I have looked at the contents of many EDC/PSK kits and have not seen a small nail clipper. A must for broken nail or hangnail. "Trim" brand seems to dominate the market. Perhaps it could find room in your FAK if no room in your overstuffed Altoids tin.

keep one in every FAK and one on my keyring

KBF,

I?m pretty stingy with my EDC. I keep it lean and mean. No fish hooks, snare wire or water purification tabs in my pockets (ETS blasphemy). My EDC gets me to my other well stocked kits.

Nail clippers would be extravagance and fluff in my EDC. If I get a hang nail or broken nail, I?ll patch it with a band-aid till I can get to my big kits.

That said, I do think clippers are a great addition to FAKs, BOBs, car kits, etc. It is small, light weight and provides a small touch of comfort that can be priceless in a crisis.

Keep ?em coming. <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Besides, the ETS gear geeks will love the challenge of hunting down titanium nail clippers with integral stainless steel nail file and hand polished pivots.

That?s got me thinking (dangerous)?. Turn the ETS ?collective creative juices? loose on the alternative possible uses for nail clippers.

Uses for the small file? A striker for firestarters? Re-shaping soft materials?

Using the clippers as nibbling tool for appropriate materials? (This can be difficult to do with a knife of scissors depending on the object shape and material).

What materials are better cut with the compression type cut of clippers, vs the slicing of a knife or the mechanical separation of scissors?

Any thoughts?

Cheers, TR

Well, the hangnail issue is close. I've used my nail clippers to trim the excess skin from busted blisters and dead skin from healing wounds. Because of the arc, they're not very precise, but sometimes it's all I've got.

Trimming off hangnails and broken nails is not just a comfort issue in some situations, by the way. Long term discomfort can go well beyond distraction.

I have clippers in my larger bob in my truck, but the scissors on my EDC leatherman will cut nails fine.

Is this an argument for the straight edged clippers vs. curved clipper? That probably depends on what you are trying to cut. Without a lot of thought I would have to give the advantage to a straight edge.

Another question: What are the brand names and models of some high quality nail clippers? My wife will shoot you if you lose her prized clippers (they are not all created equal). Go into a grocery store or drug store and the clipper options will probably be chrome plated, pot metal crap.

The same goes for tweezers with a precision edge. One of the kids lost my wife's life long tweezers. I spent an absurd amount of time trying to purchase a contemporary replacement. Many were made with quality material, but lacked the fine precision at the end and the inside flats.

TR

does this make me a gear geek?

http://www.heimerdingercutlery.com/catalog/moreinfo.cfm?Product_ID=269


I carry these every day, expensive, but quality and very space saving

Take a look at www.eknifeworks.com They have Gerber Deluxe Nail Clipper for $3.99 # G7166 and Gerber Utility Nail Clipper for $2.99 #G7165.
Smokey Mountain Knife Works, great Co. to deal with.

Dave

I was camping last weekend in 32 degree weather. When I came back to Phoenix I had an open sore on a finger where the skin had dried and split.

Hand lotion would be good and clippers to cut the dead skin.

In all honesty, I haven't used nail clippers on anything in 10 years. Why start now? <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

That's FAK item for me - stainless steel clippers made by Tweezerman. Got 'em at Bed, Bath & Beyond for around $3 and they even handle my SO's rapier like claws. She can ruin a pair of Gem or Trim brand in just two fingers...

M

Sir, you need more help than I can offer with a flimsy pair of nail cutters. Perhaps you should consider a pair of 8" electrician's side cutters. When not used for trimming, you could use them to administer a temporary sort of 'ANESTHESIA' when she get's totally out of control! <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

7k7k99,

This choice puts you firmly in "Uber- Geek" or "Geek Meister" territory! <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

TR

Duuuuude!!! Too much information. <img src="/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

I've got the whole Howard Hughes image creeping through my head now.

Repeat after me..."Kleenex boxes are not proper foot atire".

Put your wife on and let's see what she thinks. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

TR, (Considering starting a ETS nail clipper fund for Paul)

Haha! Most of the time I just use a file. I don't let them get long enough that I need cut them. If they do get too long I tend to subconsciously bite or "tear" them shorter, so I have to keep them short all the time. <img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

I have the Gerber deluxe nail clippers and they won't cut anything, very disappointed in them. Maybe I got a pair they forgot to sharpen, but they are junk.

of course, these are considered dangerous weapons by the TSA, so you can't travel with them anymore, I just buy more at my destination when I fly. I don't know if anyone has ever been killed by nail clippers, but who am I to argue with the government?

Perhaps you've overlooked an opportunity for redundancy in your PSK. I can envision an appropriately sharpened thumbnail serving as a back-up striker for your ferro rod. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

As my dad would have said, "I represent that comment!"

-- Craig

I wish I knew. Good ones have a sharp edge and cut the nail. Crappy ones are blunt and leave a huge burr on my nails. If I find I have one like that, in the trash it goes.

My EDC includes a Vic Rambler SAK , which has a pair of scissors and a nail file and tweezers. It's my favourite SAK as it is very small - about the same size as nail clippers alone - but has the essentials. Knife blade and scissors, flat screwdriver and philips.

Would that be called a manicure overdose?
<img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Great news!

Nail clippers, cuticle clippers and nail files are back on the "thumbs-up" list for carry on per the TSA. Though I wonder if these knuckle heads are thinking emery board not the "pointy metal kind" when they say nail file?

http://www.tsa.gov/interweb/assetlibrary/Permitted_Prohibited_9_6_2005.pdf

I'll have to strip my PSK for any airline travel. I may as well fill the extra space with a quality nail clipper and file.

Cheers, TR

KIndasorta off subject, but we flew a couple months ago for the first time in years. My wife is the worlds most nervous flyer, so she was well medicated by the time we got to the airport. Being in that condition made her forget all about TSA, and she just threw her key ring into her purse. In addition to a lot of keys, it contained one of her Navy dog tags, one of my Air Farce dog tags, a P-38, and a Cold Steel Mini Pal. TSA being what/who they are, the purse zipped thru without a hitch, but they almost stip searched her due to her underwire bra...