Healing & Protecting Your Most Important Tools...

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BlankBlankBlank

Minister of Fire
Oct 12, 2011
564
PA
...your hands! I've been using this particular brand for a couple years. There's another similar product on the market available through bovine supply stores that I've used in the past when I was a sawmill and log home guy. I can't remember the name of that product, though. I've found this to be about the best stuff for protecting my skin from the harsh, cold, dry winter air.

Each year I'm a little oblivious and realize I need to start using this stuff when my fingertips start to crack or split on the side of the nail where it protrudes past fingertip. When I remember to start using this stuff before I begin having problems, the problems never come.

Good stuff!

What do you do or use to protect your hands??
 

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Hey thanks for posting this. I get those cracks too. I've heard of that stuff but never tried it. I'll try it.
 
wkpoor said:
Hey thanks for posting this. I get those cracks too. I've heard of that stuff but never tried it. I'll try it.

Really works! Really! I buy mine from my local Blains Farm & Fleet. Fleet Farm is another store that will have it. Don't know what store you'd have in Ohio. Can probably also be gotten online through Amazon or something like that.
 
We've used bag balm for cuts and burns too. Naturally growing up on a dairy farm we always had some on hand. However, we have found something a bit better.

Hand creme

The company has both a hand and a foot creme. My wife has suffered with cracked skin on hands and especially her feet for many, many moons. After finding this stuff and giving it a try, we keep it on hand all the time.
 
Working Man's cream. In a green tub, was around $5 at the hardware store.
 
Socks? haha. why not use some cheap cotton gloves instead of ruining your socks?

uncontrolabLEE said:
Bag Balm is the bomb !!! Feet,knees, elbows, hands, chapped lips. When my hands get bad I'll coat em up before bed and put a pair of socks on my hands. That stuff works miracles overnight!
 
Guess I'm either tougher than I think or don't care if my hands and fingers are rough . . . I have never used anything . . . other than a pair of gloves . . . and that's only when the weather is cold.
 
NATE379 said:
Socks? haha. why not use some cheap cotton gloves instead of ruining your socks?

uncontrolabLEE said:
Bag Balm is the bomb !!! Feet,knees, elbows, hands, chapped lips. When my hands get bad I'll coat em up before bed and put a pair of socks on my hands. That stuff works miracles overnight!

Put em on my feet in the morning and whats left soaks into feet. Bag Balm ruins nothing.
I tried gloves and its just too easy to take em off in your sleep.
 
uncontrolabLEE said:
Bag Balm is the bomb !!! Feet,knees, elbows, hands, chapped lips. When my hands get bad I'll coat em up before bed and put a pair of socks on my hands. That stuff works miracles overnight!

Exactly what I do too! My wife has followed my lead.
 
If I put socks on my hands they would be stretched out worse than a 400 pounders spandex pants. That's why I said ruining socks.

uncontrolabLEE said:
NATE379 said:
Socks? haha. why not use some cheap cotton gloves instead of ruining your socks?

uncontrolabLEE said:
Bag Balm is the bomb !!! Feet,knees, elbows, hands, chapped lips. When my hands get bad I'll coat em up before bed and put a pair of socks on my hands. That stuff works miracles overnight!

Put em on my feet in the morning and whats left soaks into feet. Bag Balm ruins nothing.
I tried gloves and its just too easy to take em off in your sleep.
 
Gloves and I keep well hydrated. Doc said the reason why my wife's hands and feet crack in the winter is because she switches to pop instead of stick with water

Jeff
 
Believe it or not: Bag Balm can also be found in most quilting shops.
 
WoodNStuff said:
Shari said:
Believe it or not: Bag Balm can also be found in most quilting shops.

Oh, really? That's interesting! I would have never thought.

True. A similar product is marketed under the name "Utter Balm". Ask a farmer the connection between "Bag Balm" and "Utter Balm". :)
 
My mom is a retired nurse. Her hands would dry out from all the washing between patients. She swore by bag balm, tried udder cream but I remember she didn't think it worked as well.
 
Bag balm is the best I've tried. I used to have a can of Badger Balm in my truck which was good but had a little too much beeswax in it. For years my wife used to complain that my hands felt like sandpaper. I'd get cuts and scrapes, cracks and gouges that wouldn't heal from Nov-April. I would never wear gloves if I could help it. Since I'm not working in the field as much they've softened quite a bit, so now she calls me girly man.
 
Has nothing to do with hands being rough for me.

If I don't use anything my hands will crack and bleed plus any grease/dirt I get on my hands is near impossible to clean off. Ever try scrubbing grease out of basically an open wound with pumice hand cleaner?

firefighterjake said:
Guess I'm either tougher than I think or don't care if my hands and fingers are rough . . . I have never used anything . . . other than a pair of gloves . . . and that's only when the weather is cold.
 
Backwoods Savage said:
We've used bag balm for cuts and burns too. Naturally growing up on a dairy farm we always had some on hand.

I remember being amused when I saw this as a kid on our cousin's dairy farm. You've gotta love the name, logo and the directions on the tin. Click the image to view full size. :lol:

Our local hardware store sells http://www.antimonkeybutt.com. Fortunately, I haven't needed it.
 
NATE379 said:
Has nothing to do with hands being rough for me.

If I don't use anything my hands will crack and bleed plus any grease/dirt I get on my hands is near impossible to clean off. Ever try scrubbing grease out of basically an open wound with pumice hand cleaner?

firefighterjake said:
Guess I'm either tougher than I think or don't care if my hands and fingers are rough . . . I have never used anything . . . other than a pair of gloves . . . and that's only when the weather is cold.

Yes. Painful. I always put on bag balm or lotion on my hands prior to working on the car, lawn mower, etc. - basically anything that will put grease on my hands. That way when I go to wash them the bag balm has kept the grease from the pores, cracks and crevices of my hands. They come clean when washed.
 
Not to go off topic too much here. If I end up with grease, wood stain, paint or oil on my hands, I take a handful of sawdust from under my table saw and rub it between my hands. It soaks up the crap and dries your hands off quickly. I can't recall how many times I have used it. It should be fine sawdust to avoid splinters.
 
fishingpol said:
Not to go off topic too much here. If I end up with grease, wood stain, paint or oil on my hands, I take a handful of sawdust from under my table saw and rub it between my hands. It soaks up the crap and dries your hands off quickly. I can't recall how many times I have used it. It should be fine sawdust to avoid splinters.

That works good,especially superfine dust from band saw or belt sander.For really good cleaning I pour a bit of sugar in one palm,then regular dishwashing soap & rub thoroughly then rinse.The sugar is a good abrasive,yet gentle on cuts/scratches,while the soap cuts through any grease,oil or solvent.
 
Wow a blast from my past---bag balm. I grew up w/this stuff, my mom used it all the time. Kept her hands really soft. My wife uses this stuff now, swears by it.
 
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