The Brick separator Virus

[Zerobricks]

Thats hilarious!

[dr_spock]

Great MOC. Looks like a nightmare someone with too many brick separators and doesn't appreciate them might have.

[Ardelon]

I havent bought a big lego set in quite a while so I only have a couple of the old grey separators. They do their job well, but I wouldnt mind seeing them included in smaller sets. At the very least, they make for some interesting MOCs, as seen in this thread...

[Sam892]

If I'm being honest the whole Brick Separator could benefit from a redesign. I'll never understand why LEGO didn't reduce the length of it more when they redesigned it, and put it on a keychain or something.

[Saberwing40k]

I think I only have two new style seperators, but that's because I (like ZBLJ) only really buy Technic sets. My brick seperator of choice is actually not a Lego part, but a small multi tool with pliers and a screwdriver. The flathead screwdriver will pry up plates and tiles without getting dull, and fits in more spaces, while the pliers can get grip on pieces that I cannot, or even hold and insert things in places I can't reach.

Also, I think the individual seperators are both overpriced and redundant. They should be about 99 cents, at most.

[Legogal]

I made a MOC inspired by having too many brick separators a while back:

Big Sal: Laughing my big behind off (LMAO) after seeing your photo! Wow!

What a great idea for all kinds of invaders, insects, etc. Now if we could just get them to chase out the hordes and swarms of real insects that invade our abodes on a cyclical basis, that would be outstanding! Goodbye beetles, ladybugs, whitefish, cockroaches, spiders, wasps, flies, moths, dragonflies, daddy longlegs, mosquitoes, knats, ants, termites, cicadas, rollypollies, and sometimes even little lizzies and snakes. And a few other invaders I have forgotten at the moment. Ultimately mother nature always wins, but it would be fun to give her a fight with brick separator insectoid defenders.

[Kodan Black]

I'm not sure what sets the separators come in, but I have none. I've used my swiss army knife for ~20 years and it still seems to work just fine for me. I use the phillips screwdriver mostly as it is rounded, sometimes to separate tiles I use the blade from the side very carefully and for those stubborn technic pins or axles there is the awl or bottle opener. I wouldn't necessarily turn down a separator, but I've gotten quite used to my swiss army knife.

[large88]

Just a quick fact ;)

The orange brick separator is actually made from softer plastic than regular Lego parts. This is done to prevent damaging the regular Lego parts with the separator.

Edited November 19, 2014 by large88

[tomdobs55]

Just a quick fact ;)

The orange brick separator is actually made from softer plastic than regular Lego parts. This is done to prevent damaging the regular Lego parts with the separator.

I've noticed that, but it seems to damage itself when trying to pry up tiles.

[Phoxtane]

The orange brick separator is actually made from softer plastic than regular Lego parts. This is done to prevent damaging the regular Lego parts with the separator.

Really? Because when I try to pry apart plates with two of them, they leave little grooves in the plastic on the edge where the studs were...

[large88]

Yes, really (confirmed by Lego). Well when you apply enough force I suppose it could cause damage.

[Lego Otaku]

All plastic will get damaged no matter how hard it is.

[Erik Leppen]

I've noticed that, but it seems to damage itself when trying to pry up tiles.

That's why people get so many premature replacement separators :)

Anyhow, I'm quite happy. My bro had a bunch of those, and I had none. So he happily gave me two, so I could get separating :D

By the way, it's very well possible to damage parts when trying to separate them - if you do it the wrong way. I tried to remove a 2 x 4 plate by grabbing it at the short end - the only place I could reach. Doesn't work, and could damage the studs. Now a 2 x 4 plate in an ordinary color is nothing special, but still...

They had wandered off just as soon as I needed them! The orange one unfindable....

But...but... there is a reason they're orange. How can you not find an orange part in a Lego room? :P

[dr_spock]

I managed to crack a 2x4 brick by separating two of them with two separators.

[Artanis I]

I managed to crack a 2x4 brick by separating two of them with two separators.

Do you have boxing gloves for hands?!? Why do you need separators for 2 bricks?

[dr_spock]

Do you have boxing gloves for hands?!? Why do you need separators for 2 bricks?

I guess I can say I have boxing glove hands. Due to a hand injury, I wasn't able to pull apart two bricks with my fingers. But I could push down on the brick separators with my palm.

[Brickelodeon]

I bought two huge tubs of LEGO for $10 at a yard sale, and there were 3 or 4 of the old grey separators mixed in. I like having more than one to be honest, I found that I can use more than one at a time, especially on larger plates. If you attach one to each side, the plate will lift off much more easily than if I had just used one.

[SweetiePie88]

That's why people get so many premature replacement separators :)

I'd rather have 2 really good separators then a pile for poorly made ones

[kabel]

For me brick seperators are like socks; they mysteriously disappear over time. I used to have three green old ones and they are all gone. Now the new ones start disappearing too, so it's okay to get many of them!

[TheLazyChicken]

I made a MOC inspired by having too many brick separators a while back:

Thats hilarious! I need to do something like that.

[Andy D]

I really like the Space Slugs, I need to build some for my Halloween display for next year. They are even a Halloween color.

Andy D

[Artanis I]

I don't understand the hate over the effectiveness of the orange ones. I have a billion... only worn out 1 so far, and using 2 at a time is really useful for 2 small plates. And by worn out, I merely mean that the tip of the handle is a bit bent. They can do everything the old grey ones can do + more.

I guess I can say I have boxing glove hands. Due to a hand injury, I wasn't able to pull apart two bricks with my fingers. But I could push down on the brick separators with my palm.

That makes a bit more sense in context!

[ShaydDeGrai]

I don't understand the hate over the effectiveness of the orange ones. I have a billion... only worn out 1 so far, and using 2 at a time is really useful for 2 small plates. And by worn out, I merely mean that the tip of the handle is a bit bent. They can do everything the old grey ones can do + more.

In the quantities that I amass them, I don't really care about wear and tear (I'm not even sure if I've ever used the same separator two building sessions in a row, I just grab a couple from the bin when I need some).

As for greater functionality, I _do_ appreciate the tile prying edge on the handle and the undersized technic axle pusher but I prefer my old gray ones because they've got a bit more heft to them and they fit my hands better. From the heel of my palm to the tip of my middle finger is 23 cm / 9 inches, so as a tool, the new design is a bit puny for my use (I can hold several in my hand, close my fist and they aren't even visible anymore) making the "classic" business end less effective for me than the old design.

Then again, I think they scratch things up a lot less than metal tools (or teeth) have done when forced to resort to such in the past so I still use them, but I have over a hundred at this point and that's getting a bit ridiculous.

[antp]

I managed to crack a 2x4 brick by separating two of them with two separators.

I had a similar incident with a blue 1x8 plate:

it is a part from classic space era (around early 80s), I guess it aged badly, the plastic of the part became very fragile, I do not know what caused it

[Ondra]

Start buying technic, you never get separator again and also you can feel true pain of dissasembly technic elements with only fingers .