Fingernail clippers, tweezers

[rjhouser]

Carry them or not? Can they be found easily in hostels? Are they worth their weight? I hate to be the UL backpacker that continuously borrows items from other hikers. I can see where they would come in handy at times but are either used frequently enough to warrant carrying them on an entire thru?

[ChinMusic]

Bring clippers. I would NEVER use ones at a hostel. Even the thought of that grosses me out.

[Edwardo Rodriguez]

I always bring both don't know when you will need them. For my part if weight is a factor I will try to find other ways to cut down my pack weight by cutting down on what items weight the most an 1/2oz here and there for me will not make that much deference at the end.

[BrianLe]

My 0.8 oz pocket knife has scissors and a little finger nail file thing that I've not bothered to break off. If I get them wet I can trim my nails with this pretty small scissors. But I did find a big honking clippers in one hiker box along the way on the AT, borrowed it, ran it through hot water first but then used it, cleaned it, and put it back. I wouldn't say it's common to find one, but on the AT at least you might run into them once or twice.

In any event, I wouldn't carry one, you can make do somehow.

[BrianLe]

One other note, even if you don't use a bounce box (which I don't), you might find yourself with one or two "gear swap" points. I.e., mailing a heavier sleeping bag home and getting a lighter one in the mail. At such a gear swap point you can mail yourself a big heavy toenail clipper and then mail it back home. I've done this on three thru-hikes; sent an electric beard trimmer too.

[Odd Man Out]

In my case it is either carry a fingernail clipper or crawl off the trail with an infected toe. Not an option (YMMV).

As for tweezers, my SAK has a fairly useless pair. A pointy tip tweezer would be good for tick removal. Given the Lyme Disease threat in some areas, this may be essential. Is there a good way to get ticks without a tweezer? The only other use I can think of would be for splinter removal, but I usually dig those out with a sewing needle, which I carry with some thread for sewing repairs.

[Firefighter503]

I carry a small set of fingernail clippers. My 3 season base weight is down to right at 10 lbs, so I figure I can afford that luxury (I hate long finger nails, and wont bite/tear them).

[Blissful]

I carry what I need via my small jackknife and works fine. Your nails usually get soft enough in your shoes that the scissors is adequate.

[WingedMonkey]

Needle nose tweezers are a part of my first aid kit.

[leaftye]

I carry a file and pick up clippers when I need them.

[Winds]

Question: Are tweezers used to actually dig the ticks out from under the skin???

I have never had a tick, but KNOW that any squeezing of them while attached is NOT good.

[Odd Man Out]

Question: Are tweezers used to actually dig the ticks out from under the skin???

I have never had a tick, but KNOW that any squeezing of them while attached is NOT good.

http://www.aldf.com/lyme.shtml#removal

[aaronthebugbuffet]

I carried my own finger nail clippers. I'm a gram weenie too so that's really saying something.

[Grampie]

A Swiss Army knife is the answer. Use the little sissors to cut your nails. Get a knife that includes tweesere. You will have a knife, can opener, wine bottle opener, nail file and much more in one small package. You don't know how handy a Swiss Army knife is until you carry one.

[rusty bumper]

I carried both on my AT hike. For me, foot maintenance including trimmed toe nails, was absolutely essential...without healthy feet, I knew I wouldn't get too far. I used the tweezers 6 times or so to safely and "thoroughly" pluck ticks from various parts of my body.

[Odd Man Out]

A Swiss Army knife is the answer. Use the little sissors to cut your nails. Get a knife that includes tweesere. You will have a knife, can opener, wine bottle opener, nail file and much more in one small package. You don't know how handy a Swiss Army knife is until you carry one.

I agree a SAK is great. I always have one in my pocket (Tinker). But I can't get a good toe nail clipping with SAK scissors and the tweezers have a wide tip which is not good for tick removal, so I carry all three. I guess that makes me a tool-weenie and not a gram-weenie?

[garlic08]

I carried my own finger nail clippers. I'm a gram weenie too so that's really saying something.

Ditto this, and tweezers are always in my first aid kit. These are about the only metal objects I carry. Tent stakes and a razor blade are the others.

