Review on Wiha 27921 PicoFinish Precision Chiplifter by Adam Townsend

For years I used a small flathead screwdriver when I needed to pry chips out of sockets etc. While this worked well, I was always afraid of accidentally scratching the circuit board and cutting myself. When some chips required extra force to pull them out, using a screwdriver was sometimes a scary experience. I recently saw this tool being used on a YouTube channel I follow and was amazed at how easy and safe it made the IC extraction process. I was hesitant at first because of the price and decided to shop around and see if I could find basically the same thing but cheaper. Interestingly, I couldn't find anything comparable at a lower price, so I bought this one. When it arrived I was amazed at the quality of the tool - now I understand why it costs more than other similar tools. The curve of the tip is just right to get the right leverage when pulling the chip. Surprisingly, although the tool is larger than a small screwdriver, the curve makes it easier to get into tight spots on the board to pry the chip where a regular screwdriver would struggle. Happy with my purchase and now I have a tool that will last me for decades.