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One handed opening tool


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Hi all, I could use a little help. I suffered a stroke in July of last year and have little to no use of my left hand. Does anyone have any thoughts on a tool that could help me open bison tubes and nano containers with one hand? Also could use some help rolling small logs up one handed. Thanks for the help.

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I'm into piercings and I know piercers have a tool to open rings that stays closed with a spring similar shape to pliers. If you wrapped that or any pliers designed to stay closed versus open with tape you could get a grip on lids and then just have to stabilize it and turn the tube. I've been known to open things that small at home with my mouth and one hand as well. Put in baggie hold with mouth and turn with good hand.

 

When all else fails use other body parts.

 

Rolling the log up I know there are roller that reminded me of crochet hooks or something I know.

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One good thought would be to use any other available parts of your body for leverage (i.e. put the bison tube between your knees and open with your right hand). I realize this wouldn't work for nanos... But it could help for many micros.

 

And I offer this other tool not as a joke, although it might sound funny... But what about a friend, a spouce, or a caching partner? I know some of us prefer to cache alone (I can go alone or with others--either way I enjoy myself), but having someone else there to literally give you a hand is probably your best option.

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Although most of my friends and caching partners are tools, I occasionally go out alone, and I'm pretty proficient at using other body parts for leverage, I just came across one the other day that I had to use my mouth to help open. I didn't think of the baggie condom idea, that is a good thought. I'm looking more for an assist holding the tubes, so I can twist them with my good hand. Thanks for the ideas, keep them coming.

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Although most of my friends and caching partners are tools, I occasionally go out alone, and I'm pretty proficient at using other body parts for leverage, I just came across one the other day that I had to use my mouth to help open. I didn't think of the baggie condom idea, that is a good thought. I'm looking more for an assist holding the tubes, so I can twist them with my good hand. Thanks for the ideas, keep them coming.

 

harbor frieght has a quick acting clamp for about 6-7 bucks once it is in the tool you can hold that with a foot and use your hand to open. Tim

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This is probably not likely to happen, but by any chance, do you still have contact with the occupational therapist(s) that helped you out after the stroke? If you can convince one of them to go caching with you, I'll bet you'd get some great ideas!

That is a great idea! While I probably won't be able to convince my OT to come caching, I have talked about it with her several times, and I'll have to take a bison tube and a magnetic nano into therapy with me, she is very resourceful and will come up with something quickly. Thanks a lot, don't know why I never thought of asking her.

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How about a spring clamp. Something like what woodworkers use to clamp pieces together for gluing?

Or one of those small plastic ratcheting clamps they sell in most hardware stores, I think that would hold better. Just tighten it down and hold it between your knees or hold it with your foot. They also have a one hand easy release feature.

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How about a spring clamp. Something like what woodworkers use to clamp pieces together for gluing?

Or one of those small plastic ratcheting clamps they sell in most hardware stores, I think that would hold better. Just tighten it down and hold it between your knees or hold it with your foot. They also have a one hand easy release feature.

 

Or small "vice grip" pliers. I've got a set that's only about 5" long. Wrap the jaws with duct tape to protect the finish of whatever item you're clamping and it should hold it. You can put it on the ground, and hold it in place with your foot and you could turn the top with your good hand.

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"hemostats" (spelling???),the thin (scissors but plier tips)that doctors use to clamp veins,etc, during surgery,and fishermen use to get the hooks out of mouths of fish; They have the 'teeth' midway down that progressively notch/ratchet to hold the held item tight.If you get a little more creative..maybe glue a thin piece of rubber to each face of plier surface for a little better holding power.Maybe carry a small one and a larger one...clamp 'cache' in jaws of the 'hemostat',close/lock 'teeth',put hemostat between legs,under foot,between arms,etc. Well,anyway..I'm sure somebody can explain this better,but I hope this might help you.

