks promising. How long do these last before you have to remove and replace them?

Chipotle · #12 11-12-2018, 08:25 PM

Thanks for all the tips. Some hint at the answer to my next question: if you use the nail glue/super glue, how long do they stay on. It sounds like they are not removable at will but start to crack/come off in a week or so. I assume at that time you can remove them?

Can anyone who has used the adhesive tabs tell me how long those tend to last? I'm sure you sacrifice durability for removability.

Gobo · #13 11-13-2018, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chipotle

Thanks for all the tips. Some hint at the answer to my next question: if you use the nail glue/super glue, how long do they stay on. It sounds like they are not removable at will but start to crack/come off in a week or so. I assume at that time you can remove them?

Can anyone who has used the adhesive tabs tell me how long those tend to last? I'm sure you sacrifice durability for removability.

They should last long enough for the nail to grow back out. To name a few - Martin Simpson, Tony Mcmanus and James Taylor all use silk wraps as standard. But they work well for a repair job for us non pros imho.

Mark Hanson has a great section on nail care and repair at accentonmuisic. Here he talks about the silk patch method:

"Damaged Nails

Even though I have strong nails, I do crack one, or break one off occasionally. When that happens, I try to salvage as much of the nail as I can. My latest scheme for a cracked nail is to cover the crack with a thin silk patch, moistened in cyanoacrylate (crazy glue). The product I use these days is called "Silk Save-A-Nail" by Jonel. It is available at most pharmacies and grocery stores.

To repair the cracked nail with the silk patch, start by cutting out a piece of silk that covers the crack generously. (Try to cover as little of the natural nail as possible, however.) Put some liquid glue on the nail, place the silk patch over it, then position it with a tool (a wooden stick, or instance). Let the glue dry, then put more glue over it.

When the glue is completely dry, the silk patch is as hard as a rock. My cracked thumbnail--which takes a lot of abuse--held up very well recently with a silk patch. I put two patches of silk on that crack to really reinforce it. "

http://www.accentonmusic.com/articles/article_01.html

mercy · #14 11-13-2018, 09:23 AM

Ive found in my experiments that silk or glue on nails last about a week before they start to come up, not enough time to grow a nail from quick. The glue dots Im using last a little longer with my putting them on and off daily but theres not a lot of difference in time. The thing I like is that there is virtually no chemical exposute for the short amount of time the dot is on my nail. As for glue on or silk I dont care what they say about how safe, its chemicals and the nail is porous.

JonnyBGood · #15 11-13-2018, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mercy

As for glue on or silk I dont care what they say about how safe, its chemicals and the nail is porous.

Everything is a chemical, including of course glue dots. I'd have to see evidence that glue dots are any safer than glue, particularly as they are not designed to be applied to the body and therefore not tested for safety, whereas a cosmetic such as nail glue is. Glue dots could actually be far more harmful.