# Splinters



## CFLBob (Sep 3, 2019)

I've been working on a steel flywheel on my lathe and I'm noticing a problem I've never had while machining aluminum.  Splinters.  Maybe a better word is sharp chips. 

Small, sharp splinters that get under my skin without me noticing and then stick whenever I grab something.   

I'm not good at wearing heavy clothes to keep things off or out of me, mainly because it's too hot in the shop to feel comfortable wearing something like denim, even though the air conditioner is on.  I have a shop apron but haven't been wearing it.  Even that is good compared to gloves, which I've never worn and have been afraid of thanks to the safety warnings I've seen.   

What do you guys do to keep sharp chips or splinters out of your hands?  

Moderators - I didn't know where else to put this.  If it's in the wrong place, please let me know.


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## stevehuckss396 (Sep 3, 2019)

I'm suprised that you are having this problem on the lathe. Usually it's the mill with tiny cutters. Only thing I can think of is heavier cuts so you get bigger chips.


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## CFLBob (Sep 3, 2019)

stevehuckss396 said:


> I'm suprised that you are having this problem on the lathe. Usually it's the mill with tiny cutters. Only thing I can think of is heavier cuts so you get bigger chips.



I'm surprised, too.  I think they came from parting a piece off - I used a hacksaw because my cutoff blade wasn't long enough.  It was a 4" diameter piece I was cutting off.


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## tornitore45 (Sep 4, 2019)

I use my compressed air a lot and frequently to blow chips and oil off my hands, forearm and any tool holder as I change it.  Before going inside the home I blow all of my body, hair and shoes.  Wife goes ballistic when she find chips in the house.
Rarely a problem with aluminum, usually is the steel splinter that get you.


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## Cogsy (Sep 4, 2019)

I keep a pair of those wearable magnifying glasses LINK, a splinter probe and a decent pair of tweezers in the shed at all times. When I get one of those annoying invisible splinters I drag out the magnifiers and dig it out. I have no idea how to stop them getting in though.


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## CFLBob (Sep 4, 2019)

tornitore45 said:


> I use my compressed air a lot and frequently to blow chips and oil off my hands, forearm and any tool holder as I change it. Before going inside the home I blow all of my body, hair and shoes. Wife goes ballistic when she find chips in the house.



I really hadn't even thought of using the compressor and I have no idea why I didn't.  I have my compressor set to a relatively low pressure for my coolant mist and attached to it, but I could add another hose. 

One of my concerns is our two cats.  I would hate to see one of them get a splinter - they can't exactly tell you something hurts.  On the other hand, the shop is attached to the house and one of them will come out to talk to me, so keeping him out of the shop is difficult.



Cogsy said:


> When I get one of those annoying invisible splinters I drag out the magnifiers and dig it out.



Exactly what I did.  The ones I had were looked like a dot in the 4x magnifiers I was wearing and had worked their way deep enough into my skin that I had to dig them out with a needle.


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## Brian Rupnow (Sep 4, 2019)

Bob, I get splinters too---it goes with the hobby. I never get them from aluminum or brass, but I certainly do from steel. I have a lighted magnifying viewer, and those I see are removed with tweezers. The ones I can't see generally get sore, with a certain amount of infection. These call for a bit more radical surgery with a sewing needle and scalpel. I then soak the damaged digit in a cup of the hottest water I can stand for about half an hour, then soak in hydrogen peroxide for half an hour. That always seems to fix me up. I learned that "soak in hot water" thing from my dad. He worked in the local sawmill in the summers, and was always getting slivers of wood in his fingers.


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## CFLBob (Sep 4, 2019)

Thanks, Brian.  I used either a sewing needle or a sharp knife.  

I gather most people would rather not deal with gloves, both from the loss of finger sensitivity and the possibility of a glove getting grabbed and pulling your hand into something far worse than a splinter.


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## stevehuckss396 (Sep 4, 2019)

I tried for a short time using a shop apron. Chips ended up between the apron and me so that didn't last long. I would think gloves would be the same way. Even if it were safe I wouldn't wear them anyway.


