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No, seriously, I feel thousand times more comfortable with my nails to help me while doing many jobs involving fingers, yet my family cringes at the thought of me having long nails. I'm forced to cut them, not that I have choices :-(
Hmm...
Well, I think guys who tend to be into nature and spiritual will probably encourage you to grow your nails with the theory that "If God didn't want you to grow long nails, then he wouldn't give you that capability"
It's somewhat similiar to the belief of many guys, to not trim their hair or beards, because it is not how God/Nature had intended, etc.
While that theory somewhat makes sense in a way, we might as well start growing out our nose hair, our toe nails, etc.
I guess what it boils down to is...if you can manage to make a living looking the way you want to look, and score dates/marriage, then it's all good.
But speaking from experience, you should never hold off clipping your toe nails, because it doesn't feel too comfortable walking in shoes :)
I think the reason our nails keep growing is that, at least in terms of the primal world in which we evolved, they were probably being contstantly chipped, broken, and worn down, and therefore needed to renew themselves constantly. Extremely long nails (those that are never cut, broken, or worn down) aren't likely to occur in nature.
--Val
I like my nails a bit long but in carpentry they break off all the time. I actually knocked off 3 of 'em over time but they just keep coming back! I thought that last one was too far into the quick but after a couple weeks there it was! The end is still all crinkly and stuff.
When I retire, I'm gonna grow them too, just to show that I don't work anymore. Then I'm gonna paint them jet black... with death skulls on them... hmmm, maybe sharpen them into points. Naw, just kidding.
Paul
Haha, maybe u should grow knives from your fingers and act like wolverine!
There is a site, run by a fellow named Matthew, for people who are into long natural fingernails on men, at:
http://nails.hyperphp.com
I also like to keep my nails as long as practical (but I certainly don't give up any activities because of them), so I seldom cut them, but only file them smooth when they break. Unfortunately, at least 90% of women will strongly dislike long nails on men; they don't like being scratched for one thing.
Believe me, long hair is *much* more accepted by women. On the other hand, other guys, who may be put off by long hair, are unlikely to notice your nails. Go figure.
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Here is a very good use for long nails. I do this all the time. I could use a matchstick or other ob ject, but this is often much more convenient for a quick soldering job. :-)
Scott
So you actually keep yours long? I would be curious to see a picture as I've always had mine somehow long.
VJ
Nice nail Scott!
Gotta be that biotin and MSM!
I often do keep what I refer to as my "Swiss Army Thumbnail".
- Oren
I find that having long finger nails is useful when playing guitar to use as a natural pick. So my nails are noticeably longer on my right hand whereas the left hand ones are kept very short for the guitar frets. Also I use my nails for opening envelopes or parcels instead of using a knife. Other then that I know when they have grown too long when they split/break off (often while sleeping) or doing manual work. I cannot imagine coping with having the super-long finger nails that some of the gentlemen on that mens nail website have!
Duncan
Same thing for me, Duncan. I play the guitar so, on my right hand I have quite long nail (but it's "reasonnable" :)) while it's super short on my left hand. Useful for the guitar, but quite boring sometimes. Anyway, it's not a big deal to cut it short and regrow it again (I don't speak for the hair, heh !)
Vivien
I bite my nails short and have done all my life. To me they just get in the way, but I suppose some people think that way about long hair. To each his own, I suppose.
I have noticed that several guys with long hair also have "longer" nails. I personally think that as long as hair and nails are kept in good condition, their length is a matter of expressing individuality. Cheers for that!!!
I've had long nails for most of my life, and I love it. My family hates it as well, but there isn't much they can do.
Where's my file!
I always cut my nails very short or bite them off. Something about having long nails makes me wanna chew them.
I've never grown my nails long, but do paint them on occasion.
I would like to grow my nails long, but I find that after about a month or so one of them breaks. I then clip the other nails to that one's length and file as necessary. Thus, it's a matter of function over form for me (unlike my hair, which I can tie).
Tracy
Tis always best for one to nail the problem of doing a good job without being forced, thereby unlocking the solution for comfort regardless of the fact (or not) that people may cringe when they shouldn't, should, or might have cringed despite the fact that one has nailed or unnailed the solution to that which should be saluted a thousand times (with the help of a nail) even if not made of a substance metalic.
Someone translate that in English for me
OK: "Do what you want, let your consciousness grow organically, and you will be praised for your individuality."