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Can you soften the squeeze on a tweezer?

bobolink
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bobolink Watch Enthusiast

bobolink

Posted
Posted

I had to make a tweezer # 5 size but with a longer tip (1-3/4") in order to reach into a movement when assembling. 

#5 I had was too short, so I made one and am good with how it came out.  Only thing is the original I used was a low cost $5 medical tweezer I had.  It is very firm to squeeze and was wondering if there is any advice on a good way to soften the pressure necessary to squeeze it?

PIc attached.

Thanks,

bob

IMG_5597.jpg

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HectorLooi Distinguished Member

HectorLooi

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Posted

Yes you can. You have to thin the metal just in front of where the two halves of the tweezer are spot welded. About 2-3 cm length. The amount to grind off will be by trial and error and personal preference. 

I have some that are very light and some that are heavy. 

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Neverenoughwatches Distinguished Member

Neverenoughwatches

Posted
Posted
11 hours ago, bobolink said:

I had to make a tweezer # 5 size but with a longer tip (1-3/4") in order to reach into a movement when assembling. 

#5 I had was too short, so I made one and am good with how it came out.  Only thing is the original I used was a low cost $5 medical tweezer I had.  It is very firm to squeeze and was wondering if there is any advice on a good way to soften the pressure necessary to squeeze it?

PIc attached.

Thanks,

bob

IMG_5597.jpg

Absolutely,  done this many times . Thin the metal at both sides where the handle splits to form the arms.

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  • 2 months later...
GuyMontag Super WRT Addict

GuyMontag

Posted
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On 3/12/2024 at 6:11 AM, Neverenoughwatches said:

Absolutely,  done this many times . Thin the metal at both sides where the handle splits to form the arms.

What do you use to thin the metal? I have a pair of Dumont 00 that are WAY too stiff and would like to decrease the force needed to use them.

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Chief Member

Chief

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Does anyone ever use the reverse action tweezers? Where you squeeze to open and release to close. They seem like they'd be better as they won't apply excessive force to the screws and risk firing them around the room like miniature projectiles, however I've NEVER seen anyone use them during watch repair

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Neverenoughwatches Distinguished Member

Neverenoughwatches

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24 minutes ago, GuyMontag said:

What do you use to thin the metal? I have a pair of Dumont 00 that are WAY too stiff and would like to decrease the force needed to use them.

So initially i used a big bench grinder to take the bulk of material away. This had to be done very carefully and kept moving and continually water cooled. Its all too easy to remove too much or overheat the steel ruining a good pair of tweezers. I tested frequently until i was happy with the tension, then with a small 1/2 " drum sander with a 180 grit roll and finishing by hand with reducing grades of wet and dry up to i think it was 1500. As an aside not only is tension reduced but also tip spacing,  so that needs to be readjusted.  Nev has some information on a pair that he made from scratch, the link to his post is a bit further back on this thread.

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HectorLooi Distinguished Member

HectorLooi

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2 minutes ago, Chief said:

Does anyone ever use the reverse action tweezers? Where you squeeze to open and release to close. They seem like they'd be better as they won't apply excessive force to the screws and risk firing them around the room like miniature projectiles, however I've NEVER seen anyone use them during watch repair

Do you use them? 

I have several pairs but never used them for watch repair work. The problem is the spring tension is already too high and may cause a "ping" when you release to grip the object. A conventional tweezer gives better tactile feedback.

1 hour ago, GuyMontag said:

What do you use to thin the metal? I have a pair of Dumont 00 that are WAY too stiff and would like to decrease the force needed to use them.

I use the fine grindstone on my bench grinder, then polish with a nylon fibre wheel to get a satin finish. I grind off about an 1 inch zone to distribute the stress to prevent metal fatigue from the repeated flexing. Take a close look at our College tweezers. Most of them have a thinner section just after the joint to give them flex.

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Chief Member

Chief

Posted
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1 hour ago, HectorLooi said:

Do you use them? 

I have several pairs but never used them for watch repair work. The problem is the spring tension is already too high and may cause a "ping" when you release to grip the object. A conventional tweezer gives better tactile feedback.

I've used them for other hobbies and jobs I've had in the past, just wondered why people didn't use them in this. I may get some out and give them a go. However they're most likely magnetic so probably no good

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Neverenoughwatches Distinguished Member

Neverenoughwatches

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7 hours ago, Chief said:

I've used them for other hobbies and jobs I've had in the past, just wondered why people didn't use them in this. I may get some out and give them a go. However they're most likely magnetic so probably no good

As Hector said they have too much  tension, that tension is also fixed and not easy to control. Conventional tweezers have infinitely variable grip provided by us. 

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