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## John Antliff (Sep 4, 2019)

I do quite a bit of commercial work involving brass turning which produces a lot of small thin splinters and occasionally I'll pick up one of these in my finger.  The pain is like what you get from a fine hypodermic needle.   Usually they can be pulled out fairly easily but if they work there way into the skin and remain undetected for a day or so then they get really difficult to remove requiring a digging operation in bright light with a sharp needle and a magnifying glass.   I have not found a fool proof way of avoiding these little blighters, no matter what clothing I adorn myself with, they still occur.  I seldom pick up steel splinters off the mill probably because I have more respect for those!


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## tornitore45 (Sep 4, 2019)

After a couple hours machining, just about anything you touch has chips and oil stuck on, there is where one picks up splinters.  I try to keep tools clean with air and rags but when I feel a splinter I should immediately take it out. Sometime laziness and the urge to progress on the project makes me delay and THEN is when the splinter get pounded "below deck" requiring the unpleasant digging.
I do not usually let the dog in the garage/shop but it happens. For that reason and because I hate the mess of chips everywhere I stop, vacuum and sweep at least every hour of making chips, put away tools make order.  I am COD about my work area.


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## TonyM (Sep 5, 2019)

Before anyone follows Tomitores advise in post 4 they should read up on the dangers of using compressed air on the skin. 
Even low pressure can be dangerous
I don't even use compressed air for cleaning down equipment because it blows dust and debris into places it would not normally go.


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## Cogsy (Sep 5, 2019)

Rather than use a needle to dig the nasty ones out, I use a disposable splinter probe which are nice and sharp, have a plastic handle which makes manipulating them simple, and have a bit of a 'triangular' grind on the tip which somehow seems to grab onto the splinters easier. They come in packs of 10 for around $1 so I always keep some on hand.

And I agree about not blowing chips off machines with compressed air - sure it takes most of them off but it makes the tiny ones airborne and can drive some into places they couldn't/shouldn't normally get.


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## tornitore45 (Sep 5, 2019)

Out of curiosity I googled "Compressed Air on Skin Danger"  and got several hits.
My conclusion is that a 500 PSI gun in in the hands of a 5 years old is extremely dangerous.
A wide nozzle, fed by a 100 PSI tank, in the hand of somebody with no less than 64 working brain cells is very safe.

I have been using compressed air for 16 years and never had a problem.

Of course I do not use a needle gun pressed on skin but keep a large bore nozzle far away to disperse the air stream and pressure, do not blow in my ears, nose or eyes, navel or other orifices.
I vacuum most chips and blow the few left over paying attention in which direction, avoid stirring up light dust that can stay airborne and then breathing into the cloud.

If you think you can operate a tool machine safely, you are smart enough to use your air gun.

I remember a piece of new 60 years ago where one idiot horsing around someway managed to put an air gun into or near a coworker anus and killed him.
Yes compressed air is dangerous.


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## doc1955 (Sep 5, 2019)

TonyM said:


> Before anyone follows Tomitores advise in post 4 they should read up on the dangers of using compressed air on the skin.
> Even low pressure can be dangerous
> I don't even use compressed air for cleaning down equipment because it blows dust and debris into places it would not normally go.




Yes air can be dangerous on skin. If you have any nicks or cuts it is even low pressure that can be bad. I watched a dud blow chips off on his clothing and next thing he was an the floor. Seems he had a very small cut and the air was blown under the skin and the air caused him to black out. The doctor said he was lucky and that he could have died from it.  Keep a brush handy on your machines a cheapy brush works fine. I fine that and the vac work the best. I will occasionally give the vise a blast but I try not to.


