Abstract: A nail-pulling tool has a two-piece proximal handle pivotally joined with a two-piece distal jaw by a pivoting means. The distal jaw is operated like a standard hand tool with compression of the handle causing the jaw to close, and vice-versa. The distal jaw has an elliptical surface so that with the distal jaw resting on a work surface and closed about a nail protruding from the work surface, and with the handle laying adjacent the work surface, raising the handle away from the work surface in an arc, causes the nail to be pulled from the work surface at an ever increasing rate. Axially oriented jaw teeth provide improved gripping and a pair of tongue and groove opposing surfaces enable cutting and further improved gripping. A hammer surface enables driving of a nail into the work surface rather than pulling it out, and a claw element enables pulling a nail head up so as to be better gripped by the tool.

Abstract: A nail pulling tool has a two-piece proximal handle pivotally joined with a two-piece distal jaw by a pivoting means. The distal jaw is operated like a standard hand tool with compression of the handle causing the jaw to close, and vise-versa. The distal jaw has an elliptical surface so that with the distal jaw resting on a work surface and closed about a nail protruding from the work surface, and with the handle laying adjacent the work surface, raising the handle away from the work surface in an arc, causes the nail to be pulled from the work surface at an ever increasing rate. Axially oriented jaw teeth provide improved gripping and a pair of tongue and groove opposing surfaces enable cutting and further improved gripping. A hammer surface enables driving of a nail into the work surface rather than pulling it out, and a claw element enables pulling a nail head up so as to be better gripped by the tool.

Abstract: A ceramic body comprising at least about 80 w/o silicon nitride and having a mean tensile strength of at least about 800 MPa.

Abstract: A silicon nitride ceramic comprising:a) inclusions no greater than 25 microns in length,b) agglomerates no greater than 20 microns in diameter, andc) a surface finish of less than about 8 microinches, said ceramic having a four-point flexural strength of at least about 900 MPa.