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Annual Update: Chapped and rough hands

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As we charge head long into yet another season, it's time to think about your hands a bit. As colder weather approaches and we find ourselves outside raking leaves, winterizing the camper and the pool, shoveling snow, etc. Our hands begin to take a real beating from the dry, cold air. This in not typically a major problem, unless you are like me, and chap easily. At the tying bench, rough, chapped hands can be a nightmare to work with. The rough edges of your fingers can snag on threads and floss, shredding them.

 

This winter, take just a second before you tie and take a look at your hands. If they are chapped or rough, use a little lotion a few minutes before you tie to soften them just a bit and remove tough snags with clippers or an emory board. Nothing is more aggravating to me than having to start the thread again becuase of a stray hangnail or callouse.

 

And remember, Big Daddy loves ya, and play nice!!!

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If you ever run out of lotion and emory boards and your wife is not around just give Big Daddy Hubbard a call and he will come right over. He always carries a little extra of that stuff in his purse flex.gif

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Yet another cosmetic tip from Big "soft" Daddy.

I cant quite put moisturizer and fly tying together.

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shovel out a 40' by 300 driveway in January and you will understand completely!!!!!!!! biggrin.gif wink.gif

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QUOTE (OSD @ Oct 13 2003, 11:18 PM)
2 words-- BAG BAUM

Yup, nothing better than "Udder Butter" eek.gif

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Hello from Massachusetts!

 

My name is Sammy Crackedhands. I live in a state of perpetual hand problems. I've suffered with this problem ever since I started working - back in grade school; it's only gotten worse. Over the past couple years, it's gotten bad enough to create permanent creases/cracks/fissures which bleed, ache and so forth. Sometimes I stupidly fight using creams/lotions - lemme tell ya, the only loser in that one is me, the flies I frig up 'cuz my hands are so rough it breaks the thread, and yes, it's also "yea, yea - I'll do it" - but I don't. So it's my own goddamned fault if I suffer.

 

Here are my suggestions.

 

Bag Balm

Therapeutic Hand Cream

The stuff for horses' hooves (red,white&black container)

Udder Butter

Corn Husker's Lotion

 

When I DO take care of my hands, I find the Bag Balm and Therapeutic Hand Cream work nicely. I've heard other people swear by the hoof stuff and Udder Butter; I used to use CornHuskers long ago and would again if I could find a vendor. Lastly, it starts to get bad anywhere from September on, depending when the weather starts to dry out and get cold.

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Truth be told, I just spent the weekend stripping, prepping and re-roofing a section of the house. The weather was beautiful up until last night, when it poured - thank God we got it buttoned up just enuff to fend off two-plus inches of rain - the damn shingles hadn't even set down yet.

 

Anyway, I'm sitting here feeling every nerve in my fingertips throb, the tips of three fingers on my right hand that have these permanent indentations/fissures are already like tanned bullhide. This year, I don't care how much I think it's inconvenient, how much it restricts me from tying, reading, whatever - I'm using whatever it takes to make them hurt less.

 

As far as Manny's comment about dulling floss - an old-fashioned method for applying tying silk is wearing a silk glove or gloves. I've found a good substitute for silk gloves is Thermax or polypropylene glove liners, or even the cotton woven type. Obviously, one shouldn't try to apply floss with lotion all over one's hands.

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I do photographic custom printing for a living and I use latex finger condoms laugh.gif to handle films and found out that it works for floss and silk too.

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great idea, Manny...I use the same thing when working with epoxies....never thought to use 'em to protect flosses and threads.....good show, man!

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BAG BALM,

 

Made right here in my home State of Vermont. Works great. If your hands or feet get really bad, , for your hands get some medical gloves for your feet wear socks (Even better use zip lock bags, just don't try to itch your leg with your foot LOL) smear it on and put on gloves or socks. In the morning wash it off and they'll feel much better.

 

Tight Lines,

Fatman

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UPDATEUPDATEUPDATE!!!

 

I failed to mention another product in this thread a year ago.

 

Gardener's Hand Therapy by Crabtree and Evelyn. Great stuff! Any and Everyone of us who suffers this painful problem every year should have some in house. Find your closest Crabtree and Evelyn store on their website:

 

www.crabtree-evelyn.com

 

That is all.

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