Kaiser Print Tongs

andrew.roos · Dec 20, 2014

After three years of using old bamboo tongs with rubber tips that eventually came off, I recently purchased a set of Kaiser stainless steel print tongs new from B&H for $20. I've just used them for a session in the darkroom and they're a revelation! Soft high-grade plastic (PTFE?) tips that grip the paper firmly but gently, angled to make it easy to grip the paper while holding the tongs over the side of a tray. A lip that prevents them from falling into the tray. Spring loaded action (press to open, release to close under spring pressure) that holds the paper just right. No more dropping paper when transferring from one tray to another because I'm not holding the tongs shut hard enough. Stainless steel so you can wash them clean at the end of the day. I wholeheartedly recommend them to anyone who is fed up with bamboo tongs!

AgX · Dec 20, 2014

http://www.kaiser-fototechnik.de/en/produkte/2_1_produktanzeige.asp?nr=4067

gone · Dec 20, 2014

Thanks for the tip. They look worth the money. I generally just grab the prints at the edge w/ my hand.

RalphLambrecht · Dec 21, 2014

andrew.roos said:
After three years of using old bamboo tongs with rubber tips that eventually came off, I recently purchased a set of Kaiser stainless steel print tongs new from B&H for $20. I've just used them for a session in the darkroom and they're a revelation! Soft high-grade plastic (PTFE?) tips that grip the paper firmly but gently, angled to make it easy to grip the paper while holding the tongs over the side of a tray. A lip that prevents them from falling into the tray. Spring loaded action (press to open, release to close under spring pressure) that holds the paper just right. No more dropping paper when transferring from one tray to another because I'm not holding the tongs shut hard enough. Stainless steel so you can wash them clean at the end of the day. I wholeheartedly recommend them to anyone who is fed up with bamboo tongs!

I much prefer the bamboo tongsover stainless or plastic because they give me a firmer grip on the paper due to the rubber tip.alternatively, I'd usemy fingers and medical gloves.A little tip: don't push the paper into the processing tray,just drop it in there.this keeps the paper from sticking to the tray and makes it much easier to get it back out without bending it.

ic-racer · Dec 21, 2014

About a year ago the spring on the stainless steel tongs I got in the 1970s broke. I got those same Kaiser ones and I am very pleased with them. Better than the ones I used all these years.BTW I only use the tongs for my little test chips. I use a gloved hand for full sheets of paper.

Nathan King · Dec 21, 2014

I splurged when I first set up my darkroom and purchased those tongs. I have never used anything else and have nothing to compare them to, but the are extremely nice and easy to use.

Dan0001 · Feb 10, 2017

The Kaisers are the best! I have two darkrooms, a perminant one in Michigan that I use older Kinderman tongs(same as Kaisers except no rubber tip). The Florida temporary darkroom now uses the Kaisers.

mgb74 · Feb 10, 2017

I've used these and they really are nice. I like the rolled over end that hooks on the lip of the tray.

John Wiegerink · Feb 10, 2017

I have used my hands(in the old days), plastic and bamboo. My bamboo set finally started falling apart and I bought 4 Kaisers off the big auction site. That was about a year ago and I'm still getting used to them.. They work great when I remember that they work the opposite of other tongs. That squeeze to open thing is hard for this old dog to remember sometimes. Old habits die hard! They really are the best I have used when I remember how to use them.

faberryman · Feb 10, 2017

I am happy with the bamboo tongs I have been using for years. No need to spend more. Your prints will look the same.

RalphLambrecht · Feb 11, 2017

faberryman said:
I am happy with the bamboo tongs I have been using for years. No need to spend more. Your prints will look the same.

and when you use your fingers,they will soon look like those bamboo tongs too

faberryman · Feb 11, 2017

RalphLambrecht said:
and when you use your fingers,they will soon look like those bamboo tongs too

Same can be said for those using the Kaiser stainless steel print tongs, no?

chip j · Feb 11, 2017

You guys have never never heard of Kostiner print tongs!

John Wiegerink · Feb 11, 2017

chip j said:
You guys have never never heard of Kostiner print tongs!

Yes, we have. Or at least I have anyway.

rthollenbeck · Feb 11, 2017

This has only ever been a problem to me with paper over 11x14. But the trays I use for that are different too. I'm going to get a piece of SS tubing to put in those trays from corner to corner so the paper can not make suction to the bottom and can get the tongs under.

M Carter · Feb 12, 2017

RalphLambrecht said:
I much prefer the bamboo tongsover stainless or plastic because they give me a firmer grip on the paper due to the rubber tip..

The stainless tongs the OP mentioned have rubber/plastic/something tips. I'm quite fond of the Kaisers, they work very well, though for larger prints, I tend to use an artist's palette knife to get a corner up, and then use my hands.

AgX · Feb 12, 2017

If you buy used tongs, be aware that next to stainless ones as these from Kaiser there are also chromed ones on the market.

Arklatexian · Feb 12, 2017

chip j said:
You guys have never never heard of Kostiner print tongs!

I have. I have two sets of 3 in my darkroom at the moment. By the way, I have never known anyone that became allergic to photo chemicals who used tongs instead of bare hands. In past years, I had two close friends who developed severe allergies and then changed to tongs instead of using their unprotected hands. In both cases they became allergic to paper developers (Dektol, etc)........Regards!

chip j · Feb 12, 2017

Yes, I've ALWAYS been allergic to paper developers. The ECO-PRO print dev from Freestyle doesn't bother me though!!

Kaiser Print Tongs

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