Snippy snippy

[Ohiogoldfever]

So I busted my wrist a couple weeks back. Of course it’s my dominate hand so it’s a real drag but has made depopulating nearly impossible using my standard electronics snips.

Anyone have a suggestion for a small nimble pair of snips that’s spring loaded and has one or two finger hoops? I’d hope to not be totally down and out for the next couple months. I won’t be refining with a single hand, hope I can find a way to at least do some processing.

 

[acpeacemaker]

When you're referring to snips. Are you wanting like tin snips, dykes, scissor, etc. You said small and nimble, so I was thinking around the size of dykes.

I had two different ones that were my favorite kind. (And I went through a lot of different ones. The cheap Stanley ones from Walmart seemed to last me the longest. Plus their rubber grips never came off and it just fit in my hand easily.

The other I used for pin pulling they worked wonders cause they would pull hair size even. Was the Dollar General surgical nail cutters and spring assisted. They were magic, and cheap. I had carpal tunnel and these were my favorites.

Stanley also made a pair of tin snips spring loaded that were like the dykes when it came to the grips.

For finger loops I've found various surgical tools that work for various jobs of what they weren't really intended for.

Andrew

 

[Ohiogoldfever]

Thanks Acpeacemaker.

To clarify I have nearly every kind of cutter or snip readily available. What I’m hoping for is a specific set or pairs of snips or cutters that will help with my lack of dexterity with my left hand and finger rings so I don’t keep dropping the darn thing all the time.

 

[nickvc]

Try looking for jewellers snips they can be small and are usually spring loaded , good ones aren’t cheap but the blades are usually very sharp and don’t need much effort to cut.

 

[Geo]

Kobalt brand from Lowe's has a nice set in different sizes that are spring loaded.

 

[snoman701]

Just take some time off.

I broke mine last year. It sucked to take the time off, but it was necessary.

 

[Ohiogoldfever]

I hear ya. Frankly it’s just hobby work, a get away of sorts. I enjoy the time pottering in my garage. I can’t weld like this, can’t build tools, furniture, hard to dig or pan with one hand. This is one of the few things I can do that takes little to no set up or tare down.

I have a restless mind. I’ll be pressing on because this limitation knocks 90% of my other decompression activity’s off the list. Idle hands and all......

 

[jimdoc]

Maybe you can source more material for when your hand is healed.

 

[1mysurveymail]

flush cut. Harbor Freight. Almost disposable. They are sharp, and you should buy a second pair. Not spring loaded, but unless you are grotesquely ham fisted, they should work better than the price suggests.

 

[Ohiogoldfever]

Hey Jim, I’m always sourcing material. It is tough to carry much so big pick ups create some trouble. Thankfully I have a pretty good Stack of things right now.

I agree the flush cut are often the best tool for the job. I have several pair of different manufacturers. Recently broke my favorite pair, they also had a finger loop.

Looks like I’ll need to look into a few more pair.

 

[macfixer01]

flush cut. Harbor Freight. Almost disposable. They are sharp, and you should buy a second pair. Not spring loaded, but unless you are grotesquely ham fisted, they should work better than the price suggests.
flush.jpg

Your cutters don’t look exactly like the same cheap ones from Harbor Freight that I’m familiar with? These red cutters are the ones made in India they sell for maybe $4 dollars? I put them through a lot of abuse and they hold up pretty well, but I’ve eventually managed to break or bend them beyond use. They are definitely spring loaded though, which is nice. The jaw also has some natural angle too which is nice for pulling pins since you can just grab close to the board and pry up. It’s been mentioned to me recently that HF will actually replace them for free if they break? I’ve never checked but will ask next time I break a pair.

The blue Plato cutters I buy off eBay when I run out for around $8 a pair including shipping. They too are spring loaded, very sharp, and are better for some tasks since they have much finer points than the HF ones. That makes them great for things like clipping IC’s off of boards or getting to inner rows of pins on connectors. They fit in tight spots the HF ones won’t. Cutting literally hundreds of IC’s off boards I’ve had one of the very tips (last 1/32 or 1/16 inch?) break due to stress eventually. The jaws are unaffected though so I just file down the outside of the other tip to match the length and keep the end narrow, then keep on going.

 

[macfixer01]

I just went back and read the original question. If part of the issue is dropping them, how about drilling a hole through the end of one of the grips and attaching a lanyard you can loop around your wrist?

 

[etack]

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Wiss-8-5-in-All-Purpose-Utility-Shears-CW812S/313485219?MERCH=REC-_-pipsem-_-205034451-_-313485219-_-N&

I like this style they have a spring in the hinge.

Eric

 

[Ohiogoldfever]

Thanks guys. Looks like a few of these are surly worth a try. Beats admitting defeat and waiting for sunnier days.