A tool for all. A magnet.

[tonyfoale]

Here's a tip which might come in handy one day. I hope none of us need it but stuff happens, especially to those who have a workshop.
This morning a bit of grinding debris got passed my glasses and into my eye, causing considerable pain which got worse during the day. Numerous washes did nothing except for a bit of short term relief. About 40 years ago I had a similar problem and the eye doc used a schapel to literally scrape off a burnt on bit of steel. I was not looking forward to a repeat of that.

Then I had an idea, I was grinding steel, steel is magnetic. What would happen if I put a rare earth magnet very close to my eye and followed the edge around. I was hoping that when I was done there would be a fine steel particle on the magnet, what I got was a surprise. Not one fine particle but numerous bits of super fine stuff, obviously an accumulation of airbourne steel dust, it would have been enough to cover a small pin head. I did not see it but the larger lump that caused the pain must have been in there. Anyway, it was almost instant relief, I washed it again and repeated the magnet trick and got a little bit more out. I guess in the morning I'll know for sure if the problem has gone completely. I have some mild discomfort still but you always get that for a while after an eye irritation.

Footnote: Complete cure, eye feels great.