Gots a question for y'all or anyone who might know, as I have never seen this before.

I was vegging out in front of COPS on the television taking a break from college, and the officer responded to a call involving a homosexual male who had allegedly slept with a married man.  Whatever...  You know the drama some of the fools on that show have in their lives.

So anyway, I noticed the guy claiming to be gay had his left thumbnail painted black.  No other nails black, just the left thumbnail.  I have never seen this before.

What does the left thumbnail paintied black insinuate?  Is it associated with the homosexual community in some manner (like gang colors for want of a better analogy), or is it sheer coincidence?  Have you two (or anyone) seen this before?  Maybe the guy just hit his thumb with a hammer real good?

I am only asking out of curiosity.  I don't want this thread turned into gay or straight bashing.  I like to think I am at least somewhat of an educated man with an open mind, and I learn by asking when new things present themselves.  

So please people, no bashing!  Just answer my question if you possibly can, with my appreciation.  

Thanks!

Gosh I sure hope it's not a gay call sign. <hides black thumbnail>

I just like black thumbnails, I swear it.

The nail was from the hamster bite when they tried to pull it out..

Quoted: The nail was from the hamster bite when they tried to pull it out..

EWWWWWWWWW

Never heard of that one.  There's a "bandana code" out there, different colored bandanas in right or left rear pocket signify which acts they like, and whether they like doing them to others or having it done to them.

I always thought a black thumbnail signified a clumsy carpenter.

Quoted: I always thought a black thumbnail signified a clumsy carpenter.

Or a clumsy Garand owner.

Quoted: Quoted: I always thought a black thumbnail signified a clumsy carpenter. Or a clumsy Garand owner.

You can usually pick those ones out when you see them running up and down the firing line screeching bloody murder with a Garand hanging from their thumb

Quoted: Quoted: I always thought a black thumbnail signified a clumsy carpenter. Or a clumsy Garand owner.

I guess I am one of the lucky ones.  I have never had Garand thumb.  I was shooting with some friends from here on Arfcom 2 weeks ago, and they were all scared of the same thing.  I showed them how to do it right, and they never had a problem.

Once you get that en-bloc in, just keep pressure on it.  People get Garand thumb because they just barely push the clip into the mag until it seats, so the bolt slams forward.  SLAM that clip in with your thumb, and don't hold the charging handle - viola, problem solved!  Then slam the charging handle forward with your palm AFTER your thumb is out of there, remove the safety, and you are good to go.  

I just replaced the operating rod guide spring in my '52 H&R, and the gun store guy I got the spring from said, "Hey, you best be careful!  This is a new spring, so you're bound to get caught because you are used to the old, lighter spring!"    Yep, right.  Still have a right thumb that is injury free.

Garands are not meant to be babied.  Put that damn clip in there like you mean it, and keep your hand off the charging handle, and you'll have no problems.  When you're done, don't pull the charging handle...  Slam that bastard forward like it was designed.  

After Googling for a while to find some kind of meaning behind this, I have discovered some facts:

1.  Lots and lots of teenage girls, and apparently even adult males, will color in their left thumbnail with a marker or pen when placed in an extremely boring situation.

2.  Apparently Tom Jane goes through the Punisher with his left thumbnail (painted?) black.  I tried to find out more, but I would have had to join his fansite and that's too much trouble.

3. If you have a "claw" instead of a left thumbnail you're supposed to be a werewolf.  Apparently some goth kids color it in in some kind of tribute to this.

4.  The flu will make threads like this far more interesting to me than it should be.

Quoted: After Googling for a while to find some kind of meaning behind this, I have discovered some facts: 1.  Lots and lots of teenage girls, and apparently even adult males, will color in their left thumbnail with a marker or pen when placed in an extremely boring situation. 2.  Apparently Tom Jane goes through the Punisher with his left thumbnail (painted?) black.  I tried to find out more, but I would have had to join his fansite and that's too much trouble. 3. If you have a "claw" instead of a left thumbnail you're supposed to be a werewolf.  Apparently some goth kids color it in in some kind of tribute to this. 4.  The flu will make threads like this far more interesting to me than it should be.

