Who is a surgical toolmaker and what do they do? His/her task is the manufacture of special tools for surgery, dental surgery veterinary surgery and other similar purposes, and their repair.
What are the activities of the surgical toolmaker job? These work activities entail sharpening, polishing and grinding of knives, scalpels, eye scalpels, pincers, forceps, squeeze clamps and hooks and other surgical instruments of elaborate shapes polishing scalpels, scissors, forceps, hooks, saws, compressing clamps, as well as surgical instruments of intricate shapes, to high gloss finishes, brushing surgical instruments with fibre brushes using abrasives and oils, heat treatment of surgical instrument surfaces, alignment, assembly and adjustment, if necessary, of pincers, forceps, scissors, compressing and release clamps, dissectors and other surgical instruments, complete manufacture of high-precision surgical instruments for eye, ear, nose and throat surgery, all repair of special tools for surgery, dental surgery, veterinary surgery and other similar purposes, incl. testing their functions.
Where is it done and under what conditions? This job is typically done in machine shops, where exposure to noise, grease and other dirt is unavoidable.
What tools/equipment do they use? Usual tools and equipment are grinders, polishing machines, machine tools, drills, benders, files, brushes, moulds and other fine hand tools; metals usually represent a major part of the materials used.
What do you need to succeed? You need to have vocational training, manual dexterity, technical imagination and accuracy.