Barry,
I don't know if you have a Radio Shack or similar store nearby that sells not only electronic goods, but also clips, wire, etc., for the amateur radio ham. I have found a good many useful items there, such as the micro copper alligator like clips which have a smooth, flat jaws that work perfectly in holding card model parts together, as well as other uses. When rigging the cargo booms on the Mexico Victory, I don't know how else I would have been able to handle and manipulate the booms in gluing the blocks and then line to those small buggers. At 1/400 scale every thing is so delicate and difficult to handle without some help and they fit the bill.
The ones I bought were less than an inch in length and came 10 or so to a pack for a few bucks. This is what they look like:
Jim