# Can I borrow your tweezers? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 16, 2017, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-borrow-your-tweezers/782344 "2017-03-16T21:16:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2017, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-borrow-your-tweezers/782344/1 "2017-03-16T21:16:41Z")
No, I don’t have to go to the bathroom… I somehow managed to ram a fingernail from my left hand under a fingernail on my right hand and a splinter sized piece broke off and lodged under said right nail. If you have never done that, and I have not prior to just now, I don’t recommend it. Hurts like hell and I have no way to remove it, having left my pocket knife in my other pants. A bent paperclip won’t dislodge it. No tweezers in the desk. Can I borrow yours? I’ll give them right back. This has got to be among the stupidest injuries ever… ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2017, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-borrow-your-tweezers/782344/2 "2017-03-16T22:03:46Z")
I read somewhere, but don’t have the cite, that torture by sticking something under the nails can be so paiful it would break hypnotic conditioning not to talk. Brrr!☹ ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2017, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-borrow-your-tweezers/782344/3 "2017-03-17T00:32:48Z")
Can you chew the nail on the right hand down short enough to get at or dislodge the splinter piece? I’ve successfully used this method for issues under my nails before. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2017, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-borrow-your-tweezers/782344/4 "2017-03-17T00:35:29Z")
I have some zircon-encrusted ones around here someplace you can borrow and you can zap your problem. ---
**Author:** ![boffking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/858c86/32.png) [@boffking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boffking)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2017, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-borrow-your-tweezers/782344/5 "2017-03-17T01:35:57Z")
I’ve used my tweezers in soldering. I don’t think it’s a good idea to use them for this because they have lead on them. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2017, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-borrow-your-tweezers/782344/6 "2017-03-17T02:14:52Z")
Will a needle or pin or pushpin help? ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2017, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-borrow-your-tweezers/782344/7 "2017-03-17T06:25:25Z")
How about Superglue? Drip some onto the area, and when it dries, you may be able to pull the splinter out with you peel it off. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2017, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-borrow-your-tweezers/782344/8 "2017-03-17T08:59:50Z")
I’m thinking, coax it out with something really sharp, like an Xacto knife. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2017, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-borrow-your-tweezers/782344/9 "2017-03-17T14:54:49Z")
Thanks for all the suggestions. As I’m sure you are all waiting with bated breath to hear the outcome, here it is: I retrieved my pocket knife, a [Gerber Dime](http://www.target.com/p/gerber-dime-micro-tool-blue/-/A-14900655?ref=tgt_adv_XS000000&AFID=google_pla_df&CPNG=PLA_Sports+Shopping_Brand&adgroup=SC_Sports&LID=700000001170770pgs&network=g&device=c&location=9010953&gclid=CjwKEAjwkq7GBRDun9iu2JjyhmsSJADHCD_Hb5kw_RstH0K7BUNVdtLDd1D2zLpPgiAZUyPDtQgn-hoC4nLw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds), when I got home and dislodged the nail splinter. I used the blade designed for opening blister packs. It’s still pretty sore today (the finger, not the knife), but I may survive. Wonder what my next stupid injury will be? Softball season starts tonight, so I may not have to wait long to find out… ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2017, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-borrow-your-tweezers/782344/10 "2017-03-17T16:45:52Z")
Softbal? Just don’t spill your beer. That would be a flagrant foul. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2017, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-borrow-your-tweezers/782344/11 "2017-03-17T17:01:18Z")
I cut myself with my own nails all the time but…this is pretty bad. What you need to do is get yourself some stronger nails so they don’t break off inside other parts of your body! ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2017, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-borrow-your-tweezers/782344/12 "2017-03-20T13:08:21Z")
Hmmm, that’s a thought **ZipperJJ** , but I think it was installing laminate floor over the 3-4 days prior that “jaggified” my nails. Maybe next time I should polycoat them before doing manual labor…