Porcupine quill removal

[Kellym]

I have pulled porcupine quills out of dogs too many times. I usually use hemostats. They get a good grip and do a good job of pulling out the quills the downside to hemostats is the locking action. Each time you clamp down on a quill you have to unlock them to get to next on while at the same time in a wrestling match with the dog that just got a face full of quills. A friend I hunt with got a multi tool like a leatherman free from some tabaco company that was giving them away as a promotion. His tool works very well for quills because the teeth mesh together like the teeth of a pair of hemostats. This tool also is spring loaded so once you release your grip it opens and you can latch right on to the next quill. I purchased Gerber Multi tool that has the same spring loaded jaw on the plier but the teeth don't mesh. I have looked for similar tool that has a plier with a spring and teeth that mesh. At first look many of these tools look like the teeth mesh but if you hold them up to the light you can see light through the teeth. Except on the very tip. As is the case with the gerber I purchased. SO if your trying to pull our quills and dont get a hold of the quill with the very tip of the plier it will slide right through.

All that said trying to explain what Im looking for. Can anyone tell me a Multi tool that will have teeth that mesh together all the way for the length of the plier, and be sping loaded to open

[DudeRN]

I don't have a tool recommendation, but I was just curious: do you cut off the tip of the quills first? I have been told they are hollow, and if you clip the tip off the come out much more easily.

[DonF]

I use hemostats. I stick them in a pocket and clamp them shut on a bit of material. Every time I want them, they are right there.

[Mountaineer]

Locking hemostats/forceps are slow...I have found that some very small, light and inexpensive pliers can be found that have a flat spring to open the jaws for the next quill.
I found a bent nose set that fit the bill and ground off the bent part...small and light.....multi-tools are waay too much to fool with, for me.
Plus, I would not be caught with a belt accompaning suspenders so the savior which is termed a Multi-tool, is of absolutely no interest to me on a bird hunt.
However, quality and grip can indeed be an issue from teeth and fit of the jaws together....so checking the meshing of the jaws and/or a bit of file work helps.

No value in or need to clip a quill, imho.

[Trekmoor]

Sorry to butt in here ....we don't have porcupines in this country so the following suggestion might be useless to you but here goes anyway.
I wondered if pushing very tight fitting little rubber tubes onto the hemostats grips might result in a better hold on a quill ? Maybe those rubber tubes would grip without sliding off the quill ?
Rubber tubes of small bore are often available in some fishing tackle shops . I don't know if they would work or not, it was just an idea.

Bill T.

[Neil]

I have had good results with a number of multitools, hold them length wise, not perpendicular as I have seen many try to do. I have removed hundreds in minutes. I just grip and jerk, repeat, quickly, sometimes 2 - 3 at a time. It is not surgery, just get them out. I couple will break off to be removed more carefully over the next few days. No, they are not hollow, no benefit in clipping them.

I have had dogs point birds with a couple hundred in them, as we returned to the truck for pliers. Now I carry them with me. It is not pretty to watch, and is painful. But they are a foreign substance and must be removed. I flip them to the ground, put my knee on their neck and start jerking them out. My son said it looks like someone plucking a bird while on speed. Had a vet friend that couldn't bear to watch. But later admitted he wouldn't argue with success.

[getzapped]

Thank goodness there arent any porcupines in illinois! That sounds like a nightmare to deal with.

[Kellym]

yes hemostats work but are slow. I don't need a multi-tool but am willing to carry one if it works. so if you know of one please give brand name or where to buy

no need to clip. Ive pulled out way too many, with some dogs its hard enough to get a hold of it once to pull out much less twice to have to clip it once

[Neil]

There are a few porcupines in Southeast IL.

I have a Lertherman with square rather than neddle nose pliers that works.

[TNbirdhunter]

I bought a pair of the aluminum fishing pliers at Bass Pro A few years ago that work great, I think they are World Wide Sportsman brand. They are needle nose with the little lines for gripping and have the spring loading to remain open till you want them closed. They're big enough that they're easy in the hand and extremely lightweight. I usually carry mine in a pouch on my belt, but put them in a vest pocket also on occasion. They also have a line cutter that's came in handy a time or two. We thankfully don't have porcupines in Tennessee, but I hunt A few weeks each fall in Wisconsinn and someone's dog in our group always seems to get into one. They're a little high, best part is that they are awesome fishing pliers the rest of the year.

[mrtyde]

I carry an older Leatherman with the needle nose pliers and they seem to work just fine.

[UglyD]

Quills are actually hollow though cutting one does not help the release- it's that first small section at the end of the quill that is barbed - cutting the quill does not "deflate " the quill. You can make light bluegill bobbers out of the right quill. I have always used a Leatherman to remove the quills-
I had 1 dog just wanted to kill them- the last two dogs learned after one time and the new pup that is now a 2 yr old learned early with collar training and I have not had to worry about it.

[displaced_texan]

I have no issues using hemostats for removing quills.

I hate multi tools, but there are a number of companies that make precision pliers I'd buy to remove quills. Much easier and more comfortable to handle than a multitool.

[deke]

My gerber works great for pulling out quills. Also a small set of needle nose work well.