A method of producing a bendable tip for an instrument, comprising: mounting a tube for an instrument in a CNC controlled rotational and axially movable holder of a laser cutting machine , with a distal end of the tube extending from the holder; activating a laser cutter ; laser cutting wedge shaped partial circumferential openings in the tube to define a plurality of radially extending ribs at the distal end of the tube, the ribs being connected together by an axially extending spine located circumferentially opposite to a widest part of the wedge shaped openings, and the ribs having first and second axial sides ; during the laser cutting, forming in each of the ribs in at least one of the first or second axial sides, three axial projections or recesses , and forming in a facing one of the at least one of the first or second axial sides of an adjacent one of the ribs three corresponding complementary mating recesses or corresponding axial projections , wherein the axially extending projections and corresponding complementary mating recesses and/or the recesses and the corresponding axial projections in the plurality of ribs are formed in axially extending rows; characterised in that the axially extending rows consist of a first one of the rows which is located approximately 80 - 100 degrees from the spine, a second one of the rows which is located approximately 170 - 190 degrees from the spine, and a third one of the rows which is located approximately 260 - 280 degrees from the spine, wherein the recesses and/or corresponding complementary mating recesses of the first and third rows have a curved path extending from the at least one of the first and second axial sides toward the spine, and the projections and/or corresponding axial projections of the first and third rows have a complementary curved shape to the curved path of the respective recesses or corresponding complementary mating recesses. mounting a tube for an instrument in a CNC controlled rotational and axially movable holder of a laser cutting machine , with a distal end of the tube extending from the holder; activating a laser cutter ; laser cutting wedge shaped partial circumferential openings in the tube to define a plurality of radially extending ribs at the distal end of the tube, the ribs being connected together by an axially extending spine located circumferentially opposite to a widest part of the wedge shaped openings, and the ribs having first and second axial sides ; during the laser cutting, forming in each of the ribs in at least one of the first or second axial sides, three axial projections or recesses , and forming in a facing one of the at least one of the first or second axial sides of an adjacent one of the ribs three corresponding complementary mating recesses or corresponding axial projections , wherein the axially extending projections and corresponding complementary mating recesses and/or the recesses and the corresponding axial projections in the plurality of ribs are formed in axially extending rows; characterised in that the axially extending rows consist of a first one of the rows which is located approximately 80 - 100 degrees from the spine, a second one of the rows which is located approximately 170 - 190 degrees from the spine, and a third one of the rows which is located approximately 260 - 280 degrees from the spine, wherein the recesses and/or corresponding complementary mating recesses of the first and third rows have a curved path extending from the at least one of the first and second axial sides toward the spine, and the projections and/or corresponding axial projections of the first and third rows have a complementary curved shape to the curved path of the respective recesses or corresponding complementary mating recesses. <EOS>