A vintage radio repair turned into a full day of chasing a single cold solder joint.
After celebrating a quick fix on a 1970s Zenith, the audio cut out again three hours later, leading to a frustrating but oddly satisfying eight-hour hunt that ended with reflowing one connection on the tuner board (has anyone else had a simple job blow up like that, and what's your process for finding those sneaky bad joints?).
The toothpick trick is something I've seen guys do with circuit boards that have tight component spacing. @the_tyler you're right that it feels wrong, but the wood is soft enough not to damage traces if you're careful. For really stubborn joints I'll use a dental pick with a bent tip, it gives more control without scratching.
Wait, a toothpick? That's the part that got me. The magnifying glass is one thing, but jamming a toothpick into every tiny gap? I can feel that scratchy wood sound just thinking about it. My teeth are on edge. That's a level of detail I could never handle.