Aaargh - cut fingers

[stewblack]

I'm interested in anyone who has actual first hand experience - I've already heard lots of rumours!!

This weekend I've got two gigs with different bands on the same day, and last week I gashed my finger. Middle finger left hand. It's pretty well healed now, dressings off for a few days but the skin is peeling, soft and sore. No actual open wound, but I've lost my carefully built callous completely. I know it'll be extremely painful long before the end of the second set so...

I've had recommended:

A ) Gaffa tape (well, of course)
B ) Nail varnish
C ) New skin spray on liquid 'plaster'
D ) Super glue

I of course keep my strings squeaky clean as I know this helps reduce friction too.

Any help very gratefully received.

Edited July 5, 2011 by stewblack

[xilddx]

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=90264&hl"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=90264&hl[/url]

[chrismuzz]

Super glue. Makes your fingers silky smooth which helps with slides too

[stewblack]

[quote name='silddx' post='1293105' date='Jul 5 2011, 09:43 AM'][url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=90264&hl"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=90264&hl[/url][/quote]
Don't think I've time to order gloves nor the panache to carry them off, but thanks.
Any other votes for super glue?

[Gareth Hughes]

I vote superglue!!! (And yes, I did jokingly change my mind on this on Clarky's double bass related thread).

I nearly lost the tip of my left hand middle finger when I leant up against the corner of a fire door as it was closing, splitting my fingertip from one side of the nail to the other. I could pop it up to see the nice stump of my finger bone. Nice. Had a weekend of gigs a few days later. Girlfriend at the time bandaged it up with plenty of antiseptic. This was in 1998 - as far as I remember I just played everything, minus using my middle finger, as best I could. I vaguely recall my middle finger was bandaged to my third finger to stop it flailing about.

So my vote is superglue, and try to avoid using your middle finger.

[stewblack]

[quote name='Gareth Hughes' post='1293194' date='Jul 5 2011, 11:24 AM']So my vote is superglue, and try to avoid using your middle finger.[/quote]

Thanks Gareth

[Doctor J]

Maybe a set of Elixirs to cut down on friction from the string too.

[stewblack]

[quote name='Doctor J' post='1293222' date='Jul 5 2011, 11:48 AM']Maybe a set of Elixirs to cut down on friction from the string too.[/quote]
Thanks, but I've left it a bit late - unless Stringbusters still deliver as fast as they used to. It was about 5 minutes before you placed the order in the old days...

[JTUK]

Soak the hands in a salt solution and play cleanly. I'd have a plaster on if it was the part I fretted with

[Big_Stu]

Superglue for me; I've used it on serious cuts many times. Also had it used once in hospital too. It's what it was originally intended for IIRC, though not the same as the over-the-counter stuff.

[flyfisher]

No direct experience here but didn't people use 'surgical spirit' to harden-up the skin on their feet?

Ha! Just thought I'd check that and found this at: [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubbing_alcohol"]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubbing_alcohol[/url]

"[i]Isopropyl rubbing alcohol can also be supplied in a 99% concentration. This product can also be used to harden skin, such as in the case of the feet of novice hikers, [b]or the fingertips of guitarists[/b]. Care should always be taken, and the label should be read carefully[/i]"

I've got an old bottle of the stuff somewhere that I bought from a chemist many years ago - reckon I should dig it out and dip my fingers in it.

[stewblack]

[quote name='JTUK' post='1293235' date='Jul 5 2011, 11:57 AM']Soak the hands in a salt solution and play cleanly. I'd have a plaster on if it was the part I fretted with[/quote]

[quote name='Big_Stu' post='1293317' date='Jul 5 2011, 12:57 PM']Superglue for me; I've used it on serious cuts many times. Also had it used once in hospital too. It's what it was originally intended for IIRC, though not the same as the over-the-counter stuff.[/quote]


Thanks both. I shall soak and glue. Also have ordered Elixirs. Still not convinced about the gloves....

[stewblack]

[quote name='flyfisher' post='1293342' date='Jul 5 2011, 01:11 PM']No direct experience here but didn't people use 'surgical spirit' to harden-up the skin on their feet?

