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[fossilman]

I just use my fingers,I feel the rock better,as for finger nails,they grow back...LOL

[bobby1]

As you get older and you start to recognize the tendonitis in your wrists and strains on your fingers from tightly gripping small, slick things in cold water you will come to the realization there is a reason for using dop sticks.
Bob

[gemfeller]

It's one of those preference things.  I taught myself to cut using fingers only and even though I have painful arthritis in my hands I can still cut stones of all sizes including opals down to 6 x 8 mm. or so with no dops.  I occasionally use dops only for final polish or sanding difficult or some high-dome cabs.  I also manage to avoid bleeding fingers and ground-away fingernails (mostly) through years of practice.  But as I said at the outset, everyone has different preferences/techniques.  It depends on what floats your boat.

[hummingbirdstones]

Exactly.  I can do them both ways and I will always grind them to shape freehand, but if it is a smaller cab, I'll usually dop it up because my fingers lock up when I'm holding them freehand at the wheels.  Hurts like the dickens and sometimes the cabs go flying because I can't unlock my fingers to grip the buggers.  Just easier for me to hold a dop stick and not as painful.

[55fossil]

    I have started wearing the cheapy blue gloves from Harbor Freight. The size that fits your hands really tight is what I go with. It also helps keep my hands from drying out and blistering in the winter, Hangnails, aaargh.   Takes a bit to adjust to wearing the gloves but I have fingerprints again, oops.

neal

[Jhon P]

Dops for me. I have ground off enough skin and nails. I find that I have much better control and much more speed. I did give up on the dog wax. If the water was cold it would release I now use hot glue, the colder it get the better it holds. I tried the super glue but it was too much trouble to get it off.

[erichK]

As Eli Wallach said in "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly"  "Fingernails?! FINGERNAILS; I don need no stinkinnn' fingernails!!!"

I have yet to learn how to use a dopstick. After only a few weeks I've gotten much better about self grinding be will still use medical tap on thumb and index fingers - but not on the tips. On the fingernail area of thumb and index I will use Starbond. Seems to work out okay for me.