Improving the probes on my little Extech meter

[cvanc]

Hi all-

I have one of these little Extech DM110 meters  http://www.extech.com/display/?id=14419

...It seems like a decent example of the type (tiny and convenient but nothing special) with one exception:  the plating on the probe tips makes getting a good connection very hard.  This problem makes the meter nearly unusable.

I'd love to replace the probes with something better but it will have to fit into the zipper pouch the meter is stored in.  That means the probes can't be any longer than about 4.5 inches (11.5cm) from the metal tip to the back of the strain relief.  I'm not having much luck finding specs for 'overall probe length' on Probemaster, etc.

Open to suggestions here; got any thoughts?  Thanks.

[DimitriP]

I'd probably first  file/grind/polish the  existing probe tips.
If there is no improvement, get the probemaster probes and a bigger pouch  

[BMack]

I'd try filing the coating off, I don't see why you'd want to throw money at that DMM. It's a less than $30 DMM, why would you want to buy decent leads that are $20+ for it? Just my opinion.

[Shock]

Don't grind or file, first just buff surface of the probes tips on a clean cloth rag. Grab tips between tightly the cloth your thumb and forefinger and draw it out many times over and over and rotate between drags. It's like a very fine abrasive polish if you do it correctly.

[daybyter]

I use a 1000 or 1500 sanding paper and then clean with alcohol. Worked on my cheaper tips, like the 830 dmm ones.

[Ordinaryman1971]

Slip on some of the Fluke fine point adapters, you can always take them off and they are pretty good with piercing and providing contact to the board.