Better tongs?

[Sirius Glass]

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.

I have used my fingers for years, but I started using tongs because I am starting to tone prints and I can avoid stains by using tongs. By the way my tongs are metal and plastic so they will not burn well.

 

[bence8810]

I use the simple bamboo tongs and they seem to work just fine. As earlier mentioned I have mine marked and I always use the same one in the same chemical.
The one i have for the developer is really badly stained despite my efforts to wash it after every session. I usually take the rubber tip off and wash that way and it seems clean other than the stain.

I also have these stainless steel ones but they are a bit larger and I tend to just reach for the bamboo ones every time I work in the dark.

For anything large like 20x24 I just use my bare fingers and wipe them right after I put the print into the next solution.

Ben

 

[ronwhit]

Consider me frugal, but I prefer the inexpensive plastic Yankee Print Tongs. Two for $6.95 at B & H, and they are made in the USA. (Check for possible molding flash on the tip before using the first time.)

 

[Newt_on_Swings]

Hmm just got some new tongs in from b&h, I usually order through freestyle but I needed seamless so I ordered together. The wooden tongs I got were different. The rubber ends were much thicker and the wood is in a smaller
thicker sections Vs the other style of flatter and wider cross section. Very odd, will see how they work next week.

 

[megzdad81]

Freestyle has stainless steel tongs from LegacyPro that look identical to the Kostiner tongs. About 12 inches long, and easy to squeeze and grip, which I need for weak grip problems. I just bought 2 pair in the last year because things keep disappearing from life.