Better tongs?

[darinwc]

I have some of the wooden tongs with rubber tips. There's got to be something better than these. It takes me forever to pick up as print.

 

[mooseontheloose]

I hate those wooden tongs too - too awkward to use.

Personally, I really like the small, stainless steel tongs like these. Very easy to pick up a print, and you don't have to constantly hold down on the tongs which make them nicer to use.

Of course, for some uses, like lith printing, I use my (gloved) fingers since they are much faster.

 

[Doremus Scudder]

Funny, I still am using the same set of bamboo tongs I got more than 30 years ago... I've added another set as well, replaced the rubber tips a time or two and they seem to work fine. I often use two at a time for handling larger prints (16x20 and 20x24).

That said, I've had a couple of newer bamboo tongs that didn't work well; too stiff and bent the wrong direction. Some are better than others obviously.

I second gloved hands if the tongs don't do the job for you.

Doremus

 

[Neal]

Everyone has a favorite. These are mine. They do need to be replaced occasionally but they are inexpensive.

Neal Wydra

 

[Rick A]

These are my favorites: http://www.freestylephoto.biz/5101-Arista-Plastic-Print-Tongs-Set-of-2

 

[Newt_on_Swings]

I've used quite a few different tongs oddly. I've had the chance to use those bamboo ones, they last a good while, but they soak up chemicals and can never really wash out. But they are durable, the only thing on them that really breaks are the plastic bases the wood is inserted into, they crack over time. The metal tongs with springs look nice, but they scratch prints so easily. I've used both bare tipped and rubber tipped versions and I found the built in spring on both types are way to weak to hold up prints other than smaller rc types. The metal may also be reactive to certain darkroom chemicals. There is another type, which are the plastic versions of the bamboo tongs, they clean up well, you apply the amount of force instead of a spring, and the tips grip well. The only problem is that their design weakness when squeezed too hard together. If used properly they are fine, but I had a set of 8 of them all get broken in about a week after swapping them out with the bamboo tongs. The kids just played with them too much and snapped them all. Went back to bamboo after that. If you really want to clean the bamboo tongs a long soak in very hot water works.

 

[removed account4]

Funny, I still am using the same set of bamboo tongs I got more than 30 years ago... I've added another set as well, replaced the rubber tips a time or two and they seem to work fine. I often use two at a time for handling larger prints (16x20 and 20x24).

That said, I've had a couple of newer bamboo tongs that didn't work well; too stiff and bent the wrong direction. Some are better than others obviously.

I second gloved hands if the tongs don't do the job for you.

Doremus

me too ( mine are like 35 years old )
but i have to keep shoving one of the sides
back into the top every time i use them
i was just looking at a new pair of cheap bamboo tongs
but they seem to be cheaper in construction now
and less cheap in asking price ( at least locally )

 

[Steve Goldstein]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned the Kostiner stainless tongs yet. I switched to them years ago after using bamboo (too stiff, impossible to completely clean) and the plastic tongs Neal mentioned (broke too often, I went through several sets in just a few years of occasional darkroom work). They're very thin, which makes it easier to pick up a print from a flat-bottom tray like the 10x12 Cesco set I use for processing 8x10.

These are long out of production but do occasionally surface on eBay. The rubber pad on one detached after many years of use, but I bought a small sheet of adhesive-backed rubber from McMaster-Carr and now have enough repair material for the remainder of this life and well into the next.

 

[jeffreyg]

+1 on Steve Glodstein's Kostiner tongs. When I bought them, they came with a holder that I attached to the wood backsplash of my sink.

http://www.jeffreyglasser.com/

 

[winger]

Over the years, I've frequently wished I could invent the "perfect" tongs. I actually like the bamboo ones the best. As long as the print is not stuck to the bottom of the tray (which would be potentially bad anyway), I don't have a problem picking them up - might just be a practice thing. I've broken several sets of the plastic ones Neal linked to, but I haven't tried the ones Rick linked. None that I've used are great and I think there's likely between 10 and 15 of various types floating around in my darkroom.

 

[mdarnton]

Bamboo. They don't scratch, they grip tight, and with their fully soft, rounded tips you can shuffle through a pile of prints without worrying about scratching or denting, unlike plastic or metal. Contamination is only theoretical, since you're always going to use the same tongs in the same solution. They don't have any bling appeal for people who value that---they just work like they're supposed to.

 

[Sirius Glass]

About a year ago Matt recommended short metal tongs with plastic ends. I ordered five and I have been very happy with them. They are much better than the bamboo tongs with the plastic ends. When I get back home, I will see if I can find the information.

