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Cool Tool Score!!! Dental Tools

chruler

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Joined
Oct 31, 2014
Messages
1,508
Location
Vermont
I work part time at a dental lab and just scored a box of used tools!

Many of these hand tools are sharp and have intricate features making them ideal or fine work. I use them all the time in the lab on tooth models and there literally is a tool with just the right bend, curve or cutting surface for just about any fine scraping job I can think of!

Best part. I PAID $0 FOR THEM!

Dental_zps1d937b79.jpg
 
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Cameronl

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Joined
Nov 5, 2009
Messages
572
Location
Connecticut
During a routine checkup, I asked my dentist about any old picks and he pulled out a container like that and told me to help myself. I took about a half dozen. Great for electronic work. And best of all, most are made in the USA.
 

KRB52

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Joined
Sep 25, 2013
Messages
2,650
I used to work with a guy who had a good relationship with his dentist and hygenist. He would get used picks (usually the ones they just got done using on him.) since they usually threw them away. They worked well for cleaning guns.
 

Jim Johnstone

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Joined
Apr 11, 2011
Messages
1,841
Location
Brantford, Ontario
My dentist is a really easy going guy that has been friends with my in laws for years. He heard I was a tool and die maker and asked if I ever use carbide burrs for engraving steel or deburring, I said all the time and he handed me a huge box of lightly used sterilized carbide burrs.
 

90zcar

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Joined
Nov 8, 2013
Messages
3,254
That's awesome. Nice little bin of goodies u got there!

I think most of us on the site have a metal dental pick that we got at a flea market or acquired somehow down the line haha


Sent from my iPhone 5s using Tapatalk
 

RustnGrease

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Joined
Jun 26, 2014
Messages
397
Location
Schuylkill County, PA
I was just at the dentist on friday for a cleaning and thought those would work great for picks and such, should've asked them about it, but i figured they just keep sterilizing and reusing until they are junk.
 

supra90turbo

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Joined
Sep 30, 2011
Messages
595
Location
Central MA
My Dad asks every time he goes to the dentist, I don't know if they chuck them after each use or what, but it doesn't seem to bother them. I think he must have a shoebox full by now. haha
 

astroracer

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Joined
Jun 22, 2005
Messages
3,001
Location
Mid_Michigan
I've also gotten a lot of stuff from my dentist. Molding and casting materials also. The picks and fine drill burrs I used when I was building a lot of model cars. The fine pics work great for rescribing panel lines and cleaning hard to reach spaces.
Mark
 

jjjrmx5

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Joined
Dec 30, 2010
Messages
3,431
Location
Cincinnati, OH
I find and buy them in bulk at teh summer flea markets and outdoor antique sales.

Surgical stainless and great for picking the grease and dirt out of sockets and allen head screws/ bolts.

The fleas would sell that tub for $25 -$30 an the antique guys would want $40 or $45.
Still a great deal at those prices condidering they will last a long long time.

Free is the best price of all!!!!!

:)
 

Jacobson

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Jan 11, 2014
Messages
1,482
Looks like 100 copies of the same tool.
Is the dentist a poster on GJ?
 
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RedneckWelder

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Joined
Nov 12, 2013
Messages
5,696
Location
The Ghetto Kingdom of Methlandia
I work part time at a dental lab and just scored a box of used tools!

My father is a dental technician, grew up helping him in his lab. The access to good quality picks, burrs, and many other tools for stationary dental motors and such is nice. I also like having a dental motor at home, because it's like a stationary die grinder and is useful for fine work.
 

jrsulo

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Joined
Feb 23, 2010
Messages
746
Location
New Jersey
My wife is the manager in a dental office and in the dental field over 40 years.....I use the old picks and tools for a lot of things as she brings home whatever I need.....and I get my teeth done too !!!!!!!!!
 
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chruler

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Joined
Oct 31, 2014
Messages
1,508
Location
Vermont
The really cool thing about these is that they ends are "left and right specific." There you are scraping something intricate and you need to get around it from the other side. Just flip the tool over and the scraping surface approaches the scrape zone from the other side! Makes perfect sense I suppose for doing work on teeth. It's not like you can swing the patient around!

I guess I kinda do ****, LOL! Every so often the tool gods smile upon one of us.
 

Bigblue&Goldie

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Joined
Mar 12, 2009
Messages
10,671
Location
AZ
My father-in-law is a dentist so he hooks me up with retired tools whenever I need them. I keep a set of picks in my garage boxes and another set in my gunsmithing box. Dental tools are a gift from God when detail cleaning a firearm!
 

wild cowboy

Banned
Joined
Mar 11, 2014
Messages
1,650
Location
Birmingham
I am interested in anything marked Hu-Friedy or Miltex if you want to sell off some of your hoard!

I use them fixing ECUs/ECMs
 

riscoe

Member
Joined
Sep 1, 2013
Messages
13
My wife is a dental hygienist and brings some of the picks home when I ask. They are useful, but they are also very brittle and I've snapped the tips off pretty regularly just picking paint out of screws at work. But once shortened a little and resharpened to the shape you need, they work really well and last quite a bit longer. She also brought me a disposable mirror with a light tube on it that conducts light from any attached source. I modified it to attach to a small penlight and it has come in handy many times.
Generally the dental office reuses these tools and sterilizes them between patients. My wife has resharpened them as needed, but most younger hygienists might not, and dispose of them more often for a sharper newer tool.
 
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chruler

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Joined
Oct 31, 2014
Messages
1,508
Location
Vermont
I use these when I need light and magnification.
0001_zps82da1dfd.jpg


Most of these dental tools are pretty rugged. I have sharpened several and they work great as intricate scrapers for wood, plastic and particularly for getting grime and residue out of tight places.

I haven't had time to pick through them yet and don't really have an interest in selling them at this time. Let me see what I have and perhaps I'll put a list together soon.
 

Davefr

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Joined
Jan 7, 2010
Messages
11,820
Location
OR
I use these when I need light and magnification.

I had that Optivsor LED add on and it was absolutely worthless. (ancient LED technology and absolutely no light throw)

If you want to improve your Optivisor lighting mount a Zebralight Headlamp. Get the floody/warm light version.

The difference will be like night and day.

 

MFolks

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Joined
Feb 3, 2013
Messages
1,045
Location
Springfield Mo.
With the correct wheel, you could probably re-sharpen the picks, to get a custom angle for difficult to work jobs. Great for electronic/electrical work.
 
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chruler

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 31, 2014
Messages
1,508
Location
Vermont
I had that Optivsor LED add on and it was absolutely worthless. (ancient LED technology and absolutely no light throw)

If you want to improve your Optivisor lighting mount a Zebralight Headlamp. Get the floody/warm light version.

The difference will be like night and day.


Nice! Thanks!
 

Forsythe04

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 21, 2014
Messages
100
Location
West Virgnina
I have quite a few picks and pliers/cutters as my mother is an orthodontist assistant..great to have for sure. and made in the USA
 
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