Removing metal splinters

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EOsteam
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Removing metal splinters

Post by EOsteam »

It seems I have a talent for picking up those little tiny shards of metal that penetrate the skin and rest directly upon a pain receptor in the skin. I'm sure you all have experienced the zing you get from a sliver of metal so small as to be almost invisible. So far, a a tiny tweezers from a Swiss Army Knife combined with some 2.5X close up optics have proved to be sufficient. However, I'm sure there are those out in the world who have a sure fire way to remove the little pain producers. Please share any tips you have developed that will make getting those little pesky things out so much easier.

Thanks,

HJ
Mr Ron
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Re: Removing metal splinters

Post by Mr Ron »

I use an old ink ruling pen from my drafting days to remove tiny splinters; that and a magnifying glass.
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SteveHGraham
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Re: Removing metal splinters

Post by SteveHGraham »

Try Tweezerman brand tweezers.
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Patio
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Re: Removing metal splinters

Post by Patio »

Calipers work great.
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NP317
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Re: Removing metal splinters

Post by NP317 »

Just go visit your local hospital and enter the MRI room.
Be sure to aim the splinter ends at the MRI machine.
They will exit your body, nicely.

There are real reasons why welders and machinists often aren't allowed to have Magnetic Resonance Imaging done...
~RN
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ctwo
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Re: Removing metal splinters

Post by ctwo »

drizzle hot glue on it, wait for it to cool, then pull off the lump of glue with the splinter
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SteveHGraham
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Re: Removing metal splinters

Post by SteveHGraham »

Sometimes you can get them out with a really sticky tape, like Gorilla Tape. Apply tape and yank off. Make sure you're pulling in the correct direction, or you'll push the splinter farther in.
Every hard-fried egg began life sunny-side up.
jcfx
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Re: Removing metal splinters

Post by jcfx »

I wear latex gloves when I side mill and have a vacuum hose set up close to the work to capture as much of the slivers as possible.
Not a 100% effective, but it definitely lowers the chances of getting a no see um sliver.
whateg0
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Re: Removing metal splinters

Post by whateg0 »

Man! Y'all are lucky. I can always feel it but not find it, even with the 40x eye loup/magnifier thing.
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liveaboard
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Re: Removing metal splinters

Post by liveaboard »

I use surgical tweezers from a medical supply shop. They're EXPENSIVE. Super fine accurately ground needle tip.
I rarely can see it; I slip around [dig it as necessary] until I feel I'm on it [the 'zing' thing] then squeeze the tweeze and hopefully grab it. Sometimes, there's a hole when I'm done.
Easy ones that protrude slightly I scrape off with the edge of a sharp Stanley blade; the edge snags the shaft of the splinter. 9 out of 10, that works.

A guy I worked with swore a strong magnet [not MRI machine] works. I find it unlikely but I found him to be accurate in most things he told me.

I've had a couple of MRIs, and will have another next month. I always tell them I work with metal and there could be shards in my skin.
They simply ramp up the power slowly.

The worst I ever had was a tiny broken off thorn from a canary date palm; that took an MRI followed by an orthopedic surgical team, who needed 45 minutes to fish it out from between the tendons and things of my finger.
Lucky I have good insurance.
mihit
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Re: Removing metal splinters

Post by mihit »

Ounce of prevention, pound of cure...

First aid kits usually come with "splinter probes" which are VF sharp, like the end of a hypodermic.
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seal killer
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Re: Removing metal splinters

Post by seal killer »

EOsteam--

I have a nice engraving microscope for the little metal devils; those that hurt whenever you run something across them but are too small to actually see. I have a variety of "tools" to dig them out; my pocket knife with a 1" blade; WAY to large usually, a needle and other assorted stuff.

The microscope is like cheating. It was almost worth the money for the engraving equipment just to have the scope for digging splinters out.

--Bill
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