It is a fairly common practice to use a pair of locking forceps to hold sanding materials for working inside hollow forms, deeply-hollowed open forms, and other areas where we can't, or don't want to, put our fingers. This can be a useful approach, but it comes with a very real danger. Turners have been seriously injured because they put their fingers through the finger holes in the forceps handles, just like they were designed for, and then had a catch. The message here is a very simple one -- as a woodturner, you do not want to put your fingers into those finger holes. Period.
Unfortunately, we are so used to using things like scissors, that our fingers just naturally go right in there without thinking. It's a reflex action you want to avoid. There is a very simple way to make sure this never happens. You have to remove temptation by taping the
holes shut. Even though I know the reason, it seems like every time I pick up my forceps, I'm briefly surprised to find the holes taped shut. Then my brain clicks over to “oh yeah, now I remember”. Believe me, you don't want to discover this one the hard way.
Right now, while you're thinking about it, go down and tape your finger holes shut so your memory has nothing to do with your safety.
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