Splinter tweezer magnifier

**olderdan** · Nov 22, 2018, 09:31 AM

Made these tweezers many years ago as the ones in our medicine cabinet at work were typically useless, just pieces of hacksaw blades ground to a chisel edge. They were not allowed in our medicine cabinet so it was a case of “can I borrow your tweezers” several times a day especially when some hard brass was being machined. Also a pair of mini calipers made the same way for a job I cant remember. I must admit that Marvs idea of using calipers is the best, set them to zero and they might even indicate when you have gripped the little blighter.

**mklotz** · Nov 22, 2018, 10:45 AM

Many times I find that using the tweezers to press down the skin surrounding the splinter exposes the end of the splinter enough to obtain a grip on it. However, this action with sharp pointed tweezers can verge on the painful.

I wonder if a pair of tweezers with jaws shaped like a miniature version of end cutting pliers, e.g....

https://www.amazon.com/Channellock-1...cutting+pliers

would work better in this mode of operation. One of these days I'll make a pair and see if they are an improvement over surgical tweezers.

**Jon** · Nov 22, 2018, 12:45 PM

Very interesting thread, specifically how difficult-to-extract splinters require different tools. This is analogous to a screwdriver vs. a stripped screw extractor.

**mklotz** · Nov 22, 2018, 01:10 PM

Originally Posted by Jon

Very interesting thread, specifically how difficult-to-extract splinters require different tools. This is analogous to a screwdriver vs. a stripped screw extractor.

Yes, indeed. A number of tools used by surgeons are useful in the home shop. While surgeons use tweezers for splinters, in difficult cases they pull out the splinter forceps...

https://www.amazon.com/Virtus-Splint...linter+forceps

I have a variety of surgical tools in my kit. An Olsen-Hegar needle driver and a pair of suture removal scissors are invaluable when rigging model ships. Bandage scissors are useful too. Dissecting scissors are always at hand. Scalpels and various sizes of forceps, of course.

I have a pair of Adson tissue forceps, too, but have not found a good shop use for them yet. Take a careful look at the tips in the illustrations here...

https://www.amazon.com/1X2TEETH-VETE...tissue+forceps

When the surgeons are suturing an incision they need to pull the tissue closed while stitching. Freshly cut human is very slippery so they need to get a good grip on the flesh to keep it in place while the needle driver does its thing. Just looking at those tips gives me the willies. Aren't you glad they anesthetize you during surgery?

**Jon** · Nov 22, 2018, 01:30 PM

Nice. Here's a good upclose screenshot of those forceps tips:

**mklotz** · Nov 22, 2018, 01:51 PM

Many surgical tools were designed (and sometimes prototyped by) surgeons. In a sense that makes them homemade tools, so a very fit topic for this forum.

The fact that so many of them were designed by the folks who use them is the reason that they're so well designed for their intended use. And that, of course, explains the appeal of much of what appears here - we design things to perform the tasks we have at hand.

**Jon** · Nov 22, 2018, 01:52 PM

This reminds me that I need to prioritize my patent searching program. Rapid patent retrieval would really help us up our game. Some splinter patents:

Splinter Removal Device

Splinter Puller

Chemical Splinter Removal