I love how he didn't go for the cliche answer of 'fire extinguisher' or something like that. Like.. that's a great answer.. but NOT what anyone wanted to hear. He actually answered the question, and the real curiosity behind the question... and that's cool.
A lot of people still don’t practice safety, they don’t think anything is bad is going to happen to them and eventually something does and aren’t prepared for it. But preaching about it constantly doesn’t make them listen either, it will click in their head or it won’t, not much you can do to make them see the light.
If you haven't been trained to properly use a fire extinguisher, you shouldn't use it. Get to safety and then call the pros. While you are "figuring it out" you are about to be dead.
Thank you Adam! My Dad worked on the first ones of these for US Surgical! I never thought I'd see these again outside of "Dad's prototypes" box. Thank you for the nostalgia, and the use of tools. 😊❤
I had bought a bunch of odd tools from an estate auction. Tools that I wouldn't normally use, but because their are vintage (aka not made anymore) or expensive to buy today, I keep them around in case I do. As it turns out I actually use them once in a while. Odd length rulers, spring compressors, 24 volt deep cycle battery charger, etc.
little cheap 3 prong "jewelers pickup tool" also called "prong holder" or " diamond holder" works great for retrieving tiny small parts from projects... and super cheap .... (also handy to hold little screws)
My mag drill. I don’t often have to drill accurately placed 2” holes in 1/2” thick steel, that’s vertical and on the side/back of a truck…. but that one day you need 6 of them… beats the heck out of trying to fight a heavy hand-held drill, and having it grab and twist out of your hands, fall, and snap a drill bit. I end up with a lot of tools that were needed (and cost effective) for one big project that sit un-used for quite some time. This may have affected my beer budget, but I’ve never regretted it. And when a task comes along, and you can go ‘Yeah, I’ve got just the thing…” that feels soooo good. Particularly when it’s one of those oddball moments where the right, or even better, *wrong* tool, turns a potentially multi-hour job with basic tools into a quick “Ta-daaaa!"
The Walrus: I used to work on snowplows and a mag drill was something we maybe once or twice a year. The main frames and stations are held together with 1" bolts, and you have to drill big 2" holes for hydraulic piping to fit through bodies and frames. Ours came with a big hook so we could hoist it up to drill horizontally.
@@A1BASE There's many small drill presses, and lots of rigs to mount a hand dill in a press, but one of the neatest things I've seen is the 'Rapidrill'... it's like a C-clamp with a rachet lever. You mount your drill on... Clamp it in place, and drill away. Rapidrill dot com.
@@A1BASE Yes, there are several manufacturers, a Google search will point you in the right direction. Dremel of course makes several that I know of, but there are many more.
My dad used to make those surgical instruments and frequently brought different variations of them home when they had made one too many so I grew up using them for a multitude of projects. It took me years to realize what they really were because I was never specifically told what they were really meant for. They were just in our toolbox next to the screwdrivers and hammer. Incredibly useful tools!
Adam's explanation is pretty close. For those interested in the particulars... The first surgical instrument's technical name is Sweet Crocodile Forceps. They're designed for grasping and manipulating other small medical devices, usually in neurosurgery or ENT procedures. It isn't designed as a hemostat as there is no ratcheting mechanism to keep it closed. The second device, a 10mm Clip Applier, is primarily designed for hemostasis (stabilizing bleeding). It's not really a stapler, because it's metal clips don't pierce tissues and curl. Essentially there is a 'V' shaped titanium clip that the jaws of the instrument flattens around a vessel or duct in order to clamp off its circulation. It's used it laparoscopic procedures (not arthroscopic, easy to mix up these terms). Such as gallbladder removal (cholecystectomy) where the cystic duct and cystic artery need to be closed off before they're cut, allowing removal of the organ.
Your comments on where to put things resonates exactly with me. When I was young I had a perfect memory, it didn't matter where I put something I knew exactly where it was, alas no longer. I have things in boxes or jars that I cannot rebox because I will never remember what to look for; springs have to be in the stork margarine tub.
holy shit! the "where would I look for it" tip is genius! Also, my personal tool that I never use but can't live without is an oddly shaped carving tool you never use... but when you do!
Adam you have inspired me to organize my tools and consumables for several years now. I use many tools on a daily basis at work and home. You’ve made my life easier and more enjoyable.
Yea... Losing something inside of something else and then freaking out about how to get to it... Happened to me when I was rebuilding my BMC Agonist 02 TWO with Shimano XTR Di2 and FOX iRD electronic parts and I managed to get one of the Di2 wires stuck inside the frame... I was almost having a heart attack and close to tears until I got hold of my self and thought of using a couple of straws I slit open, wrapped around the other end of the wire and shoved them in through the hole I entered into the frame to free the plug stuck inside the guiding harness of the internal wiring. After that, I got myself a Park Tools magnetic wiring guide set should I ever have to do that again in case of a fault happening somewhere on the bike.
I love that he has “discovered” surgical tools other uses. As a doctors child my father would bring these things home all the time and I would use them in any capacity my imagination would allow. I grew up to be an engineer. And another tidbit of wisdom is anything is easy with the right tool. Thanks for sharing Adam.
It's very interesting how the spectrum of problem solving broadens when you have these very specialized tools. I would add that you need to remember having that particular tool, and then know where you've put it. It's always great hearing how passionately and enthusiastically Adam talks about almost anything, especially tools.
To find my low frequency tools I normally put my ear to the floor and hold my breath. Also you might want to watch out for the bug crawling on the back of your couch. Edited so that the comment doesn't make sense.
