The ordinary safety-pin can be easily converted for use as a desiccating needle.
- Open the pin.
- Grasp the closing end with a plier and bend back and forth till it snaps off.
- Bend the pin back on itself until it is straight.
- Obliterate the kinks with the aid of plier.
- Make an angle of about 45 degrees about 1.5-2 cm. from the point of pin with plier.
- Bend shaft of pin into an arc.
- Force shaft into electrode handle with latter in open position.
- Tighten handle.
It is now ready for use.
Some may find it easier to do Step 3 before Step 2.
Increasing the bend in the shaft will render the needle more secure in the holder.
Necessity is indeed the mother of invention, as the above occurred to me on an occasion when I found myself without a desiccating needle to my name.
Moral: If you do not want to be annoyed with diaper-pins keep a plentiful supply of desiccating needles on hand.
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