Anything to speed up finger and toe nail clipping?

April 6, 2009 12:25 AM

lifehackingfilter: Anything to speed up finger and toe nail clipping?

When it comes to personal hygienic chores, the technology has not advanced for the basic nail clippers; all of us have been using the same tool for our whole lives. We have electric tooth brushes, much better shaving tools, but nothing new for the nail clippers?

So are there "advanced" nail clippers out there that I don't know about? Or anyone know anything cool being developed (maybe lasers)? Or other hacks to speed up nail clipping?

And of course you can pay somebody to clip your nails for you, but that's not very "lifehacker"-like.

posted by querty to Health & Fitness (16 answers total)

Nothing that I know of Tech-wise but I can share a quick little life hack though

I clip mine in the shower so the nails are soft and easier to clip I'm sure that saves the blade from dulling.
Plus the nails get washed down the drain so no cleanup process, which saves me time.
posted by Redmond Cooper at 12:54 AM on April 6, 2009

I would guess that with sufficient practice a Dremel might speed things up a lot - joke.

But seriously, the technology for these things has certainly advanced, but has it really improved? With the toothbrush I would say somewhat; an electric model is a noticeable improvement over manual brushing. But is some 6-way-oscillating sonic self-timing thingy any better than the first Oral B I bought ten years ago? I can't tell. And having recently switched from expensive high-tech disposable razors to a Merkur HD (with old-fashioned razor blade) and a badger-hair brush, I can honestly say I'm getting a far better shave with a fraction of the irritation and expense.

So are these technological improvements real or just something we're sold by shiny advertising? I suspect mostly the latter. And I prefer nail scissors to clippers.
posted by le morte de bea arthur at 2:18 AM on April 6, 2009

I use the wet nails method, but in my shower the water runs too much over my face when I bend down to do it. I cut mine over the toilet (seat as footrest) after getting out. I worry about dropping the clippers, but it hasn't happened yet.

As for speeding it up, I do two or three clips per. Once from each corner and a trim of the point. Kind of a polygon, I guess, if the blade wasn't curved. For fingernails I find an aggressive nail file to be the least fidgety way.
posted by rhizome at 3:15 AM on April 6, 2009

An important reminder from hacking (in the skillful computer programming sense) is that it's seldom worth the effort to make something more fast / efficient when it's only a tenth of a percent of the whole runtime in the first place. You get seriously diminishing returns.

The whole "lifehacker" schtick is new enough to have not really learned this lesson yet (with some exceptions), and, as a blogging niche, has a strong financial incentive to ignore it entirely.

See also: what le morte de bea arthur says.
posted by silentbicycle at 4:58 AM on April 6, 2009 [2 favorites]

I can't speed up the clipping, but I can make the time pass more enjoyably: Read while you are doing it. Unless you are really getting into it (?) you should be able to skim a blog or whatever at the same time. Put your foot/hand over a trash can and like Redmond Cooper says do all this right after a shower/bath.
posted by DU at 5:24 AM on April 6, 2009

You can't speed it up, but you can multitask. Get yourself a Leatherman Micra and clip your fingernails when you're sitting on the toilet. Might not work for your toes unless it's sandal season though.
posted by bondcliff at 5:47 AM on April 6, 2009

Don't clip, buff. Get one of those 4 sided buffing blocks in the finger section of your local beauty supply section/store. Buff your nails every day/every other day and you won't have to clip.
posted by zerokey at 5:53 AM on April 6, 2009

You can get a nice, high quality nail clipper, which make things slightly more enjoyable than using the same dull clippers for years and having it be a real chore. A friend of mine once had some beautiful, wicked sharp, folding clippers. They looked like this but I can't guarantee they are the same ones.
posted by cabingirl at 6:25 AM on April 6, 2009

I'm feeling really confused by this thread. How long does it actually take y'all to clip your nails? For me it's literally three minutes, and I thought I was being a perfectionist. Am I doing it wrong?
posted by you're a kitty! at 7:03 AM on April 6, 2009 [4 favorites]

The one 'advancement' in nail clipping technology that I've come across recently has been the development of a nail clipper that catches the clippings in a little chamber you can empty out when you're done - no more nails flying all over the place, no more having to clip over a garbage can, it's marvelous!
posted by DingoMutt at 7:23 AM on April 6, 2009

If you aren't already, use the sort that look like a small electrician's diagonal cutter with large handles, one of which is gripped by your four fingers and one by your palm.

Those "sharp leaf spring + lever" types which are grasped between a thumb and forefinger were designed to be used by martians.
posted by fydfyd at 7:29 AM on April 6, 2009

I've used wire cutters or the scissors on a pocketknife. It's cleaner than using regular nail clippers, and gives more control of the cut.

Also, cut your toe nails straight across to avoid ingrown nails.
posted by hooray at 8:41 AM on April 6, 2009

I'll let you in on a little secret: clip them outside. Porch, patio, yard, whatever outdoor space you have, clip them there. The nail-catching clippers aren't reliable, and clipping over the trash can/toilet is unreliable, it seems like one nail always goes flying no matter what.

Outside is the answer.
posted by paisley henosis at 9:06 AM on April 6, 2009

Swiss Army Knife scissors, after a shower. Gives a smooth edge, not the crushed nail edge of those crazy "pinch the nail off" clippers. And nail bits don't go flying across the room. NEed to be careful not to cut to the quick though.

Not sure if I'd listen to me however. I used to use a cordless Dremel to trim my nails. I had a very fine sanding bit that would only remove hard material, not soft. You could use it to peel the shell off an egg and leave the inside it in tact. A quick go around each finger tip took away the nail growth and never drew blood.

Or outsource it. Manicure/pedicure. You relax/work/study/socialize while someone else takes care of it properly.
posted by Ookseer at 10:17 AM on April 6, 2009

Lower the frequency. Don't clip 'em until they're so long that your shoes don't fit right or you can't type or something. When you finally do clip 'em, cut 'em as short as possible.
posted by box at 10:37 AM on April 6, 2009

With the toothbrush I would say somewhat; an electric model is a noticeable improvement over manual brushing.

Slight derail, le morte de bea arthur. In what way is it better? Any data to back up the claims of cleaner (i.e., independent studies concluding they result in fewer cavities/gum disease occurrence)? Or is it just better in the sense of quicker?
posted by IAmBroom at 7:29 AM on April 7, 2009