I gotta like this as one of my personal favorites as a mechanic, is very similar. Springsteel made 4-hook grabber. I use it so seldom and when I pick some screw, fuse or something from that unreachable place, I'm so glad I have it and succeed with it as I know I've just saved possibly hours of time :)
As someone who always thinks I will remember where I put this, and then never does, going to try your idea, where would I look. Genius in it's simplicity
My wife uses the 'Where can I put this?' technique on absolutely everything in the house. Trouble is, it's a different place every time - and I can't find a damn thing - ever! I once spent an entire day looking for the teapot (yeah, I'm a Brit). When she came home, I managed to control my tea deprived emotions well enough to ask her very politely where it was. She looked at me with barely controlled exasperation and replied 'It's in the oven of course!' True story, not a word of a lie.
I really liked how they kept the bloopers in, it is something sorely needed in todays media to show that pther people makes mistakes and the real course of action when making a mistake is to step back once and go again.
I like the inverse for "storing" high-frequency use tools, just buy several of them. Side cutters are one of those things, I use it all the time, but I can never find them since they are never out of use long enough to get put back in their place, so I just have 5 pairs. Buy the good ones though, otherwise you can't replace them quick enough. Another thing I've started doing is making "tool kits" for various tasks that always take place outside of the shop. For example, I have a systainer full of lock parts, since I'm never going to bring the door to the workshop to fix the lock. Likewise, I have one for electrical work, another more catered for "DIY tasks", where I'm not sure what exactly I might be doing as so forth.
The moment is saw the title, I thought of a pair of self-locking bent-nosed surgical forceps I got from a military-surplus store. I almost never need it for anything, but when I do it's amazing. There's also a pair of what I think are round-nosed suture scissors, but I use those for everything. I have an old plastic toolbox I keep all of my least-used but effective tools in so that I always know where they are.
Its funny how some people are just so charismatic and funny that they can talk about things that are sort of boring and make it really interesting and entertaining. I have been watching Adam savage since i was 15 and now i'm 31 and i still find him really enjoyable to watch.
Plunger. You don't need it often, but when you need it - YOU NEED IT. (I'd say fire extinguisher, but I've never actually used one. I've used a plunger for more often than I'd like to recall.)
Benjamin Thompson... Kerrisons are different. They’re used to punch out bone. The Alligators are more like tweezers. That’s why they’re called forceps. They grab. The Pituitary and Kerrisons are a Rongeur.
@@timjayne7820 yes, alligators are forceps or "toothed tweezers". Karrisons do grab or pinch as opposed to "punching through" bone. Btw,too bad those staplers are contaminated in surgery because they would make an awesome tool for a variety of jobs. We go through a lot of them in surgery. It's just almost impossible to clean/sanitize/sterilize after surgery which is why they aren't recycled.
Yep, I have all kinds of cool tools at this point in my life that I don't use a lot, and yes finding them when I do sometimes takes more time than the job they're needed for. I'll have to give that little tip a go. I did try to label every box we filled up when we finally bought a house 6 years ago so it would be easier to find things once we were unpacking or finally needed something that wasn't needed right away and stayed boxed up. I also just try to leave commonly used tools where I can see them to save time rooting around.
That's a problem I have always had cant find the low freq used item, Love the way of thinking at the 4:05 mark. That's what I'm doing from this moment forward. Thanks Adam!!!!
I love all the attention Adam's getting! Mythbusters is partly responsible for the man I've become today and I could never find any extra info and bios on Savages life. Now he's got his book, own TV show on discovery, tested, and is all over the place in tech and science related media!
I have a pair of large tool boxes where I store all my rarely used but thank god I've got them when I need them tools, usually its my extensive range of odd sized and shaped sized pullers, and weirdly bent spanners for accessing awkward bolts and nuts during restorations.
That surgical device was (at least this is what I was told) was to get to the sella turcica (a gland in the middle and base of the brain) they would go in back and upward from the top of the back of your upper lip (I know gross right?!). With a little xray guidance they make their way to the sella turcica and remove whatever tumor or thing they needed to do. So when I'm in surgery and they ask for that grabler they actually call them the sella turcica grabber or clamp.
The small pair would go in my tweezers box, and the big one would go in my grabber box where I keep things like that, including my biggest which can pick a 5lb object off a high shelf from four feet away. That big grabber BTW reminds me of a flexible tool I have which is powerful enough to remove valve lifters up through an engine head, even if they are stuck.
So, you'd want a tool couch? Hmm. This makes me think of a couch with tool space underneath a wide armrest (or consider a modular system with a small or large couch module (of various shapes, possibly) to which armrest modules or other couch modules can be appended. If the smallest 'couch' module is no more than a seat then you could even have something like a seat with two armrests or, say, two seats seperated by a number of 'armrests'. Okay, okay I'm tired.
@@LyricalDJ Maybe the whole side panel is split with a hinge inside the armrest. When you sit on it, you can flip the side up to become a sort of table (like a school desk) with tools clipped on to it.
45 degree angled mini pick, absolute treasure of a tool and comes in handy for so many things. I'd recommend buying the 4 pack of them though (90,45,straight,hook)
Adam, I agree 100%. I can't tell you how many times I have put something away that I said "I mustn't lose this. It's too useful when I need it." - and then realize when I need it again, a year later, that I must have been absolutely brilliant that day. Because I put it in a place so safe, it was safe from me. I honestly can't tell you because there are things that are still missing.. : )
absolutely love those...but wish I could turn the magnet on and off...because when you're feeding it down to whatever you dropped it sticks to other stuff. They probably make these idk.
