How to use Nail Clippers

Unless you only have your nails trimmed by a professional, you likely own a nail clipper. In fact, nail clippers are the most widely used household product. We've even seen a statistic that says 86% of men use nail clippers. Just try to find another manicure or pedicure tool that even comes close to that number for men. And yet, we remain surprised at how many people still use nail clippers incorrectly. And, we cringe a bit because using them wrong affects more than just shoddy looking nails – it means cuts, infections, and pain.

Before we get into the proper way to use nail clippers, we need to preface with our biggest pet peeve. STOP BUYING AND USING $3 NAIL CLIPPERS!

There are way more $3 nail clippers on the market than quality clippers. And using a low quality nail clipper is both dangerous, and costly. Dangerous in that it will often come apart or slip in your hands while clipping, and costly because replacing them regularly (due to poor quality, and fast dulling blades) costs significantly more over a lifetime than one quality clipper that will last decades and perform much better (like those sold by Zamberg). The difference in nail clippers is in the steel, and the manufacturing. Solingen steel is high carbon steel, which lasts and stays sharp for decades without rusting. The stronger steel allows for easier, more ergonomic handling, and allows clippers to be specialized for children, and for the toughest and thickest toenails. Cheap nail clippers crush nails, quality nail clippers cut nails.

Now that we have that out of the way, here are some hints on how to properly use nail clippers.

• Do not clip nails too closely. This is the biggest mistake most people make when clipping finger and toenails. Leave nails slightly extended over the nail bed. Cutting too close causes ingrown nails, which is both painful and takes time to correct.

• Cut your toenails straight across, leaving some visible nail as opposed to into the skin. • Do not use a nail clipper to cut the sides of nails. Clippers are not made for tight spaces, and will cause damage to the skin around the nails.

• Never pull the clipper if the initial clip fails to cut the nail Tray again in a slightly different position of the nail. If the problem persists, you need sharper blades or a stronger clipper (for thicker, tougher nails).

• Start clipping from one side of the nail and continue in the same direction until you reach the other side.

• While we do not recommend cutting hangnails with clippers, never pull on a hangnail. If you do not get a good cut, you will need a sharper blade or a different utensil. Check out the wide assortment of quality nail clippers available through Zamberg in every shape, size, and price point, and happy clipping!