[turtle fast]

It sounds like that the Swiss either the Wegner or Victorinox folks need to make a knife that also includes a fine tipped tweezers, and a nail clipper. I had seen a nail clipper that had a knife combo, but it was cheap import garbage.....possible knife request to our Swiss friends for a quality light as possible version incorporating several functions.

[slovakiasteph]

Another vote on the Swiss Army knife... I have several of the small ones with a knife, screwdriver/file, scissors, tweezers, and toothpick that I've used for over ten years, and I've always used the scissors to cut my nails.

[Odd Man Out]

It sounds like that the Swiss either the Wegner or Victorinox folks need to make a knife that also includes a fine tipped tweezers, and a nail clipper. I had seen a nail clipper that had a knife combo, but it was cheap import garbage.....possible knife request to our Swiss friends for a quality light as possible version incorporating several functions.

I went to their web sites and submitted the suggestion. Then I saw Wenger has a nail clipper: http://www.wengerna.com/swiss-clipper-16930
But it still has the flat tipped tweezer.

Although this might work too. http://www.wengerna.com/giant-knife-16999

[Panzer1]

I don't feel that the sizzors on the swiss army knife does a good enough job so I always carry a small fingernail clipper.

Although I do like the tweezers on my Swiss army knife.

Panzer

[ScottP]

I carry nail clippers, but no knife type tool.

[turtle fast]

I did not know of the Wegner Swiss Clipper that has the knife and nail clipper, etc. Having a can opener, knife, nail clipper, toothpick, fine point tweezers is probably the basic needed tool. The Wegner giant tool is ridiculous...I think its for collectors rather than any real useage!

[Odd Man Out]

...The Wegner giant tool is ridiculous...I think its for collectors rather than any real useage!

Yea, but it's funny. And check out the price - a real steal at $2149.95

[Winds]

Yea, but it's funny. And check out the price - a real steal at $2149.95

And that's the true joy here. When they got the price below $2,150 - now most of us can buy and enjoy such a neat little tool for backpacking, or just a spare for the glove compartment.

:)

[Grumble]

I'm a big fan of the Leatherman Micra. Knife, scissors, tweezers, and nail file all in a tiny package.

[JaxHiker]

I'm a big fan of the Leatherman Micra. Knife, scissors, tweezers, and nail file all in a tiny package.

I carry the Style CS. All the tools I need and just 1.5 ounces. Bought a Gerber something and at 2.2 ounces it feels like a brick in my pocket. :-)

Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk 2

[Moose2001]

As for tweezers, my SAK has a fairly useless pair. A pointy tip tweezer would be good for tick removal. Given the Lyme Disease threat in some areas, this may be essential. Is there a good way to get ticks without a tweezer? The only other use I can think of would be for splinter removal, but I usually dig those out with a sewing needle, which I carry with some thread for sewing repairs.

Here's a better option for removing ticks. It works very well and weighs a lot less than tweezers! http://www.rei.com/product/407279/pro-tick-remedy-tick-removal-system

For clippers, I go to the store and buy a nail clipper made for babies. Much smaller and lighter than even a small size clipper. Works well!

[MuddyWaters]

the little tweezers that come with knives arent useful. They are too thin and flexible to pull a tick out. Either bring a tick removal key or tool, or a sturdy pair of tweezer.

[springerfever]

I picked up a couple of these a while back. Seems to be the best and lightest solution.

http://www.otom.com/otom-tick-twister-hook

[Odd Man Out]

the little tweezers that come with knives arent useful. They are too thin and flexible to pull a tick out. Either bring a tick removal key or tool, or a sturdy pair of tweezer.

When this came up here a couple of weeks ago I e-mailed both SAK makers and suggested they modify their tweezers to make the suitable for pulling ticks. Both companies wrote back and thanked me for the suggestion and said they would look into it. I don't expect them their tweezers to become more useful in the near future, but I'm glad they took time to write back. If more people did this, maybe they would listen. It takes all of a couple of minutes to find the "contact us" link on a web page and send the message.