Motorcycle mechanic's _most_ used tool (or at least it is when I spanner the airhead or my old CBR) even better than a magnet on a stick is a magnet on a bendy stick - best $18 spent on a tool ever.
My dad had a grabber tool about 2 feet long made of flexible coil steel like a mic holder, one end had 2 metal disks separated by 2 inches of spring that when depressed extended 3 steel grabber hooks on the other end. Best tool for dropped bolts in engines, along with anything else you can imagine.
If you all were wondering what the full name of first tool was. They are Alligator Forceps. Would agree with Adam, not often used but an absolute joy to have when you need them. May I also suggest the "Needle holder V type".
I have a version of this type of tool called a surgical snare. It has the long stalk, but instead of a clamping mechanism, it has a looped wire that comes out and retracts when you open the handles. I’ve never used it, but I know exactly where it is!
Tweesers grabbers and 'stats all are in their own drawer. Small tool rolling chest in my shop. Very essential. I also have a 3 prong flex cable grabber. 24 inch long...for when you need to go deep. If the part is magnetic I have a mag to grab and then use the right tool for the right job.
I've got an LF tool drawer in the garage. I don't really know what's in there, but if I can't find a tool in my normal areas, I hit that drawer up just in case.
Smaller stainless steel instrument was an alligator forcep. Various medical uses. In veterinary field we often use them for grabbing foxtails out of ears!
I have a cheap logic analyser I seldom use but I *really* needed it to debug an I2C problem and I couldn't find it. These are only about £9 on a popular shopping site so I ordered another, which took 3 days to arrive cos it was a weekend. Yes, I found the original one a day before the replacement arrived, so now I have two. My next purchase was a bright orange case to keep them in ...
I hear you big guy! Back when I did a lot of desktop PC and server hardware support, one of my most important (but least used) tools was a surgical clamp. I worked in a hospital, so I was able to get my hands on a couple. I kept them in my tool roll. Now that I remember that, I realize I don't have any in my home workshop! I still work in a hospital, so I'm going to get one of my docs to snag me a couple. Sweet! Thanks, dude!
God, I love my nasal hemostats. Hell, I have a BAG of them and I have a pairs in multiple places because they are so damn useful! Elastic waistband repair? Dropped a screw somewhere? Dropped something in the sink? Gotta plug in a small connector deep on a motherboard? Also hemostats in general. Big ones, small ones, curved, straight, nasal. LOVE THEM ALL!
If I remember correctly, those particular grabbers (technical term, totally) were designed in the early part of the 20th century by a futurist named Jacques Fresco. He's also the guy that designed the first modular home, and the guy that the architectural and industrial designs from the Jetsons were based off of.
You are so right about the second part of that question I have a lot of great tools that if I need them I'm going to go buy new ones because I I can't find the ones that I already have or would take me longer to find them in their worth definitely one of those
At the moment, I can't think of a tool I own that I use rarely but am thankful for. I do know that I try to keep everything organized. It's only when some unauthorized person snags one of my tools then tosses it somewhere, that they get lost. KEEP YOU HANDS OFF MY TOOLS!
Wahoo, I've got a new memory trick. When I want to decide where to put something, I'll just ask myself where Adam would look for it. Then, if I can't find it I can phone him and ask where it is. Ideal.
I have "clever" tools as well in my wood shop, and we used those 6-8" curved locking hemostatsin the funeral home as well and I ordered a extra for the shop for that exact same reason.
American science and surplus is where I got my narrow grabby thing. It has occasionally been a vital addition to my bag of tricks, and has had little eyes drawn on the end of it. Vampliers, or some other kind of screw extraction pliers are the next least used best tool on my list. Remove weird security fasteners with even marginally exposed heads or get out the stripped screw without drilling and cursing it. Forgetting they exist between uses remains an issue
I do the same thing, also I do a Zone style organizing, Like tools in like locations. I would love to know how often you reset/clean your work space. I am so often impaired in my productivity by mess that I am certainly doing it wrong.
That's a pretty useful tip actually. I have a HUGE "out of sight, out of mind" problem and spend way too long looking for niche tools just to find that while I did put them somewhere logical, I didn't put them somewhere practical to being found in the panicked state of mind that I'll be in when I need them.
I like that thought process "Where would I look first?" I'm constantly putting seldom used important stuff away and forgetting where it is or 'put safely away' as it's known.
Oh my, the tip of putting the tool of putting your tool at the first place your mind would think of sounds so simple, yet effective. I should do that too when I start rearranging my tools
I would love to have those tools when working with zipties. There are times when i am in a project in which i will need to join two plastic bottles together with zipties by joining them at the middle and at the bottom (a pen holder project or something of the like) this will be indispensable for the bottom part. I'm currently using long nose pliers for these kinds of tasks.
Fantastic! I was just wondering if you had any arthroscopic instruments, because they are so useful! Even arthroscopic/endoscopic training sets are dirt cheap these days. A lot of companies hand them out as freebies in competitions at veterinary conventions.a basic 8 inch long rigid fiber optic scope is next on my tool box to buy list. Can't quite justify getting a 4k hd set though 😁
At my last job, that tool was a hydraulic-pneumatic rivet gun. Puts in pop rivets with a single pull of a trigger and nearly no physical strain. We only used it a couple times in the 4 years I was there, but when you have to put in something like 300+ rivets for a job....there's really no other way....
