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Looking for a really good set of tweezers

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  • Member since
    January 2007
Looking for a really good set of tweezers
Posted by Gigatron on Thursday, November 19, 2009 1:41 PM

Hey gang,

Like the title says, I'm looking for a really good set of tweezers.  I'm looking for mostly fine points, but could also use a flat end pair, as well.  Made from some material that doesn't bend every time you close them.  I have more tweezers, that don't actually close, than I know what to do with.  I've tried reshaping them only to have them, either, warp even further, or just break right off.

Price doesn't have to be cheap, but shouldn't be more than my rent Laugh [(-D].  I'll pay for surgical grade steel if it means the ends won't bend every time I pick up a piece.

Any recommendations would be greaatly appreciated.

-Fred

 

  • Member since
    August 2006
  • From: Neenah, WI
Posted by HawkeyeHobbies on Thursday, November 19, 2009 3:11 PM

What you are looking for are assembly grade tweezers. Those that manufacturers use to assemble electronics and the like.

Xuron sells a couple good ones which you can order from your LHS. You can also get them from Excelta. Be prepard to spend something like $20-60 a pair, depending on what model you choose.But you will not ever be needing to purchase another one, they last forever for what we use them for.

I can pick the fuzz of a Frog's butt with these. Slivers removal is a piece of cake as is applying PE, Decals and Masks. Perfect for removing masks too!

Gerald "Hawkeye" Voigt

http://hawkeyes-squawkbox.com/

 

 

"Its not the workbench that makes the model, it is the modeler at the workbench."

  • Member since
    June 2009
Posted by jimbot58 on Friday, November 20, 2009 1:25 AM
I was fortunate a few years back-I was visiting a model railroad show and there was this one booth that featured nothing but hobby tools. Everything there was imported from places like Nepal, India, and Pakistan. For a few bucks I picked up one pair of curved fine point tweezers. They may not be as good as the ones pictured above, but they serve me well for tiny parts, decals and even PE work.

*******

On my workbench now:

It's all about classic cars now!

Why can't I find the "Any" key on my keyboard?

 

 

 

  • Member since
    January 2007
Posted by Gigatron on Friday, November 20, 2009 9:15 AM

Thanks for suggestions, guys Smile [:)]

Gerald, what do you think of this selection:

7-SA-PI    Curved fine point

5-SA-PI    Straight micro fine

3-SA-PI    Straight very fine

2A-SA-PI  Flat round tip

1-SA-PI    Straight slender

Are these decent enough for fine PE work and working in tight areas?  I was thinking of getting them from All-spec.com as they have them for about $11 - $13 each.

-Fred

 

  • Member since
    August 2006
  • From: Neenah, WI
Posted by HawkeyeHobbies on Friday, November 20, 2009 9:48 AM

Perfect with one exception, look at getting one pair of reverse action tweezers. They allow you to hold a part without squeezing. Like the one holding the pin.

Also pick up several of the really cheap ones too. These are perfect for hold small parts while painting them. Just give them a wash in lacquer thinner to remove the paint build up. I have one small pair and one large pair and their only duty is for painting or acting as small clamps.

The cheap tweezers I purchased in the past are not religated to tasks which can and will damage them...such as annealing PE or soldering brass.

Good tweezers allow one to grip on tight without the risk of the tines bending or warping out of alignment with each other. Here is the HD one that is picture on the left in the picture above.

 

Gerald "Hawkeye" Voigt

http://hawkeyes-squawkbox.com/

 

 

"Its not the workbench that makes the model, it is the modeler at the workbench."

  • Member since
    January 2007
Posted by Gigatron on Friday, November 20, 2009 10:30 AM

Thanks, Gerald.  When I get this set, all my old tweezers will be relegated to junk jobs.  They're all bent and warped and I'm not even really sure, from what.  I don't mistreat my tools or ask them to do anything outside of their intended design, yet the tips no longer touch.  I try to reshape them, but they get worse.