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## goldstar31 (Sep 5, 2019)

Where iron and steel are involved, the sim[;e thing is obviously a powerful magnet.Usually from the field coil pf of a duff electric motor!
Again,  I use what could be regarded as a crude topical anaesthetic  which used to be ether meths from my days  with 'Diesel' model engines etc. 
I now find that impossible to obtain and I simply use a damp start aerosol to numb the damaged finger' 

However, I did find many replies quite constructive too

Happy probing

N orm


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## TonyM (Sep 5, 2019)

tornitore45 said:


> Out of curiosity I googled "Compressed Air on Skin Danger"  and got several hits.
> My conclusion is that a 500 PSI gun in in the hands of a 5 years old is extremely dangerous.
> A wide nozzle, fed by a 100 PSI tank, in the hand of somebody with no less than 64 working brain cells is very safe.
> 
> ...



I am biting my lip here because I think you are uneducated in the safe use of compressed air.  Nevertheless I am getting on my high horse because I think  trying to reinforce your extremely bad advice is unforgivable.

I cannot believe you could possibly draw those conclusions if you had checked reputable sources, not just your average internet dope. In some countries it is even illegal to use compressed air for cleaning. I think Canada is one of them.

I  believe that the more experienced members here have a degree of responsibility to help make our hobby as safe as we can for novices and those less experienced than ourselves. It's part of what this site is about. 

I have personally witnessed two cases of compressed air embolism. One was with 60 psi line pressure and one was less than 40 psi. One guy only survived because he was near a decompression tank in a navy yard.

The proper advice is *NEVER use compressed air to dust down your clothes or skin. *


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## doc1955 (Sep 5, 2019)

TonyM said:


> The proper advice is *NEVER use compressed air to dust down your clothes or skin. *



Amen you should never use air and I totally agree with what yu have said here!!


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## deeferdog (Sep 5, 2019)

I think that most of us are of an age where we have the ability to set our own safety standards in our own workplaces. It's your shop and if you think using compressed air to clean is good, then that's OK by me. In my shed, I do what I think is necessary for a safe environment.


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## abby (Sep 5, 2019)

I saw this posted on another modelling forum , reading the replies to this thread reminded me of it !

Q: How many people does it take to change a light bulb on a Forum?

A: 1 to change the light bulb and to post that the light bulb has been changed.
14 to share similar experiences of changing light bulbs and how the light bulb could have been changed differently.
7 to caution about the dangers of changing light bulbs.
17 purists who use candles and are offended by light bulb discussions.
6 to argue over whether it's 'lightbulb' or 'light bulb'.
Another 6 to condemn those 6 as stupid.
22 to tell THOSE 6 to stop being jackasses.
2 industry professionals to inform the group that the proper term is 'lamp'.
15 know-it-alls who claim they were in the industry, and that 'light bulb' is perfectly correct.
19 to post that this page is not about light bulbs and to please take this discussion to a light bulb page.
11 to defend the posting to this page saying that we all use light bulbs and therefore the posts are relevant here.
36 to debate which method of changing light bulbs is superior, where to buy the best light bulbs, what brand of light bulbs work best for this technique and what brands are faulty.
7 to ask if the brands of light bulbs used are worth the money.
19 to tell them that if they like the light bulbs, buy them.
5 People to post pics of their own light bulbs.
15 People to post "I can't see S$%^!" and use their own light bulbs.
7 to post URL's where one can see examples of different light bulbs.
4 to post that the URL's were posted incorrectly and then post the corrected URL's.
5 to post to the page that they will no longer post or are leaving because they cannot handle the $!%cking light bulb controversy.
6 to report the post or PM an admin because someone said "f÷×$"
4 to say "Didn't we go through this already a short time ago?".
13 to say "Do a search on light bulbs before posting questions about light bulbs".
1 to bring politics into the discussion by adding that (insert politician of choice) isn't the brightest bulb.
4 more to get into personal attacks over their political views.
5 admins to ban the light bulb posters who took it all too seriously.
1 late arrival to comment on the original post 6 months later and start it all over again.

Dan.


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## deeferdog (Sep 5, 2019)

But that wouldn't apply to us, would it?