Sometime in my teens I decided to live my life in a way where I can consistently thank my past self. It’s super satisfying when you’re like “damn I’m glad I did that whew”.
For people moving into a first apartment or house, pipe wrench. You won't need it often, but boy will you be glad you have it when you do. Especially if there's leaking involved
It's crazy how much I enjoy Adam and to think he would not be around anymore after myth busters just to resurface on TH-cam so I can enjoy him even more.
Doctors offices are great places to look for interesting tools. I also check sites that sell medical instrumentation and try to think of ways I could repurpose them for my projects. Whatever I see in a doctors office, I can usually find inexspensive versions on ebay.
Hey Adam former paramedic the first tool you used are called Magill forceps. There are actually two types one for adults and one for pediatrics most used for choking victims
I refer to these as the tools one needs rarely that serve a purpose no other tool can accomplish. Frequently they are tools meant for another purpose altogether, as yours are. I have special drawers in my toolbox for these.
Oh man i'm glad i'm not the only one who loses things to "cleverness" I've also started putting things where I'd look for them. (Although usually its after I've spent an hour looking for it, then I put it wherever I first looked)
I'm in IT. Half the people complain that "nothing's documented", and the other half complain "nobody reads the documentation." Both are mostly true, but the biggest problem is actually one of location. The solution is exactly the same as your tool problem: The writers ask "Where should I put this?" instead of "Where would I look for this?" The organization of "putting away" is misaligned with the organization of "finding." So you have to put yourself in the latter mindset to solve the former problem.
I'm a life-long model-builder and have a ton of stuff. I don't have enough space for it and as a result I've become a master consolidator. What that means is things inside things inside things and so on - a Russian doll situation. That works until I need that thing in the center and then everything explodes when I get it out. As far as remembering where I put something the one thing that works very well for me is not to just take it and put it someplace but to take a conscious moment and tell myself that this thing is going in this place. I don't know how to explain it really but it means instead of just putting something somewhere I'm taking a second to make it register. Once I do that I can recall where that item is even a few years later. Conversely, I can be working on something, thoughtlessly set something down and then spend 30 minutes looking for it. Again, if I just take the time to look at it and register in my mind where I put it I'll know exactly where it is. I'm going to try your method as well, e.g. "Where would future me look for this thing?" So far it hasn't worked for passwords because that's exactly how I think about things like the security question. I ask myself, "What question of the choices seems most intuitive for me and what answer will I try to use?" I can't tell you how many times I can't remember the answer to my security question later when I need it.
"If I didn't have it right now, where would I look for it." Thank you master for these sage words. This is now the basis for all my future organising.
so true. I use to "get clever" and each time I can't find the tools!!! This tip is life-changing
Yep life changing advice right there.
I tried this, but girlfriend doesn't find 'living room table' for everything a good answer
The problem is, that drawer is already full.
Why did i say Hawaii? Now i have to fly there just to get a tool i only use 3 times a year.
I love how he didn't go for the cliche answer of 'fire extinguisher' or something like that. Like.. that's a great answer.. but NOT what anyone wanted to hear. He actually answered the question, and the real curiosity behind the question... and that's cool.
That's a daily use item for him lol.
Rob Cochrum Not exactly a tool.
A lot of people still don’t practice safety, they don’t think anything is bad is going to happen to them and eventually something does and aren’t prepared for it. But preaching about it constantly doesn’t make them listen either, it will click in their head or it won’t, not much you can do to make them see the light.
@@AFNacapella That's the HackSmith crew, they go through fire extinguishers like candy! LOL
If you haven't been trained to properly use a fire extinguisher, you shouldn't use it. Get to safety and then call the pros. While you are "figuring it out" you are about to be dead.
Jamie's answer would be, "fire extinguisher. Duh."
But what type? The standard ABC powder type that makes a mess when you use it or the CO2 extinguisher that can be a pain to find someone to recharge?
I feel like he would need them not infrequently.
@@lilconch I picked up a CO2 one for electronics and my laser cutter.
lol
Cuz these guys go through fire extinguishers at a consistently high rate compared to the majority of users.
Thank you Adam! My Dad worked on the first ones of these for US Surgical! I never thought I'd see these again outside of "Dad's prototypes" box. Thank you for the nostalgia, and the use of tools. 😊❤
@Tommy petraglia lol dogs aren't real
You could do a tool of the week segment
I'd love that.
That would be reeeally good.
Please.
Yeah probably for about 500years
that would be incredibly easy.
I love the person off-screen saying "son of a..." after the horn starts. 🤣
Surgical tools are AMAZINGLY versatile for all kinds of hobbies.
I misinterpreted the title as implying that Adam Savage was the "Least-Used but Most Important Tool".
have a cupboard spray painted in neon " low frequency tools " .
wich he had shown that instead, i dont even know what that is
Similar, but brown with neon yellow lettering "BROWN NOTE." Always an "oh, shit!" moment when I remember.
That's where I keep my subwoofers.
