While replacing the headphone jack in my iPod Touch, I was temporarily stymied on how to cut a flex circuit so I could remove the jack, desolder the tail, and resolder the new jack. Then I remembered my wife’s cuticle scissors. In hindsight I could have just desoldered the connector without cutting the flex circuit, but cutting it sure made the whole operation a lot easier.
It’s not the first time I’ve turned to these type scissors for fine work. I guess it’s not surprising a manicure tool would be useful at the workbench — the scissors are made for precision cutting in close quarters and the curved blades let you get really close to what you’re cutting while still allowing room for your fingers to fit into the loops.
The reason scissors like these are called cuticle scissors is because they are meant for trimming cuticles and hangnails. (Shhh… you didn’t hear it from me, but these scissors are also handy for removing stitches.) This pictured pair of curved cuticle scissors from Revlon have ultra-fine, curved blades made from high-tempered stainless steel.
You can pick up a pair of cuticle scissors like these for $10 in the health and beauty section of a local store or you could pay a little less online, but have to deal with shipping charges.
Cuticle Scissors [Revlon]
Street Pricing [Google Products]
Via Amazon [What’s This?]