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## Cogsy (Sep 5, 2019)

So we know compressed air is dangerous, even at relatively low pressures, and shouldn't be used for cleaning (it is even illegal in some places). Like deeferdog says, we are free to choose our own safety standards in our own shops, but I don't think we should be promoting dangerous (and potentially illegal) practices to others.

I've been guilty of blowing myself down after rolling around in the dirt under trucks, etc., or sticking my hand in a compressed air stream, but after reading the info out there I won't be doing it anymore. The fact that nothing bad has happened to me even after doing it so many times is irrelevant - it's an instance of survivorship bias. 

Oh - and now that I use LED tubes in the shed, I NEVER need to change light bulbs


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## charmseza (Sep 6, 2019)

Compressed air is very dangerous. It not only spread chips far and wide, but makes small particles airborne where you can inhale it. Trust me. Metal in the lungs / eyes are worse than in the hands.

Use an oiled brush to wipe chips into chip tray.

Gloves and rotating machines are a big no-no.

Ohs will have a field day here lol

BTW, I love this forum.


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## mortimer (Sep 6, 2019)

abby said:


> I saw this posted on another modelling forum , reading the replies to this thread reminded me of it !
> 
> Q: How many people does it take to change a light bulb on a Forum?
> 
> ...


Just to add to the confusion, in South Africa . a light bulb is referred to as a Globe


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## Mousetrap (Sep 6, 2019)

What a mob of wimps, just let the steel / brass splinters fester and they they squeeze out easily. They don't hurt as much as sparks from the arc welder. 

A light bulb is also referred to as a Globe in Australia.


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## GrahamJTaylor49 (Sep 6, 2019)

I am a compressed air engineer. I sell air compressors, air systems on workshops and factories and I am consulted on how to use compressed air safely.
I have to tell my clients about the danger of compressed air. DON'T, DON'T, DON'T ever blow yourself down with compressed air. A number of things can happen. 1. The compressed air can blow dirt and contaminants through the pores of the skin and can cause blood poisoning. 2. The compressed air itself can get through the skin and cause an embolism in the blood stream which if it reaches the heart will cause heart failure. Never put the nozzle of ablow gun anywhere near your mouth, even a small increase of air pressure above 1 bar can cause the very thin wall if the alveoli to rupture resulting in the collapse of the lung. I have to give talks on the whole subject of compressed air to foremen and charge hands in factories on the correct and safe use of compressed air and it's amazing how few of the people realize the dangers.
Compressed air is as dangerous as electricity but unfortunately is treated with contempt in most workshops. I repeat my warning, 
DON'T, DON'T, DON'T blow yourself down with compressed air, use a soft brush and always wear safety glasses when blowing down your machinery.


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## tornitore45 (Sep 6, 2019)

Pretty funny Dan, but we are not there yet.
Anyway the purpose of forums is the discuss, share experiences and debate.
Sure it can get out of hands.
Deeferdog clinched issue pretty well, I thought.


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## doc1955 (Sep 6, 2019)

I was under the assumption that this message board was to promote best practices. Some seem to think just because nothing bad has happened to them it's just fine. I say you are never too old to learn something. That includes safe practices.


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## tornitore45 (Sep 6, 2019)

To the self appointed safety czars.  Safety is first and foremost a matter of knowledge and intelligence. There is value in experience and the fact that in 74 years one has not had a car crash, fall from high places, burns, broken bones, poisoned himself in a life free from regrets is a testament that my practice is fine despite what a piece of paper or unqualified evidence may indicate.
The first rule of physic is that fact and experiment win on theories.
Rigid ultra conservative rules are for those that lack the intelligence of addressing the specific issue at hand. 
That said, is wise to reflect on the specific condition whenever one decide to brake a rule.  You can cross on a red light, the light is not what is going to hurt you, just do not be stupid about.

The purpose of the board is primarily to share experiences on a common interest, if you think you know a best practice please share it but do not be pompous about if someone has a different opinion.