What are the part numbers on the reverse action pairs, you have?

Thanks again,

Fred

 

  • Member since
    August 2006
  • From: Neenah, WI
Posted by HawkeyeHobbies on Friday, November 20, 2009 11:56 AM

DN5SN & DN7SN the latter being the curved one.

 

Gerald "Hawkeye" Voigt

http://hawkeyes-squawkbox.com/

 

 

"Its not the workbench that makes the model, it is the modeler at the workbench."

JML
  • Member since
    February 2008
  • From: Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Posted by JML on Saturday, November 21, 2009 12:49 PM

I love the Erem tweezers, because of the foamed covers on the handles:

  • Member since
    August 2006
  • From: Neenah, WI
Posted by HawkeyeHobbies on Saturday, November 21, 2009 6:09 PM
Foam handle...that rates right next to padded toilet seats...not in this house!Wink [;)]

Gerald "Hawkeye" Voigt

http://hawkeyes-squawkbox.com/

 

 

"Its not the workbench that makes the model, it is the modeler at the workbench."

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: Hayward, CA
Posted by MikeV on Friday, November 27, 2009 12:04 PM

I don't know how they all compare but for the price of the Excelta tweezers you can get TDI's tweezers which look to me like as good as they get.

http://www.tdiinternational.com/tweezers.html

Wisdom is the right use of knowledge. To know is not to be wise. Many men know a great deal, and are all the greater fools for it. There is no fool so great a fool as a knowing fool. But to know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom. " Charles Spurgeon
  • Member since
    August 2006
  • From: Neenah, WI
Posted by HawkeyeHobbies on Friday, November 27, 2009 1:11 PM
Well at least they are from the right continent. Those from Pakistan, India and China are not of the best quality.

Gerald "Hawkeye" Voigt

http://hawkeyes-squawkbox.com/

 

 

"Its not the workbench that makes the model, it is the modeler at the workbench."

  • Member since
    July 2014
Posted by batai37 on Friday, November 27, 2009 1:40 PM

 HawkeyeHobbies wrote:
Well at least they are from the right continent. Those from Pakistan, India and China are not of the best quality.

That's putting it politely. Substandard quality would be better. Best would be using a term that would have to be censored.

Are TDI's tools made in one or more of those countries?

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: Hayward, CA
Posted by MikeV on Thursday, December 3, 2009 12:50 PM
 batai37 wrote:

 HawkeyeHobbies wrote:
Well at least they are from the right continent. Those from Pakistan, India and China are not of the best quality.

That's putting it politely. Substandard quality would be better. Best would be using a term that would have to be censored.

Are TDI's tools made in one or more of those countries?

I believe they are Swiss made. I have Pakistani cheap ones but if you use some sandpaper and file them they work very well. 

Wisdom is the right use of knowledge. To know is not to be wise. Many men know a great deal, and are all the greater fools for it. There is no fool so great a fool as a knowing fool. But to know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom. " Charles Spurgeon
  • Member since
    July 2014
Posted by batai37 on Thursday, December 3, 2009 1:52 PM

My experience with mine are the same as others report: the tines are easily bent and lose their shape, although this is easily fixed with some pliers. The metal they use just isn't very hard, and is low quality. More of an annoyance than anything else. I generally avoid bending them out of shape merely by being extra careful with them.

I know that in my profession we avoid surgical instruments made in these countries like the plague. Very poor reputation in the medical community.

  • Member since
    February 2008
  • From: atlanta, ga, usa
Posted by qarloclobrigny on Friday, December 11, 2009 12:29 PM

the brand i use at work (jeweler) is Dumont. they are worth every penny. come in a variety of shapes and sizes.

thark you, stupid warhoons
  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Tulsa, Oklahoma
Posted by mm23t on Monday, January 11, 2010 3:11 PM

Fred, when you decide on some inexpensive tweezers, both ModelExpo and Micro-Mark have several to choose from.

Medals are not "Won", they are "Earned".

Mike..

 

 

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