fingernails

onekerf

onekerf

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Feb 5, 2008
Messages
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Actually, thumbnail length. I keep my fingernails trimmed ultra-close. But, I leave the nail of my right hand's thumb at about 1/32nd inch to 3/64ths inch longer to engage the blade's nail nick in my pocket knives. Is anyone else's personal grooming habits affected by their knife carry?
 
I do the same thing but for a different purpose. I like to flick my knives open :cool: and the thumb studs can cause some discomfort (read pain) after a while if the thumb nail is too short. :eek:
 
If I’m not wearing a cut all the way through my thumbnail by drop-closing blades on it constantly, I’m doing swimmingly.

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Me being a plumber, I keep my nails short because I am anal about the crap that accumulates under them :eek:
Most of the slip joints I have are manageable with short nails, sometimes I use a piece of cloth to help open the stubborn ones.
 
The only relation between knives and my fingernails is that I keep a Spyderco Roadie with a polished 30-degree edge on a bedside table to cut my cuticles and clean up my proximal nail fold (which I just learned the name of via google)
 
Emerson's chisel grinds are perfect to remove stuff stuck under your nails after a hard day. Or after a particularly gory dinner prep. Hard use folders!
And for cuticles and other dings, the Benchmade Bugout comes to the rescue.
 
I butcher my finger nails and dig the dirt out from under them all the time. I do this with whatever pocket knife I have on hand. I’d do my toe nails too, but I am too fat to bend over and get em.
 
I used to keep my left thumbnail a wee bit longer because of my first GEC, a 73 trapper. It was rough on my delicate little thumb. Over time it strengthened up enough where I could pull the blade even with shorter fingernails, which is where I like to keep ‘em. The ones I’ve been carrying lately can be pinched open, and that’s one aspect I’m starting to prefer on my slipjoints.
 
My nails are usually very short. They bend, crack, or split if I use knives with nail nicks. That is why I normally carry something with a thumb stud.

I find it very frustrating because I love a good traditional knife or SAK. About the only thing along those lines that I can get away with is a Vic Cadet. Even the Soldier/Pioneer can be to much. Kind of a bummer, really. On paper, the Alox Soldier/Pioneer is one of my favorite all-time knives. Even as a little kid I was taken with idea of owning a Swiss Army knife. Not Just any SAK but, the same as the troops carried.

Funny thing though, it has only been sometime in the last ten to twelve years that I finally learned about the Alox Pattern 61 Soldier. Thank goodness for the internet and BF.com.:)
 
My fingertips are legendary 'round these parts.

It's cute when a buddy or my wife have to put a knife down because the flipper tab is too much. xD

As for grooming, my nails are, as always, compulsively trimmed very short.
 
I found that I needed to leave a little bit of thumbnail for the very reason that you described, Onekerf. That was about 50 years ago when slip joints were about the only kind of knife that we had. I still leave them a little longer and I still often use slip joints.
 
I keep my nails short but I’ve never had problems opening most of the slip joints.
 
halden.doerge said:
If I’m not wearing a cut all the way through my thumbnail by drop-closing blades on it constantly, I’m doing swimmingly.

8H5mV77.jpg
Click to expand...

Ex (or current?) nail biter? Mine are the same like yours where there is skin distal to the end of my nail. My fingernails never reach the very tip of my finger.

FullMetalJackass FullMetalJackass see this little sharpened blade bit just after the serrations? (Closest to the handle) For some reason that is the ultimate cuticle machine. Cuts them right off in one quick sweep and fits in fairly tight spaces.
 
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That was how I justified my first Spyderco purchase,now own ,native 5 frn,dragon fly fully serrated in ats-55, Delica all metal and a all metal dragon fly,and ? The other escapes me
 
Lapedog said:
Ex (or current?) nail biter? Mine are the same like yours where there is skin distal to the end of my nail. My fingernails never reach the very tip of my finger.

FullMetalJackass FullMetalJackass see this little sharpened blade bit just after the serrations? (Closest to the handle) For some reason that is the ultimate cuticle machine. Cuts them right off in one quick sweep and fits in fairly tight spaces.
Click to expand...

Nah I don’t bite. Just traveling right now so I didn’t file em. I always keep them short. I can’t stand snagging a nail on stuff.
 
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