As a C6/C 7 quadriplegic, Paul lacks finger function, so he found a way to adapt tools so he can use them without difficulty.
Paul adapted his hairbrush using an aluminum bar from a hardware or hobby store. For his hairbrush, he used a bar that’s close to the thickness of the brush handle. The next step was cutting the bar to size, then bending the metal bar so it fit his palm closely and holds the brush in place.
“You have to bend a lot of these to find out exactly what fits your hand. A lot of this is learning.”
He admits it may take several attempts to get it right, but says, “once you get something that holds your hand really well … tie wrap it to the device.”
Paul uses a simple tie wrap to secure both ends of the bar to his hairbrush. For maximum stability, he drills a hold at the end of the brush handle and through the metal bar to secure the tie wrap to.
You can make your own adapted hairbrush using Paul’s method. “You try different ways and see what works for you.”
Paul has also used this method to adapt a hacksaw and a coping saw. What devices have you adapted to improve their accessibility? Share your method with us for a chance to be featured on AbleThrive!