Splinter tweezers

Splinter tweezers are small pointed-tip stainless steel tweezers, 8 cm long, made to catch a splinter, a sliver of wood or a fine thorn under the skin, where ordinary eyebrow tweezers slip. They live in the first-aid kit, the sewing box or the gardener's pocket.

They are made of stainless steel, with two ribbed spring arms for grip and tapered jaws that meet cleanly at the tip. They are stamped Nogent Inox France: Nogent, in Haute-Marne, is one of the historic centres of French cutlery. Made in France.

Disinfect the tip with alcohol before and after use, grip the splinter close to the skin and pull it out the way it went in, without crushing it. To keep the tip sharp, save the tweezers for this job alone: no DIY.