Bronze Tweezers

[SSTEEL]

Booze tweezers?

 

For picking up those little airline bottles, maybe?

 

Anyway, thanks! I snagged one for myself.

I purchased a pair too.

[Geo]

I've got the goggles to go with them Micky! :D

[bobm12]

 

for a watchmaker with no specific preferences, general work, what is the nicest to use for a pair of no.3?

I personally use #5 for most of my work (as a hobbyist). Unless you are doing very delicate and minute work a #2 will do a fine job and when you are dealing with bridges and "heavy" or tight big things, a #2 with the wide tips are invaluable. With that said, hardness and how fine the tips can practically be, play an important role. I tend to abuse my tweezers. I start nice and then I forget and start using them stick fashion and even "rust brush" fashion. When I realize what is going on, I have to dress the tips again...and it is the pinging what alerts me: parts flying away! Also, the tension you feel in your fingers and how wide the tips open naturally are a matter of comfort and preference.

 

All that said, anti-magnetic (the true quality not a middle of the road solution) and chemically/rust proof are very valuable since they allow for precision of placement...parts don't stick to the tweezers (or ping away because of tips imperfections by rust or other, read pitting and eroding). So, carbon is very hard but is affected by everything so the next better are the Electronic (non magnetic) and the Hi-Tech (non magnetic, chemically resistant) but they are relatively soft in the Dumont selection of steels, one better is the Dumoxel which has a good compromise between hardness and all the other qualities...then, you have Dumostar at US$50 a pop that compete in hardness with carbon and is impervious to rust, chemicals, magnetism, you name it. Even then, the finer tips to be achieved are still carbon!

 

And of course, you have the titanium alternative...but I haven't tried those...

 

I hope it helps,

 

Cheers,

 

Bob

 

PS. Brass is non magnetic but very soft...so they won't scratch your work. The feel is somewhat different and tips are dressed almost continuously no matter what you do, some are harder than others but too hard will defeat their "gentle" purpose of being...and it is still brass. Range of quality goes from Indian or Chinese to Bergeon to Dumont (when available). Horotec and Bergeon -- as far as I know -- are a good compromise between hardness and finish for that material.

 

Then you have the aluminum tweezers with different materials for tips (usually those tips can be replaced when worn). They are special purpose and mostly the feel (tension in your hand) is horrible for me. Like too soft or not quite "springy" on the horotec versions and better on the Vestus (? spelling).

[chadders1966]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/F-S-Tracking-Number-Hozan-P-893-PHOSPHOR-BRONZE-TWEEZERS-from-Japan-/281847721072?hash=item419f6eec70:g:8oYAAOSwT5tWOazu

Was debating getting one of these Japanese made ones, but the Swiss ones look a little less chunky and better finished. ( and also has serrated grips, which might not be ideal )

These are the tweezers I posted about at the start of the thread. They're good, but I find them slightly too large - personal preference obviously. I've just received a pair of these new ones. Whilst they look pretty similar size wise, I just prefer the feel of them.

Stephen

[rogart63]

You guys bought every Bergeon bronze tweezers on Ebay   :) Won't one too? 

[aswatchmaking]

ASCO produces fine bronze tweezers, can be special ordered from any supply house 

[remadepreacher]

I used Dumont Hi tech for a couple of decades because they were cheap, good quality and did not stain. Then I got a pair of Asco Bronze while at WOSTEP. What I discovered is that the SS tweezers are far more likely to have a part flying due to its hardness. Oh that I had learned this sooner! No telling how many hundreds of hours could have been saved. Brass is even better for griping the part, but constantly need dressing. Bronze are a good compromise. They are slightly less hard than steel parts and hold up well. I highly recommend them. I use a heavier pair of brass for plates and fine ones (also Asco) for jewels. .

[Ishima]

I suppose this is a good time to report back on the Asco bronze tweezers, It's as remade said, they have a pretty damn near perfect balance of hardness that makes them reasonably wearing and hold small parts with incredible ease.

Other than that the proportion and shape of the tweezers is exactly what you want as well, and I can't form any complaint over the quality of manufacturing.

 I keep my pair in a plastic sleeve (that actually a screwdriver came in) with one of those tip guards and they come out every time I'm setting hands or doing anything else that's slightly more delicate and they really have become indispensable, my favorite pair. Had them for several months and I've redressed them lightly twice, once was because I dropped them (damn it!).  

 

Edited May 16, 2016 by Ishima

[tmac1956]

All:

It's not that much of a problem to use brass pliers and just keep them dressed. It only takes a few minutes to restore them back to working order with only a file.

Here's a video that showed me how to do it and I've been using this technique for over a year now.

I hope this helps.

Tom

[rogart63]

I bought a pair of Hozan tweezers. Hate them?They are to heavy. Do you think i can cut then down and reshape the more like a dumont  2 or 5? 

They are okay in the hardness but whey to heavy. I like small light tweezers. 

 

[ramrod]

how about lightening them by drilling out the handle section. several 1/4"- 3,8" holes will lighten it significantly.

[bobm12]

Hi Roger,

Holes are OK but don't make them 14 mm or you will be infringing Spyderco's licensing!!!

Just a bad joke! Drill the hell out of them, just be careful they don't come apart at the top where they are glued/welded together. That and a little reshaping and you'll be happy with them. When you are at it, check that the "springiness" is not negatively affected. In my mind, brass and/or bronze tweezers are less springy than steel which for my taste is a minus...but I still own a pair gathering dust in a drawer (until I work on special watches that is).

Cheers,

Bob

[vinn3]

having a demagnatizer on the bench solves a lot of tweezer problems.  vinn

[TimFitz]

On 6/29/2015 at 3:27 AM, chadders1966 said:

Hi,

Having seen various recommendations for using bronze tweezers I have looked without success for any UK/European seller. The only seller for watchmaking ones listed on Ebay is in the US and hasn't responded to my requests for information. In the past Sutton Tools, despite mainly dealing in jewellery supplies, have said they will get me any item I'm interested in from the wholesalers. It's a Catch-22 though - how do I know whether I want to go to that expense when I don't know if I want them anyway?

Does anyone here use them? They are apparently similar to brass in that they don't leave marks, but are more hard wearing and don't deform as easily. As an experiment I did buy some sold on EBay (photos below). I do actually like these, but as you can see they are slightly large compared to the brass and steel watchmaking tweezers. I am sure I will get plenty of use out of them though.

Stephen

 

 

Here is a link  Why not use brass    http://www.esslinger.com/brass-tweezers-non-magnetic-5-straight-tip-5-sizes-sold-individually/

Edited September 5, 2016 by TimFitz
something to add

[chadders1966]

23 hours ago, TimFitz said:

Here is a link  Why not use brass    http://www.esslinger.com/brass-tweezers-non-magnetic-5-straight-tip-5-sizes-sold-individually/

As you can see from the photo I posted I already have brass tweezers, I was after some bronze ones. Since I made the op over a year ago I have bought a couple of decent pairs - I find them far better than brass tweezers as they don't leave marks and don't require dressing any where near as often.

Rog, as I posted I agree with you about the Hozan, they are too bulky for watch work. I use some Asco ones that someone else posted about.

Stephen

[oldhippy]

I was after some bronze ones. Since I made the op over a year ago I have bought a couple of decent pairs - I find them far better than brass tweezers as they don't leave marks and don't require dressing any where near as often.

That's because bronze is harder then brass.