There are quite a few occasions when I need to grind some length off a screw, bolt, or even a nail and clean up the tip. I’ve tried holding them in a pair of pliers, but the item often goes flying across the shop and gets lost in the chaos. I spotted some leather scraps under the bench and had an idea. I punched a hole in the leather (drilling would also work) the same size as the screw and then folded the leather over the head. That allowed me to hold the screw securely and grind freely, without burning my fingers or sending the fastener flying. I should have thought of this 20 years ago.

—NEIL LONG, Mount City, Mo.

Illustrations by Dan Thornton
From Fine Woodworking issue #283

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