It's one of those things I never thought I'd ask, but curiosity got the best of me.  Like you, Google got me nowhere except what you found.  So I figured I'd ask the resident experts.  

Quoted: It's one of those things I never thought I'd ask, but curiosity got the best of me.  Like you, Google got me nowhere except what you found.  So I figured I'd ask the resident experts.

I'm really interested to see if there's some kind of hidden meaning behind this.  Maybe it's a super cool rifle club and we're all missing out.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: I always thought a black thumbnail signified a clumsy carpenter. Or a clumsy Garand owner. I guess I am one of the lucky ones.  I have never had Garand thumb.  I was shooting with some friends from here on Arfcom 2 weeks ago, and they were all scared of the same thing.  I showed them how to do it right, and they never had a problem. Once you get that en-bloc in, just keep pressure on it.  People get Garand thumb because they just barely push the clip into the mag until it seats, so the bolt slams forward.  SLAM that clip in with your thumb, and don't hold the charging handle - viola, problem solved!  Then slam the charging handle forward with your palm AFTER your thumb is out of there, remove the safety, and you are good to go.   I just replaced the operating rod guide spring in my '52 H&R, and the gun store guy I got the spring from said, "Hey, you best be careful!  This is a new spring, so you're bound to get caught because you are used to the old, lighter spring!"    Yep, right.  Still have a right thumb that is injury free. Garands are not meant to be babied.  Put that damn clip in there like you mean it, and keep your hand off the charging handle, and you'll have no problems.  When you're done, don't pull the charging handle...  Slam that bastard forward like it was designed.

Never had it either - I think the myth of the garand thumb has far exceeded it's actual prevalence in reality.

Of all the people I have trained on garands (and we're probably easily talking about a hundred different recruits in the danish army) I'm not sure I have ever seen someone with a garand thumb.  To my recollection, I think the only place I've actually "seen" it is in Saving Private Ryan, one of the GI's has what looks like a garand thumb. (or what I would imagine it looks like)

Personally, I'm not quite convinced that the force of the bolt catching your thumb as you close it on an empty magazine would even be enough to cause a nail to get all black.

DK,

It is with a heavy operating spring.  But don't fear the animals.  

Like I tell anyone with the myth of Garand thumb in their mind:  "Don't pussyfoot it out of fear and you won't get bit."

The Garand wasn't meant to be loaded by women.  Push that clip in the mag like you mean it, and no problem.

Like you said, every thumb story just circulates more than others.  Kind of like the brass in your cleavage thing, heh.  

10 or 15 years ago dykes would paint some or all of their toenails blue as a sign.  Source: On Our Backs Magazine.

Quoted: I always thought a black thumbnail signified a clumsy carpenter.

My BIL is walking around with one of those. He SLAMMED his thumb with a 21-ounce Eastwing framing hammer over a month ago.

Quoted: 2.  Apparently Tom Jane goes through the Punisher with his left thumbnail (painted?) black.  I tried to find out more, but I would have had to join his fansite and that's too much trouble.

Haven't watched it in a while, but I thought more than just his thumbnail were painted.  You can see it pretty clearly right before Harry Heck rams into him.  I was thinking maybe the thumb and pinky or forefinger....???  I remember the first time I saw that movie, thinking "WTF?"  

Alot of dyslexic people will paint at least one finger on either hand a certain color, often black, to help them remember which side is which.

It's really scary that some of you have better answers then me.........I'm an old queen.. never heard of it before.

Quoted: Never heard of that one.  There's a "bandana code" out there, different colored bandanas in right or left rear pocket signify which acts they like, and whether they like doing them to others or having it done to them.

WOW they still use that...thought that went out in the 80's. I guess that's why JT made me get rid of my red bandana I carry to wipe down my bike.



I hate to say it but sometime life is just to weird.