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How Do I Choose the Best Long Tweezers?

Cindy Quarters
Cindy Quarters

When working with small parts, tweezers are often an essential toolbox item. With so many kinds of long tweezers to choose from, it can be confusing when trying to pick the best style to use for one particular task. The best way to choose them is to consider the nature of the materials to be handled as well as the size and shape of the pieces.

Precision-tipped tweezers are best for situations calling for the handling of very small parts. This type of long tweezers aids the user in picking up very tiny items and placing them appropriately. These are useful in manufacturing settings, such as mounting electronic components onto circuit boards. They also are helpful in laboratories where small bits of tissue or other samples must be handled safely and securely.

Tweezers are handy to keep in any makeup bag for instant hair removal.
Tweezers are handy to keep in any makeup bag for instant hair removal.

Long tweezers with coated tips are often a good choice when the items to be gripped may be slippery and difficult to hang onto. Parts and samples that are handled while wet are usually easiest to hold with this type of long tweezers. Coatings are also effective for minimizing scratches and other damage that these tools can cause.

The style of the tip is also an important consideration. Tips on long tweezers can range from very sharp, almost needle-like ends that can handle the smallest parts to wide, flat ends best for handling larger items. Choose the type of tips that work best for the materials being handled. It may be helpful to try different styles to see which work best.

Long tweezers are an essential part of a tool box.
Long tweezers are an essential part of a tool box.

Overall design of long tweezers should be matched to the task at hand. Those that are very narrow for their entire length are best for reaching into small spaces, either to pick up or set down items. If the size of the workspace is not a concern, wider tweezers with a comfortable grip may be chosen to make using them for many hours easier for workers.

Other considerations when choosing long tweezers is the material they are made from, whether or not the tips are replaceable and how long they are likely to last. These factors may impact how cost effective they are as tools as well as their suitability for a specific task. For example, plastic tweezers are not a good choice for using around most chemicals, but they may be the ideal solution for handling electrical components or jewelry pieces. Long tweezers with hardened tips will last longer for many tasks, but may not be a good choice when handling parts susceptible to surface damage.

Discussion Comments

discographer

I bought long tweezers with sharp, straight and curved tips for electronic use. I mainly use them while fixing computers. Since they're not plugged in, it's not a problem to use stainless steel ones. I was able to save a computer last week thanks to one of these long tweezers. I wouldn't have been able to get into that part of the computer otherwise.

SarahGen

@burcinc-- Long tweezers work great for aquariums. Just make sure that it's long enough (about 12 inches) and that it has a good grab.

I use a 12 inch long tweezer to plant aquarium plants, to feed fish, to remove unwanted objects, etc. It works great. Mine is stainless steel and I just dry it with a paper towel after using it in the aquarium. It has not rusted or changed colors or anything like that. I didn't pay much for it either. I bought mine online, you might want to do the same because there are more options available online.

I do suggest that once you've used tweezers in the aquarium, to not use it for anything else because you don't want to introduce bacteria, mold, etc in to the aquarium. So if you want to use long tweezers for different types of tasks, get separate ones for different purposes.

burcinc

I thought that tweezers could only be used to pluck hairs. I didn't realize that tweezers are a tool that could be used for other purposes.

What type of long tweezers would be best for maintaining an aquarium? I need something to move around plants and other objects.

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    • Tweezers are handy to keep in any makeup bag for instant hair removal.
      By: Africa Studio
      Tweezers are handy to keep in any makeup bag for instant hair removal.
    • Long tweezers are an essential part of a tool box.
      By: Tarzhanova
      Long tweezers are an essential part of a tool box.