@@TyBraek lol
That sounds like my bedroom
I had bought a bunch of odd tools from an estate auction. Tools that I wouldn't normally use, but because their are vintage (aka not made anymore) or expensive to buy today, I keep them around in case I do. As it turns out I actually use them once in a while. Odd length rulers, spring compressors, 24 volt deep cycle battery charger, etc.
little cheap 3 prong "jewelers pickup tool" also called "prong holder" or " diamond holder" works great for retrieving tiny small parts from projects... and super cheap .... (also handy to hold little screws)
My mag drill. I don’t often have to drill accurately placed 2” holes in 1/2” thick steel, that’s vertical and on the side/back of a truck…. but that one day you need 6 of them… beats the heck out of trying to fight a heavy hand-held drill, and having it grab and twist out of your hands, fall, and snap a drill bit. I end up with a lot of tools that were needed (and cost effective) for one big project that sit un-used for quite some time. This may have affected my beer budget, but I’ve never regretted it. And when a task comes along, and you can go ‘Yeah, I’ve got just the thing…” that feels soooo good. Particularly when it’s one of those oddball moments where the right, or even better, *wrong* tool, turns a potentially multi-hour job with basic tools into a quick “Ta-daaaa!"
The Walrus: I used to work on snowplows and a mag drill was something we maybe once or twice a year. The main frames and stations are held together with 1" bolts, and you have to drill big 2" holes for hydraulic piping to fit through bodies and frames. Ours came with a big hook so we could hoist it up to drill horizontally.
Had an awesome moment a while ago when a friend asked "Hey, by any chance do you have a watch-repair kit?" and I said, "Yeah sure...do you not?"
Does anyone know if there’s a woodworking version of a mag drill? Like a small, portable drill press?
@@A1BASE There's many small drill presses, and lots of rigs to mount a hand dill in a press, but one of the neatest things I've seen is the 'Rapidrill'... it's like a C-clamp with a rachet lever. You mount your drill on... Clamp it in place, and drill away. Rapidrill dot com.
@@A1BASE Yes, there are several manufacturers, a Google search will point you in the right direction. Dremel of course makes several that I know of, but there are many more.
I've had a LOT of suffering at the hands of my so called "cleverness." I'm going to use that tip a lot now. Thank you!
My dad used to make those surgical instruments and frequently brought different variations of them home when they had made one too many so I grew up using them for a multitude of projects. It took me years to realize what they really were because I was never specifically told what they were really meant for. They were just in our toolbox next to the screwdrivers and hammer. Incredibly useful tools!
Adam's explanation is pretty close. For those interested in the particulars...
The first surgical instrument's technical name is Sweet Crocodile Forceps. They're designed for grasping and manipulating other small medical devices, usually in neurosurgery or ENT procedures. It isn't designed as a hemostat as there is no ratcheting mechanism to keep it closed.
The second device, a 10mm Clip Applier, is primarily designed for hemostasis (stabilizing bleeding). It's not really a stapler, because it's metal clips don't pierce tissues and curl. Essentially there is a 'V' shaped titanium clip that the jaws of the instrument flattens around a vessel or duct in order to clamp off its circulation. It's used it laparoscopic procedures (not arthroscopic, easy to mix up these terms). Such as gallbladder removal (cholecystectomy) where the cystic duct and cystic artery need to be closed off before they're cut, allowing removal of the organ.
Thanks for the info :)
Your comments on where to put things resonates exactly with me. When I was young I had a perfect memory, it didn't matter where I put something I knew exactly where it was, alas no longer.
I have things in boxes or jars that I cannot rebox because I will never remember what to look for; springs have to be in the stork margarine tub.
I love the wholesomeness of these vids
What is that Eldritch horror on the couch?
The isopod looks pretty sick too.
Oh good im not the only one to see that.. Thing next to him
Waaaaaay late, but I'm 90 percent certain it's one of those mites from Pacific Rim off the Kaijus
That would be one of Hermaeus Mora's followers.
holy shit! the "where would I look for it" tip is genius!
Also, my personal tool that I never use but can't live without is an oddly shaped carving tool you never use... but when you do!
Bonus Question Answered Without You Even Asking should become a regular feature.
Adam you have inspired me to organize my tools and consumables for several years now. I use many tools on a daily basis at work and home. You’ve made my life easier and more enjoyable.
Yea... Losing something inside of something else and then freaking out about how to get to it... Happened to me when I was rebuilding my BMC Agonist 02 TWO with Shimano XTR Di2 and FOX iRD electronic parts and I managed to get one of the Di2 wires stuck inside the frame... I was almost having a heart attack and close to tears until I got hold of my self and thought of using a couple of straws I slit open, wrapped around the other end of the wire and shoved them in through the hole I entered into the frame to free the plug stuck inside the guiding harness of the internal wiring.
After that, I got myself a Park Tools magnetic wiring guide set should I ever have to do that again in case of a fault happening somewhere on the bike.
I love that he has “discovered” surgical tools other uses. As a doctors child my father would bring these things home all the time and I would use them in any capacity my imagination would allow. I grew up to be an engineer. And another tidbit of wisdom is anything is easy with the right tool. Thanks for sharing Adam.
It's very interesting how the spectrum of problem solving broadens when you have these very specialized tools. I would add that you need to remember having that particular tool, and then know where you've put it. It's always great hearing how passionately and enthusiastically Adam talks about almost anything, especially tools.
To find my low frequency tools I normally put my ear to the floor and hold my breath. Also you might want to watch out for the bug crawling on the back of your couch.
Edited so that the comment doesn't make sense.
Lame
I gotta like this as one of my personal favorites as a mechanic, is very similar. Springsteel made 4-hook grabber. I use it so seldom and when I pick some screw, fuse or something from that unreachable place, I'm so glad I have it and succeed with it as I know I've just saved possibly hours of time :)
As someone who always thinks I will remember where I put this, and then never does, going to try your idea, where would I look. Genius in it's simplicity
My wife uses the 'Where can I put this?' technique on absolutely everything in the house. Trouble is, it's a different place every time - and I can't find a damn thing - ever!