Ha! Just thought I'd check that and found this at: [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubbing_alcohol"]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubbing_alcohol[/url]

"[i]Isopropyl rubbing alcohol can also be supplied in a 99% concentration. This product can also be used to harden skin, such as in the case of the feet of novice hikers, [b]or the fingertips of guitarists[/b]. Care should always be taken, and the label should be read carefully[/i]"

I've got an old bottle of the stuff somewhere that I bought from a chemist many years ago - reckon I should dig it out and dip my fingers in it. [/quote]
I'm in recovery so avoid strong spirits, but thanks for the tip

[flyfisher]

Well, I wouldn't recommend drinking the stuff, but it seems a well-established method for toughening up skin, which superglue won't do at all of course.
[url="http://www.guitarfact.com/painful-calluses-solutions-and-information"]http://www.guitarfact.com/painful-calluses...and-information[/url]

[stewblack]

[quote name='flyfisher' post='1293368' date='Jul 5 2011, 01:30 PM']Well, I wouldn't recommend drinking the stuff, but it seems a well-established method for toughening up skin, which superglue won't do at all of course.
[url="http://www.guitarfact.com/painful-calluses-solutions-and-information"]http://www.guitarfact.com/painful-calluses...and-information[/url][/quote]
Thanks - sorry for my flippancy, I do appreciate the advice.

[xilddx]

[quote name='Big_Stu' post='1293317' date='Jul 5 2011, 12:57 PM']Superglue for me; I've used it on serious cuts many times. Also had it used once in hospital too. It's what it was originally intended for IIRC, though not the same as the over-the-counter stuff.[/quote]
Christ mate, you seem completely accident prone, I'd look at your activities rather than the treatments

[Lfalex v1.1]

Cycle lots (without gloves!) and get a job entailing manual labour.
That'll render your hands pretty tough.

Otherwise, superglue.

[Doddy]

I'd just avoid using your middle finger.

[mcnach]

[quote name='stewblack' post='1293089' date='Jul 5 2011, 09:31 AM']I'm interested in anyone who has actual first hand experience - I've already heard lots of rumours!!

This weekend I've got two gigs with different bands on the same day, and last week I gashed my finger. Middle finger left hand. It's pretty well healed now, dressings off for a few days but the skin is peeling, soft and sore. No actual open wound, but I've lost my carefully built callous completely. I know it'll be extremely painful long before the end of the second set so...

I've had recommended:

A ) Gaffa tape (well, of course)
B ) Nail varnish
C ) New skin spray on liquid 'plaster'
D ) Super glue

I of course keep my strings squeaky clean as I know this helps reduce friction too.

Any help very gratefully received.[/quote]


I've used superglue for mild cuts... worked great everytime. I buy the one that comes with a small applying brush. Lives in my bass case. I don't need it often, but it's been a life saver for me and my guitarist on separate occasions.

[stewblack]

[quote name='mcnach' post='1293747' date='Jul 5 2011, 06:56 PM']I've used superglue for mild cuts... worked great everytime. I buy the one that comes with a small applying brush. Lives in my bass case. I don't need it often, but it's been a life saver for me and my guitarist on separate occasions.[/quote]
Yes that's exactly the situation I'm in. I don't usually need it but I've damaged one important digit. I'll look out for the brush on type.

[Big_Stu]

[quote name='silddx' post='1293439' date='Jul 5 2011, 02:16 PM']Christ mate, you seem completely accident prone, I'd look at your activities rather than the treatments [/quote]
I was old-school graphic design; you'll remember that? Scalpels & rush job didn't mix well.

[xilddx]

[quote name='Big_Stu' post='1294480' date='Jul 6 2011, 11:02 AM']I was old-school graphic design; you'll remember that? Scalpels & rush job didn't mix well.[/quote]
I certainly do

All that glue down yer troosers aswell

[dlloyd]

Superglue your fingertips to your inner forearm, then rip them off... takes a thin layer of skin off the arm to cover the wound.

It sounds brutal, but it doesn't hurt at all (you're only taking dead skin).

[flyfisher]

[quote name='dlloyd' post='1294597' date='Jul 6 2011, 12:16 PM']... takes a thin layer of skin off the arm to cover the wound.[/quote]

. . . if you're lucky, or takes a thin layer of skin off your fingers if you're unlucky.

[mcnach]

[quote name='dlloyd' post='1294597' date='Jul 6 2011, 12:16 PM']Superglue your fingertips to your inner forearm, then rip them off... takes a thin layer of skin off the arm to cover the wound.

It sounds brutal, but it doesn't hurt at all (you're only taking dead skin).[/quote]