Dental tools
 

I often read the old threads in the archives about restoring old machines. I will be looking for a treadle when we get home from Arizona. I do not want an "old beater" that is beyond my capabilities and desire at this point. I noticed today as we wandered around Quartzsite that one vendor had a lot of dental tools for sale. Would they be handy if I fall in love with one that does need some work?

The various dental picks are great for getting into those little nooks and crannies!

When you get to looking for one do not overlook on-line and/or estate auctions. I have seen one there and for a very nice price.

I don't use metal tools for cleaning and scraping out grime and dirt. I prefer coctail picks or bamboo tooth picks. They don't leave any marks or scratches. A bit of spray can oil or sewing machine oil and it's easy to clean out dried up dust and oil. Of you get a very rusty old fixup machine you might think about the dental tools. You could always get them if you like them think they look handy, but I would start with the wooden tooth pick or skewer. A box of cotton swabs is a must for me, and I like those velvety microfiber cloths.

Mickey2 once again shows a lot of wisdom. Dental pics do that the advantages of curves, but use them sparingly.

I use a dental curved pick to help grab the bobbin thread when I do fmq. It's handle to have by my machine to also use as a stiletto.

O.K. I decided I won't use the dental tools and we went back looking this morning because I saw a package of bamboo skewers but do you think I could find them? No. Mary you need one of my stilettos with pretty beads. I have one to match my 1967 Turquoise Singer and one in black and white to go with my FW.

Wooden toothpicks work very well. Grab some chop sticks next time you go for Chinese food, they are great for turning out corners when you sew.

I like to use a dental pik to clean between the teeth of the feed dogs.

When I clean on a 401, I use the piks a lot. I usually end up poking paper towel pieces in nasty places so that it will absorb the solvent when I'm using a toothbrush or something that is a less controlled application. It's easy to get the paper out with a dental pik. Also, I use them sometimes to get the end of a strip of t-shirt material around a shaft, so that I can clean the back side.

bkay