Question about using a dental pick versus a proper spudger for ribbon cables

So I was fixing an old Canon AE-1 last week, and I needed to get under this tiny ribbon cable connector. My good spudger was across the shop, and I saw a dental pick I use for cleaning gunk out of tight spots. I thought, 'same shape, right?' Wrong. The pick slipped, gouged the cable's plastic housing, and I spent the next hour trying to find a replacement part online for about $12. When I finally used the right spudger on the next camera, it popped the connector up smooth as anything with no risk. The flat, blunt edge makes all the difference. Has anyone else learned the hard way that some tools just aren't close enough substitutes?

2 comments

2 Comments

faithg2613d ago

Yeah, that "gouged the plastic housing" part made me wince. Been there with the wrong tool, that sinking feeling is the worst.

derek_burns8713d ago

A tiny dab of plastic model glue fixed my gouge right up.