I once spent an entire day looking for the teapot (yeah, I'm a Brit). When she came home, I managed to control my tea deprived emotions well enough to ask her very politely where it was. She looked at me with barely controlled exasperation and replied 'It's in the oven of course!'
True story, not a word of a lie.
My step mother keeps baking pans and such under the bed, because storing them in the kitchen is just stupid.
I really liked how they kept the bloopers in, it is something sorely needed in todays media to show that pther people makes mistakes and the real course of action when making a mistake is to step back once and go again.
I like the inverse for "storing" high-frequency use tools, just buy several of them. Side cutters are one of those things, I use it all the time, but I can never find them since they are never out of use long enough to get put back in their place, so I just have 5 pairs. Buy the good ones though, otherwise you can't replace them quick enough. Another thing I've started doing is making "tool kits" for various tasks that always take place outside of the shop. For example, I have a systainer full of lock parts, since I'm never going to bring the door to the workshop to fix the lock. Likewise, I have one for electrical work, another more catered for "DIY tasks", where I'm not sure what exactly I might be doing as so forth.
One of the best questions about tools I've ever heard, and hands-down the best answers to any tool question.
The moment is saw the title, I thought of a pair of self-locking bent-nosed surgical forceps I got from a military-surplus store. I almost never need it for anything, but when I do it's amazing. There's also a pair of what I think are round-nosed suture scissors, but I use those for everything.
I have an old plastic toolbox I keep all of my least-used but effective tools in so that I always know where they are.
Its funny how some people are just so charismatic and funny that they can talk about things that are sort of boring and make it really interesting and entertaining. I have been watching Adam savage since i was 15 and now i'm 31 and i still find him really enjoyable to watch.
Plunger. You don't need it often, but when you need it - YOU NEED IT. (I'd say fire extinguisher, but I've never actually used one. I've used a plunger for more often than I'd like to recall.)
Holy shit, Taco Bell much?
I have a pair of those, they are absolute life savers for electronics repair
Just found your channel, im addicted... As a mechanic & hobbyist, I can fully relate and need both of those!
I have a set of forceps like that plus a pair with scissor tips. Another great tool i have is a small bone chisel, extremely durable and sharp.
Alligator or crocodile forceps if anyone wanted to know Lee Valley carries them
Thanks Robert for the name of the tool. that really helps. I wanted to buy them but I didn't know what name to type into google. thanks again :)
Killas 07 on-XBL ... They’re alligator forceps. Pituitary forceps have more of a cupped end. Alligator forceps have a serrated end.
Also called "kerrisons" . They come in a variety of sizes and are frequently used in spine surgery.
Benjamin Thompson... Kerrisons are different. They’re used to punch out bone. The Alligators are more like tweezers. That’s why they’re called forceps. They grab. The Pituitary and Kerrisons are a Rongeur.
@@timjayne7820 yes, alligators are forceps or "toothed tweezers". Karrisons do grab or pinch as opposed to "punching through" bone. Btw,too bad those staplers are contaminated in surgery because they would make an awesome tool for a variety of jobs. We go through a lot of them in surgery. It's just almost impossible to clean/sanitize/sterilize after surgery which is why they aren't recycled.
Yep, I have all kinds of cool tools at this point in my life that I don't use a lot, and yes finding them when I do sometimes takes more time than the job they're needed for. I'll have to give that little tip a go. I did try to label every box we filled up when we finally bought a house 6 years ago so it would be easier to find things once we were unpacking or finally needed something that wasn't needed right away and stayed boxed up. I also just try to leave commonly used tools where I can see them to save time rooting around.
That's a problem I have always had cant find the low freq used item, Love the way of thinking at the 4:05 mark. That's what I'm doing from this moment forward. Thanks Adam!!!!
I love all the attention Adam's getting! Mythbusters is partly responsible for the man I've become today and I could never find any extra info and bios on Savages life. Now he's got his book, own TV show on discovery, tested, and is all over the place in tech and science related media!
we didnt watch the show for him ! were is land sea lion with glasses and steotypical red haired women ?
I have a pair of large tool boxes where I store all my rarely used but thank god I've got them when I need them tools, usually its my extensive range of odd sized and shaped sized pullers, and weirdly bent spanners for accessing awkward bolts and nuts during restorations.
That surgical device was (at least this is what I was told) was to get to the sella turcica (a gland in the middle and base of the brain) they would go in back and upward from the top of the back of your upper lip (I know gross right?!). With a little xray guidance they make their way to the sella turcica and remove whatever tumor or thing they needed to do. So when I'm in surgery and they ask for that grabler they actually call them the sella turcica grabber or clamp.
The small pair would go in my tweezers box, and the big one would go in my grabber box where I keep things like that, including my biggest which can pick a 5lb object off a high shelf from four feet away. That big grabber BTW reminds me of a flexible tool I have which is powerful enough to remove valve lifters up through an engine head, even if they are stuck.
Note to self - Put all my tools in the cracks of the couch.
Hahahaha best comment
So, you'd want a tool couch? Hmm. This makes me think of a couch with tool space underneath a wide armrest (or consider a modular system with a small or large couch module (of various shapes, possibly) to which armrest modules or other couch modules can be appended. If the smallest 'couch' module is no more than a seat then you could even have something like a seat with two armrests or, say, two seats seperated by a number of 'armrests'.
Okay, okay I'm tired.