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## doc1955 (Sep 6, 2019)

LOL I don't believe I was being pompous about anything. But as far as safety goes in the 43 years of working in the shop environment and 30 of them on the shop floor I do believe I have the knowledge to point out bad practices! In those 30 years have attended many safety class's and have learned about a lot of best practices. And yes you can make it though your life without any major accidents not following best practices does that mean it's ok. (I think not)  And if you believe you are too old to learn anything new I truly feel sorry for you as life must be very boring LOL I once worked with a dude that thought he knew all about everything to say the least he did not last long.


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## IanN (Sep 6, 2019)

Hi,

Apart from the well documented dangers of using compressed air to "clean" work, machines and humans already mentioned, there is another angle:

Compressed air will blow tiny fragments between the bearing surfaces of machine slides, beds, etc.  these particles mix with the oil present and form an excellent abrasive/grinding paste which results in greatly increased wear of beds, slides, etc.

Any form of metal cutting produces a localised dusting of swarf, and you know where this swarf is.  Applying compressed air distributes the swarf over a larger area putting sharp shards of metal in to places where you don't expect them.  It is not possible to blow distributed debris in to a nice neat pile.

In industry in the UK blowing down a machine to clean it constitutes "misuse of compressed air" and is considered so dangerous it can result in instant dismissal (I teach engineering apprentices and so I know air is used in some shops for cleaning, but it is through the the "initiative" of the worker and never specified as a documented procedure - and don't expect the company to back you when it causes an accident)

This recent article may be of interest regarding the "professional view" in the USA:

https://www.practicalmachinist.com/tips-and-tricks/safety-tips-machine-shops/

All the best,
Ian


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## Brian Lawson (Sep 6, 2019)

Getting away from the "air stories" for now and back to the splinter question.
I can't help much with how to avoid them other than luck or don't "DO" anything.  I had a metal sliver in my thumd and went to the plant nurse, and she used an Exacto knife (sorry, it was YEARS ago) in the area I was complaining it hurt (poor me eh!?!).  Anyway she worked the blade "flat" and parallel to the skin and dragged in a 90 degree pattern each way VERY slowly until she "caught" the sliver.  This allowed her to lift it and grab it.  Works for me now, except I use one of thoes replaceable sharp blades.


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## doc1955 (Sep 6, 2019)

Brian Lawson said:


> Getting away from the "air stories" for now and back to the splinter question.
> I can't help much with how to avoid them other than luck or don't "DO" anything.  I had a metal sliver in my thumd and went to the plant nurse, and she used an Exacto knife (sorry, it was YEARS ago) in the area I was complaining it hurt (poor me eh!?!).  Anyway she worked the blade "flat" and parallel to the skin and dragged in a 90 degree pattern each way VERY slowly until she "caught" the sliver.  This allowed her to lift it and grab it.  Works for me now, except I use one of thoes replaceable sharp blades.



That is pretty much how I do the same only with a single edge razor blade I go from our paint shop many years back (still works). They since remover those plus the exacto knives from the shop so now you'd be SOL for that. They had too many minor cuts so corporate in all their wisdom or lack there of removed all knives of any kind.


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## 57mm_M18 (Sep 7, 2019)

Use a good shop vac to clean up slivers and chips.  You may still get slivers from time to time but, you won't blow them all over creation and into your eyes, skin and machine nooks and crannies.  Makes for a lot cleaner shop in my opinion.


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## ALEX1952 (Sep 7, 2019)

To enlarge upon Brian Lawsons comment I use the open jaws of a vernier at flat to the skin using the same method to locate the splinter then close the jaws on the little blighter and pull, try it it works and for the us with less than 20/20 eyesight the jaws allow a large margin of error to grip the splinter.


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## CFLBob (Sep 7, 2019)

Yesterday I realized the forum wasn't updating me on this thread anymore.  I thought the original poster always got updated.  I missed everything since the bottom of page 1.

