"DoN. Nichols" wrote:

On 2012-10-15, Gunner wrote:
On Mon, 15 Oct 2012 13:13:17 -0400, "Michael A. Terrell"
wrote:


I just got the meter leads I ordered. They have a very fine point that
is very sharp. They will be very useful to test connections, since they
can pierce the oxide layer of old solder joints. The tiny point will
let you probe inside some connectors without seperating them. and on the
side of the Dupont type header connectors.

[ ... ]

Frankly..Id be careful of those. The ad indicates Sharp COPPER probe
tips and copper is very fragile/bendable.

From the photo -- it looks closer to a brass or bronze.

What I do..is take a set of leads with the common steel tips..and
carefully grind them to a sharp point. They last a very long time that
way and I can be brutal with them.

I don't really like steel for electrical work -- though there
is something which used to be available (and may still be available for
all I know) were test probes with collets on the end which would hold
the old acoustic phonograph "needles" -- which I have also seen as
replacement tips on dividers, calipers, and scribes.



Needles are cheap on Ebay. about $4 a hundred, but the collets were
made by H.H. Smith. they were bought out, and every distributor they
list has zero stock. A set of used probes sold for over $30 on Ebay
recently. that's why I took a chance on these.


I wonder what these look like under the heat-shrink sleeving. I
see a step-down in diameter about half-way along, which suggests that it
might be a replaceable tip in a sleeve.


There is no movement, so I think the heat shrink is just insulation
for tight spaces.


The ad mentioned them being useful for reading close packed SMDs and
whatnot rather than any ability to punch through jacket material.

With the help of a stereo zoom microscope, at least.

Phone company test clips often have a pad of very short needles
on either side, just long enough to poke through the vinyl insulation on
the solid wires typically used for phone wiring.


I still have a few new telco clips with the pad of needles. They
used to be common on butt sets.


whoops...just reread your posting..."oxide layer" not jacket
material...sorry...just woke up.

Still -- a sharp point is a benefit there.


I'll take some good photos when I get a chance & post them on my
Flikr account.