My wife makes up a lotion made up of Olive oil, and the essential oil of Lavender. Works fantastic.

I am a water well drilling contractor. I work outside 98% of the time. Summer heat, through the coldests days all winter. My hands get wet, and sometimes stay wet for long periods of time.

Some of the store bought creams and lotions help, but none of them work as well as the mixture she makes up.

My recurve is 60" long and draw it to 29 1/2", and I shoot regularly without a tab or glove.
I have a tough callous on my ring finger on my right hand. Sometimes I will develop a crack in the callous itself. The skin within the callous gets extremely hard and will just crack on me.

I learned to use some bandage tape and I will wrap the callous. This seemed to help when a crack developed.

Another thing that will help, is if you put some lotion on your fingers BEFORE you shoot, and give it some time to soak in to help soften your skin. I think my callous cracks because it looses all flexability.

I`ve been using a tab a bit more, but it use the layered ones, and only use the calf hair layer. It is nice and thin, and I can feel the string really good. No crack so far this year.

Them deep ones sting like crazy!

PA-Spot is spot on with the super-glue. Cover the crack and let it heal from inside out.

When cracks do occur, use superglue to patch them.  Works great!

Super glue does it for me too, and you can sandpaper to get it fairly smooth. The udder lotion helps too if you do it prior to the cracks..

Madge told me to use Palmolive. In fact, I am soaking in it.

working hands hands down.  loyd

QuoteOriginally posted by PA-Spot:
Super Glue Dude!! Fix em right up. Heal from the inside out. No Pain

What he said!!   This is a fix after they are cracked, not much of a preventive.

During duck season, mine fingers crack terriblely!!!   I have dry hands anyway, but when it's cold out they are even worse.  Super glue takes the pain away.

I know this sounds extreme, but I have gone one step past the cotton gloves. when it is a severe case I will put alot of the bag balm on my hands at bedtime then latex gloves, coverd by cotton gloves. I cant spleep without covering the latex with cotton. It works and if I do it each week I dont have the hand problems that I did. GOOD LUCK TERM

Super glue for repairing existing cracks, as all have said above and Aurora Warm Skin to prevent the cracks.  I use the Warm Skin for winter use since it actually does warm the skin after applying.  Put it on with a pair of gloves over the top and it really helps keep your hands warm while being outdoors.  "Moisturizes and Insulates" is the label claim and it does.

if your going to buy either bag balm or udder balm make sure it is the Medicated kind and not the plain stuff - big difference - just my 2cts. good luck !

I found the bag balm, but don't think it was medicated.  I will have to get some super glue.  I have some gel, but that will probably not work as well as the regular.  It sure would be nice to seal up this big cracks when I get them.  Last winter they would go as much as half way across the joint and deep.

Where do you get that Aurora Warm Skin?  That sounds like a nice product.  My hands get real cold outside shooting.

xtrema312:
Google Aurora Warm Skin.  There are a number of sites that will come up including the official site of the brand. It will tell you where the retail stores are where you can purchase it or order it online. The stuff is a bit spendy so I only use it when the weather is cold and I want more "insulation" on my hands and/or feet.  I like the tub for the $$.  Bag balm the rest of the year.  Hope that helps.

To heal the cracks quickly fill them with Carmex, also stops the pain.

well Down under we just pee on em stings a little then wash em real Good it Does work it is an old remedy my Dad used to pee on cracks and blisters and they would heal up after a day or two. i know it Dont sound Good But Hey it works.    and the best part is its free  :D

QuoteOriginally posted by JEFF B:
well Down under we just pee on em stings a little then wash em real Good it Does work it is an old remedy my Dad used to pee on cracks and blisters and they would heal up after a day or two. i know it Dont sound Good But Hey it works.     and the best part is its free   :D  

Jeff, My boy has been doing that by accident for years.  

Jeff, do you wash your hands after you go?