 

[Sirius Glass]

About a year ago Matt recommended short metal tongs with plastic ends. I ordered five and I have been very happy with them. They are much better than the bamboo tongs with the plastic ends. When I get back home, I will see if I can find the information.

I found it!!


On (there was a url link here which no longer exists)

I've been using these "Mini Spatula Tongs recently, with some tape added to position the sliding adjuster: http://www.wdrake.com/buy-mini-spat...ferralID=29415065-9513-11e4-ab7a-001b2166c62d

 

[DREW WILEY]

The head of an SF Tong just got convicted for killing the leader of another Tong. He won't have much else to do for a long time.

 

[Sirius Glass]

 

[MattKing]

I found it!!


On (there was a url link here which no longer exists)

Originally Posted by Sirius Glass (there was a url link here which no longer exists)
About a year ago Matt recommended short metal tongs with plastic ends. I ordered five and I have been very happy with them. They are much better than the bamboo tongs with the plastic ends. When I get back home, I will see if I can find the information.



I found it!!


On (there was a url link here which no longer exists)

Originally Posted by MattKing (there was a url link here which no longer exists)



I've been using these "Mini Spatula Tongs recently, with some tape added to position the sliding adjuster: http://www.wdrake.com/buy-mini-spatu...a-001b2166c62d

That link seems to have gone the way of the dodo.

Here is another one: http://www.starcrest.com/product/kitchen/cutlery+and+utensils/minispatulatongssetof5.do

One thing to be cautious of: the "stainless" steel used in some of these can be very poor.

I wish someone would come up with a combination of these and the spring loaded stainless steel versions.

 

[Rich Ullsmith]

I have taken to teasing the print around with a bamboo skewer, just lift a corner and grab it with my finger to pull it from the tray. Same with fixer. I wouldn't do this with lith or toning, probably not with amidol either. But for the standard dektol and fixer, the skewer works great.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Thanks Matt!

 

[mr rusty]

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/220454-REG/Kaiser_204067_Stainless_Steel_Print_Tongs.html

I have these. Much better than plastic/bamboo

 

[Jim Noel]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned the Kostiner stainless tongs yet. I switched to them years ago after using bamboo (too stiff, impossible to completely clean) and the plastic tongs Neal mentioned (broke too often, I went through several sets in just a few years of occasional darkroom work). They're very thin, which makes it easier to pick up a print from a flat-bottom tray like the 10x12 Cesco set I use for processing 8x10.

These are long out of production but do occasionally surface on eBay. The rubber pad on one detached after many years of use, but I bought a small sheet of adhesive-backed rubber from McMaster-Carr and now have enough repair material for the remainder of this life and well into the next.

I totally agree. The Kostiner tongs pick up easily, and if you squeeze hard enough to damage the print, they release the print.
The only tongs as good are fingers.

 

[Ronald Moravec]

Buy the rubber tipped bamboo. Remove the rubber and "sharpen" the bamboo. Use one for developer, one for ss & fix. Never damaged a print.

Stainless steel works nicely also If you can find them. I inherited mine around 1960.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Buy the rubber tipped bamboo. Remove the rubber and "sharpen" the bamboo. Use one for developer, one for ss & fix. Never damaged a print.

Stainless steel works nicely also If you can find them. I inherited mine around 1960.

No thank you, I would rather not stab the prints.

 

[Patrick Robert James]

Kostiner are the crème de la crème but no one that has them will ever sell them so you are s-o-l if you want any. The Arista plastic ones that have a lock and a hook on the end are good but they break if you squeeze them too hard, or after a couple years of use. I would call those the second best from a functional standpoint. Next time I order any supplies I am going to pick up some of those Kaiser stainless steel tongs to try them out. Bamboo tongs pretty much s***....

 

[CropDusterMan]

Use your fingers. Never use tongs anymore! Do yourself a favor...go and buy some "Diamond Grip" brand rubber gloves and use them...they are not that cheap, but after ruining a few final large prints using
G'Dammed tongs, I vowed never again. A box of them is about 14$ for a hundred pairs...they fit snug, are powder-free and awesome. I figure, if you want to save money in life, you'd have chosen to shoot
digital or with your camera phone. I work on aircraft all day, and they are amazing for dexterity, and so too in the darkroom. I feel any good photographer is in touch with his work, literally. Take your tongs and
set fire to the bastards.

 

[Nige]

these are my preferred tongs... 35yo Patersons with some modifications They've all broken but over the last 10 or so years I've been rescuing them by sticking a bunched up rubber band in between each piece and wrapping tape around to hold it all together.