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Another vote for pliers, but as kwhart says, I'd go with locking pliers. That way you get the cache in there, lock it in place, then put the handles under your other arm or between your legs so you can get some leverage. You could wrap the "teeth" in a layer of duct tape so it didn't scratch up the cache container finish.

 

For rolling nanos, hmm. Try taping or gluing two toothpicks together for about half their length. Then you can insert the end of the piece of paper in the crack between the toothpicks, hold the toothpicks between your teeth, and twirl.

 

I think the best answer is to keep up with your PT (not that you need any incentive!) and try to get that hand back. Nano log rolling seems like a great dexterity exercise.

 

Good luck, and best wishes for your recovery.

 

edit: So, basically what NYPaddleCacher said. :anicute:

Edited by hzoi
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Another suggestion, finding a store that still makes wooden nut crackers.

wooden_nutcracker.jpg

(kind of a mock-up of the design I'm thinking of.

 

You could even go as far as getting a extra large hex nut, (a good 1" type. Like a truck tire lug nut,) (big enough to fit the bison into), drill a hold through, from side to side. thread the holes, so you can place a short screw in one, through an extra belt hole, the other, a longer screw that would reach 1/2 way through the larger nut. Then, fill the larger hole with epoxy, up to just under the threaded-through holes. The objective, is similar to the above nutcracker design. Place a bison, or nano into the larger hold, so it sits on the epoxy. tighten the longer screw til it grips the cache container, then you should be able to grab the top part (the cap of the nano, or top part of the bison) to and unscrew it. When done, loosen the longer screw, take the cache out, then spin the longer screw in, so it doesn't catch anything.

 

Though, the vicegrip idea is doable too.. simply grab the cache with the jaws, slip the handle through a few belt loops, and you're doing the same thing.

 

The idea is not impossible. They only look odd. But they're rather ingenious!

 

Stephen (gelfling6)

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If you could get someone to fashion a smaller version of this (sologrip) it might be helpful. If you have some use of your affected arm, it could possibly be strapped to your forearm.

 

As for rolling the micro logs, let me know what you come up with, 'cause I have trouble with that also.

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What about using a piece of the bumpy, rubberized stuff you use in drawers (and RVers use between plates in the camper cabinets) to grip the tubes? I got some for my house cabinets at Wally World. Lay a section of it down on your lap, lay the tube on it, roll it up, put it between your knees and use your good hand to open it.

 

I'm an SLP. Great idea talking to your OT. I love OTs. They are the masters of modifications.

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I also had a stroke before I started caching. On nanos I will open them and use a gel pen to put 4 small red dots on the edge of the log without unrolling the log. I can usually get the bison tubes OK unless the log is in bad shape and all wadded up. Then I will take a picture of the cache or explain why I could not sign the log. I have never had a cache owner delete a log yet after almost 1100 finds. I sometimes take my wife with me, but usually cache alone.

 

Now I will get the flameproof suit on.

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This is probably not likely to happen, but by any chance, do you still have contact with the occupational therapist(s) that helped you out after the stroke? If you can convince one of them to go caching with you, I'll bet you'd get some great ideas!

That is a great idea! While I probably won't be able to convince my OT to come caching, I have talked about it with her several times, and I'll have to take a bison tube and a magnetic nano into therapy with me, she is very resourceful and will come up with something quickly. Thanks a lot, don't know why I never thought of asking her.

 

100% agree. I am a recreational therapist which is similar to OT. If you take the items you mentioned in, I bet you get results! On a side note, I love the fact you are getting out after your stroke and staying active. It is one of the main ways you can prevent future problems.

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A simple board with a few cleats nailed to it may do the trick. The base board can be held down with your foot. The cleats are only thick enough to grab the container's base. The container is wedged in place so that the un-screwing action of the lid increases the gripping power of the wedge. The angle of the wedge can accommodate several sizes of tubes.

 

As for the re-winding of the logs, that's a toughie because the log's condition can vary so much. Have to think on that one some more.

 

94e14ad7-02cf-4b75-aeb0-b77d0c5bb261.jpg

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