When the coronavirus crisis started, I went and got me a big package of masks. They were cheapo masks, but I was prepared! However, only two weeks later, they came out with a much better kind of mask — fitted to cover your mouth and nose and stay out of your eyes.
What to do? I didn’t want to throw out the masks and buy new ones, because I’d bought 50 of them. So I came up with this hack:
Start with an ordinary flat paper mask:
Now take a pair of pliers and bend the metal strip at the top of the mask. Make a total of 7 bends, with about 3/8 in / 9 mm between them. Keep the bends sharp and tight.
The bends will leave plenty of room for your nose to fit comfortably, and will hold the mask in place so it doesn’t ride up and bother your eyes.
For a closer, safer, fit, add a few stitches right by the area of the chin:
Now you have a mask that fits securely and comfortably, and gives you and those around you good protection in this time of the pandemic. If needed, you can always pull the bends out a little to make it more comfortable. Here’s what it looks like being worn:
Coronavirus updates:
Sweden has abandoned it’s herd immunity strategy, in favor of traditional lockdowns. Germany had eased up on its restrictions, but has re-established a less intensive lockdown as of 2 November 2020. And the United States is still a confused mess, with the closest thing to the end of the crisis being an official statement to the effect that it’s over.
