MIMF

In the pic below, you will see examples of a double-point knitting needle. Somehow one of these ended up in my shop a couple of years ago. I had no idea what it was, but it seemed to be some kind of sewing thingumbob, and had to take it to a fabric store and ask "what the hell is this?"

Anyway, this has turned out to be incredibly useful for those times when I needed to poke, pry, nudge or otherwise do something that would normally have me reaching for an awl but for which an awl is inappropriate because the sharp point will damage whatever I'm poking/prodding/prying/nudging. Think gaskets, o-rings, a guitar string, a bit of veneer etc. It's also good for working under things then rolling to stretch or separate, such as getting a ring of bicycle tubing over a vacuum connection or peeling a label or glued-on outline from a template. As you can see from the second picture the ends of these are nicely rounded, so much safer to use around soft or delicate, easily-damaged materials. They're made of aluminum and very light weight, so they are a bit limited in their prying ability, but incredibly handy nonetheless.

A pack of four cost me $5.

Crochet hooks are useful too, for reaching into enclosed electronics cavities and wire runs to fish out wires, and for reaching into a cervical os to retrieve lost IUD strings.

Peter Wilcox wrote:Crochet hooks are useful too, for reaching into enclosed electronics cavities and wire runs to fish out wires, and for reaching into a cervical os to retrieve lost IUD strings.

That made my doodle hurt thinking about it.

Peter Wilcox wrote:Crochet hooks are useful too, for reaching into enclosed electronics cavities and wire runs to fish out wires, and for reaching into a cervical os to retrieve lost IUD strings.

Thanks, Peter - I read that just as I was taking a swig of my glass of coke! Now I gotta wipe up my keyboard, desktop, laptop screen...

Peter Wilcox wrote:Crochet hooks are useful too, for reaching into enclosed electronics cavities and wire runs to fish out wires, and for reaching into a cervical os to retrieve lost IUD strings.

I believe you want croTchet hooks for that application. . . <G>

I stopped using knitting needles when I poked one in the right ear, and then the point emerged from the left ear. My dignity was compromised.

Does that mean you now have a knit-wit?

Bryan Bear wrote:I believe you want croTchet hooks for that application. . . <G>

Good one Bryan! Unless it's one of the older ones: https://www.wired.com/2011/07/ff_iud/

I took out a Dalkon Shield once - it was a painful, bloody pull - the damn thing looks like a trilobite. (Sorry Steve - don't mean to derail the thread.)

Peter Wilcox wrote:(Sorry Steve - don't mean to derail the thread.)

S'okay Peter. Gotta say this one of the more unusual thread hijacks I've seen!!

Peter Wilcox wrote:Crochet hooks are useful too, for reaching into enclosed electronics cavities and wire runs to fish out wires, and for reaching into a cervical os to retrieve lost IUD strings.

I really hope you are a retired doctor or something, and not some kind of weird medical fetishist.

Yes, I am a retired physician, but I still have a license to kill.