That aside, I always used to use an Xacto knife (approxo knife) or actual scalpel from my 47 year old, junior college, dissection kit and was using a scary sharp pocket knife when my wife got me to try a needle.  These splinters were tiny.  I couldn't see some with my optivisor but only with a 10x jeweler's triplet.  By puncturing the skin over the splinter and then using the needle as a lever to lift it, I got virtually all of them out.   All that I can feel for now, but if anything "festers up", I'll know.  

I'm concerned about how to not create them anymore, and I really think these came from using a couple of saws for parting off the flywheel.  That's primarily because a 4" diameter blank is stretching the limits of my 8-1/2 by 20 lathe.  My parting blade was extended so far, it had no rigidity and I broke two.  I'm looking into going over to a carbide insert parting tool.  I just haven't found one that fits my tool holders.   Maybe that means I need to look into some other way of holding it.


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## Bryanbdp (Sep 7, 2019)

Sometimes I use duct tape. I originally saw people use it to help remove fiberglass dust & splinters. Stick it on, peel it off... especially if nothing else is handy.


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## CFLBob (Sep 7, 2019)

I've used duct tape and plain old masking tape.  Sometimes it works, although tape seemed to work best on fiberglass.  

For steel, like we're talking about here, I've used a stack of those rare earth magnets.  Those can work if the skin hasn't closed over.  Not sure I'd want them to work if they ripped stuff out through my skin.


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## tornitore45 (Sep 8, 2019)

If you can see a splinter there are dozen of ways to remove it as described here. If you feel it, see the black spot but the sliver is below the shin surface the only way I know is to dig it out.  The trick is to avoid letting the sliver be pounded in and break above the surface by neglecting it and grabbing stuff that bury it. I did not know about the needle made for that purpose and order a couple of packages.
I often wandered if a strong magnet can pull it out enough to be able to grab it.
If it work at all it may take days and I never had the patience to tape a magnet to my finger and wait.


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## stackerjack (Sep 9, 2019)

tornitore45 said:


> If you can see a splinter there are dozen of ways to remove it as described here. If you feel it, see the black spot but the sliver is below the shin surface the only way I know is to dig it out.  The trick is to avoid letting the sliver be pounded in and break above the surface by neglecting it and grabbing stuff that bury it. I did not know about the needle made for that purpose and order a couple of packages.
> I often wandered if a strong magnet can pull it out enough to be able to grab it.
> If it work at all it may take days and I never had the patience to tape a magnet to my finger and wait.




I find the best way is to make an "X" shaped cut across the splinter, with a scalpel. Then peel the corners of the skin back and pin them to the surrounding area. That way it becomes very easy to get splinters out.


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## GrahamJTaylor49 (Sep 9, 2019)

Pin the corners back with a staple gun ?
Just joking.
I use the scalpel myself and then splash Hydrogen Peroxide on the cut, 3-5%. Works.


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## 57mm_M18 (Sep 10, 2019)

Instead of using a scalpel I went to the local feed and grain store and purchase some 16gauge non core cutting hypodermic needles used to inject medications.  These needles have both a very sharp point and edge on them.  They worked extremely well for removing slivers.  Because of their design you could both probe and cut you way to the object you want to remove.  Once cleaned after use you could put them back into their original tube for future use.


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## Peter Murphy (Sep 10, 2019)

I use an Australian product call Magnoplasm Paste. It is a drawing paste containing glycerol and dried magnesium sulfate.
For really bad splinters you put some of the paste on the area & a sticky bandage over it for 24 hours or so. The splinter will come to the surface. I am about to use it on a couple of pesky splinters I got after making a new back plate for an old "Made in England" 5" self centering 3 jaw chuck I just picked up. I am in Australia so Magnoplasm Paste is easy to get here.


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## werowance (Sep 10, 2019)

i was given a box of maybe 100 or so I believe they are called lancets?  they are for pricking your finger to test for insulin for diabetics.  they are about the size of a thumbtack and have a sterile safety cover over the stick part.  they are great for digging out the little pieces without doing much damage to the surrounding hide.


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