A Decorum Extractor or two for the lab will ensure no one (lab techs or experienced PIs) has to experience the stress of lost borers again. "No Borer Left Behind!" ™
 
The "Decorum" Extractor is an essential tool for the dendrochronologist in the field. No more leaving behind stuck increment borers in trees, wasting time, energy, and a lot of money! The Decorum is simple, intuitive, and small & light enough to bring along on any dendro field trip.
 
Remove stuck borers easily, without strain by following these steps:
1) Remove borer handle, then slide the Decorum over the borer, baseplate (pointy end) against the tree
2) Tighten the chuck onto the borer shaft with the chuck key
3) Place borer handle back onto the borer and turn left, just like you normally do for backing out an increment borer
4) Turn until the borer threads reengage with solid wood and remove the Decorum
5) If the borer is still stuck, release chuck and repeat the steps until your increment borer is retrieved
 
This ingenious device was created by Dr. Neil J. Loader (University of Swansea, Swansea, UK) and Dr. John S. Waterhouse (Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK) and is the solution to one of the most frequent frustrations dendrochronologists experience in the field. Stuck increment borers create a hazard, can cause alarm to witnesses/land managers, and are overall, an expensive hassle that no longer needs to occur.