Protect Your Fingers From Potential Hammer Injuries With A Budget-Friendly Tool

Hammering your fingers when trying to drive nails and tacks around the home is so common it's almost a rite of passage for any DIYer. With all the random pieces we build and decor we hang around the house, an occasional hammer blow is bound to stray directly toward your hand. Small, hard-to-hold nails are the worst of the bunch, almost always putting you at risk of a smashed finger. Although it's hard to avoid random mishits when working with some hardware, you can still anticipate them and take proactive steps to avoid injuries and disruptions to your project. Upgrading to a nail-holding hammer is a practical option, or you can opt for an even less expensive tool explicitly built for saving your fingers.

If a mallet finger is a frequent occurrence during your DIY ventures, an inexpensive nail holder like these Jelanry plastic pliers is the permanent fix you've always wanted. The pliers have multiple nail grips between the jaws to give you the ideal fit for nails of any size. A flat side and handle supports stay steady on the work surface for easy and accurate hammering. Place your nail, grip the pliers, and — presto! — no more fumbling around with nails or worrying about a sore finger! It's a handy tool and an easy purchase. Yet, if you need a solution now, you'll find plenty of simple tools already around the home that can protect your finger from hammer injuries.

You won't have to look too hard for a DIY nail holder. We've seen how a clothespin hack can save your fingers, and a bobby pin can hold tiny nails for injury-free hammering. But these are just the tip of the iceberg! Standard pliers or wire strippers can hold your nail in a pinch. Or, you could go even more low-tech and use a piece of paper, cardboard, or plastic. Simply poke a hole in a piece of semi-rigid material, and create a slit to let you remove it once you set the nail. YouTuber Ron Hazelton elaborates on how these simple solutions work while showing how even an average comb can serve as a DIY hack for holding small brads. As he proves, you can find effective nail-holding tools almost anywhere!

If you like the idea of nail-holding pliers but don't want to wait to buy some, you can fashion a handmade set right now with a few essential tools. Cut a thin board or shim in half and clamp the halves together. Use your drill and a selection of bits to drill holes down the seam separating the sides. You can then use the pieces to hold nails of varying sizes, keeping them flat on your surface and holding the nail still for a sure installation every time. Whether you buy a pair of pliers or use one of the many tools around the house, you can rest easy knowing hammered fingers will never be an issue during future projects.