@@LyricalDJ Maybe the whole side panel is split with a hinge inside the armrest. When you sit on it, you can flip the side up to become a sort of table (like a school desk) with tools clipped on to it.
I love all the accidentals instead of repeated cuts. It's pretty great seeing realness in a professional setup.
45 degree angled mini pick, absolute treasure of a tool and comes in handy for so many things. I'd recommend buying the 4 pack of them though (90,45,straight,hook)
Adam, I agree 100%. I can't tell you how many times I have put something away that I said "I mustn't lose this. It's too useful when I need it."
- and then realize when I need it again, a year later, that I must have been absolutely brilliant that day. Because I put it in a place so safe, it was safe from me. I honestly can't tell you because there are things that are still missing.. : )
Had my life saved by a magnet on a stick many a time.
I prefer magnets on strings!
@@TheTingcat I prefer a few of each! Lol
I prefer bubblegum on a stick
absolutely love those...but wish I could turn the magnet on and off...because when you're feeding it down to whatever you dropped it sticks to other stuff. They probably make these idk.
Motorcycle mechanic's _most_ used tool (or at least it is when I spanner the airhead or my old CBR) even better than a magnet on a stick is a magnet on a bendy stick - best $18 spent on a tool ever.
My dad had a grabber tool about 2 feet long made of flexible coil steel like a mic holder, one end had 2 metal disks separated by 2 inches of spring that when depressed extended 3 steel grabber hooks on the other end. Best tool for dropped bolts in engines, along with anything else you can imagine.
If you all were wondering what the full name of first tool was. They are Alligator Forceps. Would agree with Adam, not often used but an absolute joy to have when you need them. May I also suggest the "Needle holder V type".
I have a version of this type of tool called a surgical snare. It has the long stalk, but instead of a clamping mechanism, it has a looped wire that comes out and retracts when you open the handles. I’ve never used it, but I know exactly where it is!
Tweesers grabbers and 'stats all are in their own drawer. Small tool rolling chest in my shop. Very essential. I also have a 3 prong flex cable grabber. 24 inch long...for when you need to go deep. If the part is magnetic I have a mag to grab and then use the right tool for the right job.
Hartmann Alligator Forceps, I've had a pair for over a decade now and they are absolutely invaluable when needed.
I've got an LF tool drawer in the garage.
I don't really know what's in there, but if I can't find a tool in my normal areas, I hit that drawer up just in case.
Smaller stainless steel instrument was an alligator forcep.
Various medical uses. In veterinary field we often use them for grabbing foxtails out of ears!
This is a situation you find yourself in often?
When I put something away that I later can’t find I refer to it as “outsmarting myself” so I love your idea of first thought best thought.
I have a cheap logic analyser I seldom use but I *really* needed it to debug an I2C problem and I couldn't find it. These are only about £9 on a popular shopping site so I ordered another, which took 3 days to arrive cos it was a weekend. Yes, I found the original one a day before the replacement arrived, so now I have two. My next purchase was a bright orange case to keep them in ...
I love that you just have a display case overflowing with light sabers in the background.
4:30
That is quite possibly the best advice i have ever recieved from a Tv screen.
Thank you.
the timestamp is wrong. Put it right before he says it.
I hear you big guy! Back when I did a lot of desktop PC and server hardware support, one of my most important (but least used) tools was a surgical clamp. I worked in a hospital, so I was able to get my hands on a couple. I kept them in my tool roll. Now that I remember that, I realize I don't have any in my home workshop! I still work in a hospital, so I'm going to get one of my docs to snag me a couple. Sweet! Thanks, dude!
I have a single catch all drawer in the shop for most of my low frequency tools, very handy when I remember to put stuff back...
God, I love my nasal hemostats. Hell, I have a BAG of them and I have a pairs in multiple places because they are so damn useful! Elastic waistband repair? Dropped a screw somewhere? Dropped something in the sink? Gotta plug in a small connector deep on a motherboard?
Also hemostats in general. Big ones, small ones, curved, straight, nasal. LOVE THEM ALL!
If I remember correctly, those particular grabbers (technical term, totally) were designed in the early part of the 20th century by a futurist named Jacques Fresco. He's also the guy that designed the first modular home, and the guy that the architectural and industrial designs from the Jetsons were based off of.
You are so right about the second part of that question I have a lot of great tools that if I need them I'm going to go buy new ones because I I can't find the ones that I already have or would take me longer to find them in their worth definitely one of those
At the moment, I can't think of a tool I own that I use rarely but am thankful for. I do know that I try to keep everything organized. It's only when some unauthorized person snags one of my tools then tosses it somewhere, that they get lost. KEEP YOU HANDS OFF MY TOOLS!
That is it. From now on I will store all my low frequency tools behind the couch. And every time I need them I'll remember Adam and this video. 😀
Wahoo, I've got a new memory trick. When I want to decide where to put something, I'll just ask myself where Adam would look for it. Then, if I can't find it I can phone him and ask where it is. Ideal.
I have "clever" tools as well in my wood shop, and we used those 6-8" curved locking hemostatsin the funeral home as well and I ordered a extra for the shop for that exact same reason.
American science and surplus is where I got my narrow grabby thing. It has occasionally been a vital addition to my bag of tricks, and has had little eyes drawn on the end of it. Vampliers, or some other kind of screw extraction pliers are the next least used best tool on my list. Remove weird security fasteners with even marginally exposed heads or get out the stripped screw without drilling and cursing it. Forgetting they exist between uses remains an issue
I do the same thing, also I do a Zone style organizing, Like tools in like locations. I would love to know how often you reset/clean your work space. I am so often impaired in my productivity by mess that I am certainly doing it wrong.
