Plastic false nails or nail tips work wonders, but the superglue takes the surface off your real nail, which can't be good for it. I used tissue paper and clear nail varnish for ages: build up three or four layers, letting each one dry first. Looks dreadful, but it works. My nails seem to have grown stronger through playing, and I don't use anything now; maybe I just look after them better. I haven't tried gluing falsies onto nail varnish - that might work.

A manicurist I met a few weeks ago told me to go to a manicurist and, never mind sitting with all the girls and getting funny looks, ask for my picking nails to be coated with polyurethane: this is clear, and stops them splitting. When I've tried it, I'll let you know how I got on.

Steve