I’m really liking this tool. My fingers are too big to comfortably hold stems by the cross while lubing or doing other things with them. This tool holds the stem very securely, and it’s easy to turn around in your fingers to access different sides. I find it easier to deal with than tweezers if I need to hold the part for a while not just momentarily (for example if lubing). Works for stabilizer inserts too. It’s also handy for grabbing the little M2 screws if they fall down into the keyboard while you’re building. It’s a handy all-around tool but I especially like it for holding stems and stab inserts!
Just a small disclaimer I forgot to mention in my original post:
The wires that grab the part can have sharp edges which can leave a tiny mark on the plastic stem where they grab. You could sand or file the wire tips smoother if this bothers you. I don’t see it as a problem as long as I’m only grabbing the cross part of the stem, but I wouldn’t grab the stems anywhere else for this reason.
I think that would work! I think first I’m going to try just smoothing / polishing the wire tips and see if they still leave a scratch on the stem. If that doesn’t work I’ll try your idea!
I got the longer 4.5" one and the longer handle better well suited for this task imo. I also tried heat shrink wrapping the ends but that failed miserably.