That's a pretty useful tip actually. I have a HUGE "out of sight, out of mind" problem and spend way too long looking for niche tools just to find that while I did put them somewhere logical, I didn't put them somewhere practical to being found in the panicked state of mind that I'll be in when I need them.
I like that thought process "Where would I look first?" I'm constantly putting seldom used important stuff away and forgetting where it is or 'put safely away' as it's known.
Oh my, the tip of putting the tool of putting your tool at the first place your mind would think of sounds so simple, yet effective. I should do that too when I start rearranging my tools
those are great! my dad has a few of them from back in the day in the medical industry. i use my pairs all the time
I would love to have those tools when working with zipties. There are times when i am in a project in which i will need to join two plastic bottles together with zipties by joining them at the middle and at the bottom (a pen holder project or something of the like) this will be indispensable for the bottom part. I'm currently using long nose pliers for these kinds of tasks.
You're awesome Adam, don't ever change dude.
Matthew Davis he’s like 65 why would he change his personality? That’s ridiculous.
Fantastic!
I was just wondering if you had any arthroscopic instruments, because they are so useful!
Even arthroscopic/endoscopic training sets are dirt cheap these days. A lot of companies hand them out as freebies in competitions at veterinary conventions.a basic 8 inch long rigid fiber optic scope is next on my tool box to buy list. Can't quite justify getting a 4k hd set though 😁
My grandmother was a nurse so I’ve seen both of those medical tools before we use to use them in the shop all the time
At my last job, that tool was a hydraulic-pneumatic rivet gun. Puts in pop rivets with a single pull of a trigger and nearly no physical strain. We only used it a couple times in the 4 years I was there, but when you have to put in something like 300+ rivets for a job....there's really no other way....
The storage issue, the bane of my existence. I will try to adopt your strategy.
Thank you :)
Sometime in my teens I decided to live my life in a way where I can consistently thank my past self. It’s super satisfying when you’re like “damn I’m glad I did that whew”.
For people moving into a first apartment or house, pipe wrench. You won't need it often, but boy will you be glad you have it when you do. Especially if there's leaking involved
It's crazy how much I enjoy Adam and to think he would not be around anymore after myth busters just to resurface on TH-cam so I can enjoy him even more.
I have one of those ( the first tool shown), it is not a hemostat as there's no ratcheting clamp; they are Laparoscopic forceps
How about putting all low frequency tools in the same place, or organizing them by how frequently they are used.
a book detailing precisely where you've stored them down to the drawer and compartment of the toolbox or shelf...and not deviating from that process
Heh, the company I work for makes staplers like the one Adam shows at 2:30. Maybe I should acquire one from the office for modelmaking
what's the name for that stapler thing?
@@colinstu They're called Laporoscopic Surgical Staplers
Doctors offices are great places to look for interesting tools. I also check sites that sell medical instrumentation and try to think of ways I could repurpose them for my projects. Whatever I see in a doctors office, I can usually find inexspensive versions on ebay.
Hey Adam former paramedic the first tool you used are called Magill forceps. There are actually two types one for adults and one for pediatrics most used for choking victims
I refer to these as the tools one needs rarely that serve a purpose no other tool can accomplish. Frequently they are tools meant for another purpose altogether, as yours are. I have special drawers in my toolbox for these.
Life lesson number 4568 from Adam Savage. Thanks!
I wonder how many hours of Adam ive watched. Enjoy all of it
I have since ordered on of those aligator forceps they are soo cool i got 14 inch ones. Thanks adam love the tool so far
Not gonna lie, the bit at the end of how you organize them is the best tip in this video
Oh man i'm glad i'm not the only one who loses things to "cleverness" I've also started putting things where I'd look for them. (Although usually its after I've spent an hour looking for it, then I put it wherever I first looked)
Excellent. Especially the "Where to store it" answer.
The ideal least used most important tool: first aid kit
The reality: long pinchy things
I'm in IT. Half the people complain that "nothing's documented", and the other half complain "nobody reads the documentation." Both are mostly true, but the biggest problem is actually one of location. The solution is exactly the same as your tool problem: The writers ask "Where should I put this?" instead of "Where would I look for this?" The organization of "putting away" is misaligned with the organization of "finding." So you have to put yourself in the latter mindset to solve the former problem.
I'm a life-long model-builder and have a ton of stuff. I don't have enough space for it and as a result I've become a master consolidator. What that means is things inside things inside things and so on - a Russian doll situation. That works until I need that thing in the center and then everything explodes when I get it out.
As far as remembering where I put something the one thing that works very well for me is not to just take it and put it someplace but to take a conscious moment and tell myself that this thing is going in this place. I don't know how to explain it really but it means instead of just putting something somewhere I'm taking a second to make it register. Once I do that I can recall where that item is even a few years later.
Conversely, I can be working on something, thoughtlessly set something down and then spend 30 minutes looking for it. Again, if I just take the time to look at it and register in my mind where I put it I'll know exactly where it is.
I'm going to try your method as well, e.g. "Where would future me look for this thing?" So far it hasn't worked for passwords because that's exactly how I think about things like the security question. I ask myself, "What question of the choices seems most intuitive for me and what answer will I try to use?" I can't tell you how many times I can't remember the answer to my security question later when I need it.
i really am only subscribed to this channel for Adam content