Steel

[bushman]

I have found using stainless steel (the hook end on a nail clipper, used for cleaning under fingernails, all I had at hand so thought I would try it) and iron (nails) work really good for removing those dang fingernail catchers. All you got to do is put the point or blade on a hard flat surface, support the back edge to keep it from sliding around, and then press downwards just in from the edge of the fingernail catcher with the flaker, if it doesn’t come off, drop the angle down towards the point more and press in on the edge of the fingernail catcher and wiggle it around while pressing in, that should pop it off.
Also if you have a finished point or blade that was from a slab (1/4 inch plate glass in my case) and notice a little shinny raised spot left from the facture surface in the middle of the point, put the point or blade on a hard flat surface and support the backside with your middle finger, then place the point of the flaker (hook end of the nail clipper in my case) against the edge of the shinny spot, place your index finger over the spot, then press in and lift straight up with the flaker, and the shinny spot should pop off, if it was too big to come off all in one piece just turn the point around and go at it from a different angle, might have to do it a few times to get it to come all off.
Bushman

[StevenT]

Bushman,
Great info! Sounds a lot like the tool I was introduced to at the NC knap-in I attended last summer. Can't remember if it was Hillbilly or Hardaway that showed me what they called a Bogger Picker. What you do is take a 6 or 7 inch wooden dowel, drill a hole in the end and then hammer a steel finishing nail into the hole. File the end down so it is flat and in a U shape with a fairly sharp edge. Use it exactly the way you describe and watch the boogers fly.

[bushman]

Do you have a picture of the tool by any chance? Did you have to flatten the end of the finishing nail before filling it into a U shape? Thanks StevenT.
Bushman

[Tower]

Gonna have to try that. I've been using the tip of my Case knife.

[StevenT]

I didn't hammer the nail. I just filed it down to a nice chisel point like a flat blade screwdriver only pretty sharp. I later went rounded the corners off to make it a U shape. The flat blade was a little two wide sometimes when getting a little booger and the U shape was a little better with the small stuff. Either way will work.

[RickB]

I actually use two tools similar to what you describe - one made of a heat softened masonary nail and the other of copper. Each tool has an antler base. Rick B

[mullet]

 I use a broken, resharpened ice pick and a small, flat tool used in ceramics. And if it was called a "booger picker" it was most likeley Steve that showed it to you. We have compared different Booger Pickers while around the campfire occasionally.