Splinters or slivers.

0patience

Why is it that something so tiny can remind you every 10 minutes that it is there and is next to impossible to see, but seems to hit a nerve everytime?
And why is it that you can never find good tweezers when you need them?
I sat there for an hour with a needle, magnifying glass and when I thought for sure I had got it, it let me know it is still there. 

Rockethead26

Yeah, ornery little things aren't they.

Yakster

Metal ones are the worst, but goat heads are also quite a pain.

peter4jc

And what's worse, a wood splinter, or a metal splinter?  Metal you can usually see, but you shouldn't leave them in; wood, you can't always find, but they'll degrade over time if they're small enough for your body to break down.  I hate the little bastards that come off a plant; you can't see 'em, and they protrude just enough to snag clothing or cloth seats... man, that'll drive me bonkers.

I still have one about 1/4" long in my middle finger from when I build my deck in '98.  I didn't want to stop working, so just wrapped it up.  By the time I talked to my doc he said opening the wound could have more complications than just leaving it alone.  He said it should break down and go away.  Well, it seems to be encapsulated, and now I got this lump.  At least I rarely notice it.

onestrangeone

peter4jc said:

And what's worse, a wood splinter, or a metal splinter?  Metal you can usually see, but you shouldn't leave them in; wood, you can't always find, but they'll degrade over time if they're small enough for your body to break down.  I hate the little bastards that come off a plant; you can't see 'em, and they protrude just enough to snag clothing or cloth seats... man, that'll drive me bonkers.

I still have one about 1/4" long in my middle finger from when I build my deck in '98.  I didn't want to stop working, so just wrapped it up.  By the time I talked to my doc he said opening the wound could have more complications than just leaving it alone.  He said it should break down and go away.  Well, it seems to be encapsulated, and now I got this lump.  At least I rarely notice it.

Yeah, I've got one in the webbing between my thumb and finger that's been there about 30 years. Wood i can usually feel right away metal i usually don't find until the next day. 

jlmarta

Some woods are worse than others in that they contain oils or other agents that irritate the flesh around it. I can't think of examples, offhand, but Google knows. 

Also, splinters from wood that has been pressure treated to resist rot, etc, from the elements is very bad for ya.....

jbohon

I get cast aluminum and steel slivers a lot.  I always have a good pair of tweezers on my keys and a pack of splinter out's handy. I've even resorted to super glue a few times to pull those little pains in the a$$.

Albinfk

peter4jc said:

And what's worse, a wood splinter, or a metal splinter?  Metal you can usually see, but you shouldn't leave them in; wood, you can't always find, but they'll degrade over time if they're small enough for your body to break down.  I hate the little bastards that come off a plant; you can't see 'em, and they protrude just enough to snag clothing or cloth seats... man, that'll drive me bonkers.

I still have one about 1/4" long in my middle finger from when I build my deck in '98.  I didn't want to stop working, so just wrapped it up.  By the time I talked to my doc he said opening the wound could have more complications than just leaving it alone.  He said it should break down and go away.  Well, it seems to be encapsulated, and now I got this lump.  At least I rarely notice it.

I had the same thing happen. I squeezed the hell out of it and it popped right out.

webmost

Yakster said:

Metal ones are the worst, but goat heads are also quite a pain.

Wow that takes me back. I punched many a tire inner tube on those Kalifornia bull thorns. Nasty little caltrops.

Diver43

@Yakster, i would think that kalifornia would have made those nasty things illegal by now. 

Yakster

Yeah, I had to travel to Reno to find 'em.  

Wylaff

I have a very nicely manicured lawn of nothing but goat heads.

peter4jc

Wylaff said:

I have a very nicely manicured lawn of nothing but goat heads.

That is indeed the most beautiful arrangement I've seen in my life!

Guitarded

I learned to put tape on a sliver or splinter to remove it. Works about half the time before resorting to tweezers or a needle.
I hate goat heads! My wife bikes to work so we are a one car family. I had to buy Kevlar bike tires, double liners, and put a whole bottle of slime in each tire otherwise I have to fix at least one flat per week! 

silvermouse

splinters of locust wood are terrible. 

Yakster

peter4jc said:

Wylaff said:

I have a very nicely manicured lawn of nothing but goat heads.

That is indeed the most beautiful arrangement I've seen in my life!

Peter was so impressed he brought one back to the hotel to step on with bare feet.