supply company and I soon ordered the same tweezers that
he used.
I have used these tweezers for the past 40 years. Based on
years of using them, I feel that a good set of tweezers should
meet the following basic requirements:
Extremely lightweight - You don’t want tweezers which
require any effort to hold steady.
Light touch – Tweezers used to bend wire and other such
tasks need to have stubby, wide shanks to get a strong grip
on an object. Tweezers for delicate work need soft shanks
and a light touch.
Sharp – Tweezers need to be sharp to pick up the thinnest
of objects. Mine are Type 3C tweezers, one of the sharpest
patterns.
Thirty-five years after purchasing my tweezers, I am still using
them on every modeling project. They are also still very
sharp—many years ago I accidentally dropped them and they
stuck vertically into my thigh! Slightly painful, but I shouldn’t
have been surprised. Now when I drop them, I quickly get my
legs out of the way and they end up sticking into the carpeting.
My tweezers were made by Vigor of Switzerland. Vigor has now
merged with Peer and their tweezers are sold under the Peer-
Vigor name. Similar tweezers are marketed by Dumont. Mine
are stainless steel, which is more expensive than the carbon
steel ones, but stainless steel won’t rust. Carbon steel tweezers
are less expensive than stainless steel but harder, which makes
the tips more durable. But carbon steel tweezers are more
likely to break if stressed, are easily magnetized, and can rust
when exposed to plain water or even high humidity conditions.
Plus, they require proper cleaning, oiling and storage.
The Tool Shed - 2
2
2: The tips on these
tweezers are very sharp.
I purchased my tweezers from Otto Frei, a jewelers supply out-
let in Oakland, CA which now has an extensive online store.
This following link will lead to a set of Dumont No. 3 stainless
steel tweezers:
These tweezers cost about $35 a pair which probably seems
high for such a small tool. That is twice as much as the “twee-
zers sets” available from some hobby vendors. However, I have
never found any need for more than my one No. 3 tweezers.
Keep in mind that $35 for my tweezers is only $1 per year for
the time that I’ve owned them so far. I fully expect to still be
using them 10-15 years from now.
If you build any models, even kits, get yourself a good set of
tweezers. They will serve you well for decades.
Disclaimer - I love good tools and don’t hesitate to invest in them.
MRH-Feb 2013
