A hand-held manual surgical instrument designed for the temporary atraumatic separation and/or drawing aside of the margins of a sulcus or fissure of the brain, or margin of an incision of the brain, during neurosurgical procedures. It is typically made of high-grade stainless steel and is available in a variety of shapes and sizes including flat uniform section instruments (e.g., straight, S-shaped) and also instruments with a loop handle attached to straight or curved distal blade. This is a reusable device.