Uses for popsicle sticks

[GURU1911]

Many of us shooters keep a bag of popsicle / hobby sticks available on our workbenches & have discovered many uses for them. However, i have discovered a use that i would like to share with my fellow forum members:

1. After installing the extractor in a 1911 slide, use edge of the stick to align the firing pin stop notch with the slide. This will make insertion of the firing pin stop very easy.

2. When installing the thumb safety on a 1911 pistol, insert the stick behind the safety, depress the safety plunger pin, & press the safety into place.

3. When polishing the slide / frame rails on a 1911 pistol, wrap the abrasive paper around the stick. The thickness of the stick is perfect for this purpose.

4. When polishing the disconnector notch on a 1911 slide, the round end of the stick covered with fine abrasive paper will get the job done nicely.

I encourage the members of this forum to post their personal discoveries for additional uses of this handy piece of wood.

Guru1911

[oneoldsap]

I stir my Epoxy and Bedding Compounds with them . Thank God for Grandchildren !

[KBP]

I use them to hold up the frozen ice cream so my fingers don't get stickey! I also use them to make a power measure for reloading. Just take an empty shell and cut it to size for a specific load of a specific powder, epoxy the shell to the popsicle stick and you have a great powder measure if you don't need to weigh each charge. You can write on the stick the powder, weight of the charge, bullet and caliber! It works great! I use it with pistol loads!

[hooligan1]

I use them to "glue and shim screws" that have alot of play in them, and btw their good for splinting fingers and mixing epoxy!

[Rifleman1776]

You are right. I use smaller hobby sticks in my woodworking shop all the time for a variety of tasks. I also use round toothpicks for mixing epoxy. And, I like the round toothpicks as small dowels and/or decorative faux dowels on items.

[GURU1911]

The use as a handle for your home-brew powder dipper is great. Also the shimming of screws. The mixing of bedding compounds is pretty much standard practice for most of us.

Btw: Wrapping a piece of 800 to crocus grit polishing paper around the stick, is pretty much a no-brainer. They are just the right size for polishing the disconnector rail, front rail angle, & the slide breech-face on 1911's.

Any more really cool ideas for these wooden miracles ???? Come on guys---put your thinking caps on & share your ideas !!!!!!

Guru1911

[guncrank]

Use them for holding parts when I am spraying on a coating
They can be whittled down and cut to fit bushing and other smallparts
Screws can be turned in one to paint the headset .

[GURU1911]

Thanks for the idea, crank. Another great suggestion from the fertile minds of this forum !!!!!! Never thought of this one before.

Guru1911

[natman]

And you can buy them nice and clean by the bag in craft shops!

[cecILL]

Also, shish-ka-bob skewers are good for a multitude of uses.

[GURU1911]

That is where i buy mine also---craft stores / wally world / dollar general. Will also try the shish-kabob thing. Wonder is clean bamboo chop-sticks would be good as epoxied-in hole plugs, if you did not have any hardwood dowels ?????

Hey fellows, they can also be used as pads, in your bench vise / machinist vise to hold small parts or to prevent marring surfaces.

Well, unless someone can come up with another great suggestion, i think we can close out this thread & call it a success !!!!

Thanks to everyone who participated----atta-boy fellow shooters.

Guru1911

[Ledbetter]

Wrap in Birchwood Casey Lead Away cloth and clean your revolver cylinder face.