An unusual project

Chiro75

Chiro75

Joined
Feb 4, 1999
Messages
5,786
Gents, I am curious about pricing out a somewhat unusual project for a set of tools that would be used for something call instrument assisted soft tissue manipulation. I'm attaching a photo of the tools that I have used in the past. I'm curious what it would cost to have a similar set made (minus the "handlebar" at the top of the photo).

So, I'm just looking at four of the tools, not the top one, which would be cost-prohibitive and difficult to make. You'd probably use 3/16" stainless that would be heat treated. The edges are beveled and polished as they are meant to glide/slide using a lubricant over the patient's skin, so they need to be rounded and nice and smooth. You wouldn't believe what these cost! I'm not interested in selling them or breaking any patents, just having a set to use with patients in a high-risk environment where I can't risk losing a set of tools that cost thousands of dollars.

Graston_tools.jpg
 
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I can't tell where / wether there are any sharpened edges. If all of the edges are round I would think that you could get a set made quite easily. Could you give a little more detail about what they are used for? I'm just a simple redneck boy and don't know if manipulation means surgery or massage.
 
They appear to have a coating..Perhaps nickel? I too am curious why they would be heat treated. If they did not, then making them from mild steel and coating them would be an option.
Nefarious torture devices they be!
 
that looks like an Alpha coating to me.

They look pretty simple to me but I really don't know what precision/features are required. I'm not sure why 4 rather small pieces of metal would cost thousands of dollars, but I'm willing to bet its something more than just because they're smooth and heat treated.
 
I can tell you right now that the reason they cost so much is because they are medical tools. That about sums it up. I've seen pieces of equipment that cost hundreds of dollars but that could be built from a $20 trip to Lowes and a few hours labor.

As for cost, I would charge whatever the market price of the tools you pictured is plus 30%. You know, becuase then they'd be hand made custom medical tools :D ;)

--nathan
 
416 steel, Gets tougher when quenched after heating to non-magnetic. Not a blade steel but very tough.
It would only take me an hour or so to form the tool, but there is a good 4 hours of buffing there.
If I were making these for a friend I'd charge $250.00
If I were making these for a Doctor I'd charge $500.00
If for a medical institution I'd charge $1000.00
 
[quoteI can't tell where / wether there are any sharpened edges.[/quote]
Nope, nothing sharp. The edges are beveled so there is an asymmetrical curve on the edge, longer on one side, shorter on the other and the edge itself is radiused, so nothing sharp. These are used for a type of therapy in which a lubricant is used on the skin. As you run the tool over the skin to "scan" the area, the steel amplifies the "grittiness" that occurs as a result of scar tissue from injuries. The tools are then used to run over the gritty areas and, in a controlled way, basically break up the scar tissue and cause a controlled re-injury of the area so that the new tissue will align properly and not cause trouble. For you visual guys:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKLuvonyu2A

Why heat-treated?
Click to expand...

I don't know if they have to be, but I would like them to be. About the only thing bad that can happen to the tools is if you drop them. The edges have to be checked VERY carefully for any irregularities, like if you drop on and you nick the edge, because you can unzip a patient really badly with a damaged edge and when malpractice is involved.... seems like a harder tool would be better than a softer one.

They appear to have a coating..Perhaps nickel?
Click to expand...
I don't think they are coated. I think they're just polished.

They look pretty simple to me but I really don't know what precision/features are required. I'm not sure why 4 rather small pieces of metal would cost thousands of dollars, but I'm willing to bet its something more than just because they're smooth and heat treated.
Click to expand...
Doubtful. These are for health care practitioners, so you have to take several seminars to learn to use them, only THEN can you purchase them. You're out $3,000+ by the time it's all said and done. The instruments themselves are in the range of $1500-$2000.
 
Most hospital tools are made from 440-C It's sort of a standard. Heat treating would discourage oxidation that would occur fairly easily easily and therefore is a necessity. I was once made a gift of some scissors, but was told I could buy more for $15. The local hospital was paying $120 for the exact same ones. Frank
 
Seems like these would be well suited to buffed titanium, unless the weight is needed for some part of your procedure.
 
There is no reason they would need to be heat treated. 303 stainless would work fine.
Simple to make. I'll bet there are some knifemakers here that are thinking about becoming medical equipment makers...
 
These are patented and the company would chase you down, but if someone wants to contact me off the board about making a set I would be interested.
 
What exactly is the use of them? Not how to use them but what are they used to do to a person's body?
 
My understanding is that they're used to break up adhesions in soft tissue. Basically, you can break up scar tissue or other fibrotic adhesions. I've used similar tools for similar purposes, but nothing quite so fancy as that.

--nathan
 
If you are going to get a set made, may as well go for the handlebar too. The handlebar does not look all that hard to make. With a cardboard template, the bends could be done easily by any shop with a Hossfeld bender or a hydraulic bender. After that's done, the grinds on the front and back of the center curve don't look too complex.
 
That looks like something right up the alley for my model making class. Duplicating parts and hand making them.

I imagine that those tools could be made in around 45 minutes a piece from pre-sized flat stock to polished.
 
Oooh, Graston bars...

I'm a chiro student too, you at Cleveland? I'm at Western States...

Let me know what you find out about getting some of these made, I would think this could be a healthy relationship ;-)
 
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