Nail clipper and nail file recommendations

hotblack

hotblack

Senior Member (Voting Rights)
Does anyone have any recommendations?

I’m looking for good quality, easy to use and will last. Sometimes cutting and filing can be too much effort but when up to it, or if broken up over time, it’s a little bit of self csre which can be quite enjoyable. So worth getting some good tools and am seeking some advice!

I used to have a nice pretty standard pair of nail clippers but lost them and those I’ve tried since have been hit and miss. Either taking lots of effort to clip and not always doing s great job or not being made well and not lasting. And files I’ve mainly used pretty basic whatever comes with the nail clippers, but something more suited to the job which makes the repetitive movement of filing easier would be great.
 
It's best to see emery boards as consumables rather than capital equipment and dispose of them when they've lost their grit. They still last ages if you only file your nails after they've been cut or if they're catching on things; it takes me several years to get through a pack of five!

I think the last ones I bought were Stadux from eBay.
 
Toenail clippers work just as well on fingernails, but the extra leverage makes clipping easier than with those smaller clippers. I have really hard nails.

I saw one batch of clippers that had been machined with incorrect position, so the blades didn't line up, so do check that the blades meet properly.
 
obeat said:
I bought Fiskars nail scissors. Worth the money.
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I’m not sure which brand the nail scissors that are better are that I have but I tend to find the all metal with no plastic bits on handles ones are better - might just be coincidence of recent years tho. I just get them from online delivery at Tesco or boots type places. They definitely do vary though.

Are those good for small hands do you know?

I keep the rest that aren’t as good (after sterilizing with boiling water) for opening all sorts with - particularly packets of ham or plastic wrapped cans or wrapper round the lid of oils etc. Ironically the type I like less for nails are very pointy sharp end points and not so good with rest of blade which tends to be useful for those other purposes!

Anyway I imagine it’s preference for all sorts of personal reasons on clippers vs scissors

But years ago I just started using nail scissors as I have to cut fingers nails every few days and find them easier and that I don’t need to file them if I use those. Tho I do have a few pairs round house and bedroom etc for when I get a catchy bit or notice a long nail etc in same way I guess you’d use a file
 
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NelliePledge said:
The glass nail files are better than emery boards I reckon
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I’ve thought about them but have no idea how to choose one, any recommendations?
dratalanta said:
Besox Precision are razor sharp and will cut through anything - including any stray fingertip in their path
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Thanks, have found some decent looking Besox clippers. Quite fancy keeping my fingertips though! :)
 
hotblack said:
I’ve thought about them but have no idea how to choose one, any recommendations?
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It seems really hard to find good ones now. Most of them are cheaply made and wear out much faster than decent emery boards. (You can still get the latter because professional nail-fettlers use them.)

I once had a glass nail file coated with industrial diamonds that lasted for years. It was so durable the company probably went out of business! Every one I've bought since has been rubbish, including more expensive ones. I suspect they're coated with ground glass now.

If anyone does find one that survives more than a couple of months' use, I'd be glad of a tip-off—they are nicer to use than emery.
 
Kitty said:
I once had a glass nail file coated with industrial diamonds that lasted for years.
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How did it wear out? I have a diamond file that I've used for decades, on such materials as glass, hardened steel, etc, and it's still good. Keratin won't dull the diamonds, but I suppose skin acids might be able to destroy the metal binding the diamonds.
 
Kitty said:
The adhesive—or whatever stuck the crushed diamonds to the glass base. It developed bald patches, which then spread.
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Yes, the diamonds are typically bonded in place by electroplating. If that's done improperly, with plain steel as a base, it can develop corrosion, which can spread. If the file was used wet, and/or stored in a humid environment (bathroom), I can see it failing that way.

Since I happen to have two diamond files within reach, I checked: the expensive one is nonmagnetic (stainless steel base?) while the cheap one is magnetic, so probably mild steel which would fail in that mode.

FWIW, that diamond file is one of my "excellent buy" tools: so useful in lots of ways.
 
Creekside said:
If that's done improperly, with plain steel as a base
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It was a nail file, so the base was glass. I bought it in the 70s, it's possible they're not made any more.

There are still loads of glass files on sale, but I suspect the grit is also glass rather diamond or zirconium. They're excellent for a short time, with a grit nearly as fine as 320 garnet paper, but I've found they wear out faster than decent emery boards.

Come to think of it, a 300 grit hand file like those used in glass crafts might be a long lasting alternative...
 
Kitty said:
Come to think of it, a 300 grit hand file like those used in glass crafts might be a long lasting alternative...
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...and furthermore I can let you know, because I've ordered one. :emoji_sweat_smile:

It'll come in handy even if it's the wrong grit for nails.
 
Kitty said:
It'll come in handy even if it's the wrong grit for nails.
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I once amazed one of my sister's friends. She had a picture with frameless glass, and one corner had chipped, leaving a sharp edge. I pulled out the diamond file I had in my backpack and proceeded to blunt the glass edge. I love pulling out odd tools and fixing problems.
 
Creekside said:
I love pulling out odd tools and fixing problems.
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We have a joke at our session about what's in my rucksack. It started with the flute player trying to chew off a broken nail that was getting in the way, and I offered her some clippers. In the subsequent two and a half years I've produced sticking plaster, Blue Tack, wet wipes, cork grease, a screwdriver, surgical scissors, a plectrum (I don't play strings), a RADAR key, a Swiss army knife, spare hair bands, a length of 16mm brass tube, a pack of interdental sticks, and a laboratory flask clamp.

Only a non-running bus service prevented me from whipping out a middle G string for a lever harp, when our harpist remembered she'd broken it the previous week and forgotten to re-order. The flute player (who also plays harp) knew she'd forget and planned to give me one of her spares to stash in my bag... but unfortunately she didn't get to the session that week. Would have been my crowning achievement!
 
The little hand file has arrived and is very good. The grit's extremely fine, very similar to a glass nail file, but should last much longer because it's coated with industrial diamonds.

It wouldn't be good for reshaping completely ragged nails—you need at least a 180 grit for that, and this is 300/320—but for finishing after clipping it gives a very smooth edge. The handle makes it easier for my arthritic hands to grasp too.

Diamond file.jpg
 
hotblack said:
Looks great, where did you get it @Kitty ?
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www.stainedglasscraft.co.uk

Imperial Diamond Hand File | Stained Glass Craft

Diamond hand file for removing burrs and smoothing edges.Features a smooth wooden handle for comfort and ease of use.156mm long overall length with a 76mm diamond bonded knife.One side is 200 grit,the other 300 grit, edges of the file diamond coated.great for smoothing hard to reach areas and...
www.stainedglasscraft.co.uk www.stainedglasscraft.co.uk
 
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