Invaluable and Essential PICKUP TOOL for Tiny Things

I have fat fingers and they can be stiff. Packing up tiny rhinestones and watch screws and other minute things can be impossible! There is a silicone pickup tool you can buy- but the one I bought dissolved before I even used it!

SO I turned to something vintage- a tint but effective tool my mother made over 75 years ago to pickup tiny shells to make jewelry- and it still works! That’s what I like- cheap, easy, and long-lasting!!!

It’s great for making jewelry, diamond painting, tiny hardware….!

You may find all of these things right in your kitchen or around the house!

WOODEN TOOTHPICK

BEESWAX- no other wax will work, beeswax stays sticky. A tiny amount- maybe 1/2 teaspoon. You can use a bit of candle- but it must be beeswax.

COTTON BALL or COTTON STRING- again, a small amount. Can be linen- but not synthetic like polyester, Dacron or nylon.

SCISSORS

SMALL CAN- I used a cat food can- make sure it’s clean

SMALL COOK POT

Take your scissors and snip off the sharp end of the toothpick

wrap a TINY amount of cotton ball or string around one end as tightly as you can

Put the can in the pot- and add water to the pot so it comes about half-way up the outside of the can. This will keep the beeswax from burning. You CANNOT just melt the wax directly in the pot!! Melting it in the microwave doesn’t work- it is too quick from melting to fire.

Heat the water in the pot to boil and keep an eye on it. As soon as the wax in the can melts, take it off the burner.

Dip the tip in the wax and pull it out- it will cool fast- you can shape it and smooth any loose threads or fibers into a neat shape.

Continue to redip the tip until you have a nice coat on it and it picks up small things well - you should just have to lightly touch an object. You may have to put the wax back on to reject several times.

Almost done!

take a small length of cotton string or even cotton thread- dip it in the remainder of the wax to coat it.

starting at the handle , wrap the string up towards the ball head to neaten it up. Snip off excess string, and smooth it flat with your fingers - the warmth will soften the string and make it stick, and the wrapping will help the tip to stay together and on the toothpick.

Now, USE IT!!!