Print Tongs - recommendations?

[faberryman]

Since you basically have the choice of bamboo, plastic, or metal, each with their benefits and detriments, and the choice among them ultimately devolves to personal preference, I am surprised that 50 responses have been posted. Who knew print tongs was such a hot topic.

 

[Peter Schrager]

It's called gloves...tongs SUCK

 

[RalphLambrecht]

I'm having a devil of a time with getting chemical transference on my silver gelatin prints in the upper corner where I grab them to move them from tray to tray. If I use the old el-cheapo bamboo tongs with the rubber tips, or if I wear nitrile gloves and even wash the gloves between print batches, sooner or later I get an ugly purple blotch in the corner of the paper. Does anyone have suggestions for how to deal with this, and do they have any preferences for types of paper tongs?

sorry to hear, you have such a hard time with rubber-tipped bamboo tongs. I switched to them after metal tongs didn't hold my prints tight enough, I never had the problem you described and if the gloves don't work for you, bare hands probably won't either.The only other thing for you to try may be the one-tray method or developing in drums or a Nova processor.sorry if this is not a lot os help.

 

[mshchem]

I'm sorry to say that for decades I never used tongs. I never had any problems other than dry skin. I kept my hands out of color chemistry. I remember plunging my hands into a tray of Dektol when I realized it was too cold. Yikes. Today I use mostly Paterson tongs, but I still get my hands into the soup.I use heavy gloves when making solutions. I worked in a chemistry lab with hot 50% NaOH, boiling sulfuric acid etc. I looked like an astronaut when I was handling that stuff, still can't believe that no one got hurt .

 

[Svenedin]

I don't use tongs. I use Nova clips because I use a slot processor. It is possible to get purple/brown marks on prints using these too. I found it was related to using an odourless (citric acid) stop bath. I switched to acetic acid and it never happened again (I asked Nova technical support). Using acetic acid stop isn't really a problem with a slot processor because there such a small surface area that the room doesn't stink like a pickling factory. I make sure the clips are washed and dried after every print is complete.

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

I have these. Excellent. I only have two though and could do with buying a couple more. I also only use tongs going forward and they never touch the next process.

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

I used a set similar to these. I love them. You only squeeze them to release the print. The springs apply pressure to grip the prints until you squeeze to release them. I have tendonitis so squeezing tongs to hold on to prints between the chemical baths us getting harder as I get older. I pretty much ditched my bamboo tongs.

 

[Ai Print]

For what it is worth, if I print larger than 11x14” I go tong-less as the water weight makes it too risky to drop and damage the print.

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

sorry to hear, you have such a hard time with rubber-tipped bamboo tongs. I switched to them after metal tongs didn't hold my prints tight enough, I never had the problem you described and if the gloves don't work for you, bare hands probably won't either.The only other thing for you to try may be the one-tray method or developing in drums or a Nova processor.sorry if this is not a lot os help.

I've since moved on to plastic tongs that grip well enough ( I wish they were better, but oh well ) and don't seem to track chemistry from tray to tray. Maybe I'm just being more disciplined. Who knows- but problem seems to be solved.

 

[Randy Stewart]

"David Brown, post: 1600131, member: 1453"]They are not made anymore (as are so many things) and so if you find a set they will be a little pricy, but the Kostiner stainless steel tongs are the best."

If found complete, the Kostiner tongs are a set of three with a wall hanger for storage when not in use. They are the best, maybe the only worth having. Those reporting stains re usually using one pair of tongs to carry a print through multiple baths, which is incorrect procedure. You dedicate a pair of tongs to each tray, using it only in the one solution with no carryover. (The print is dropped into the next tray.)

 

[Rudolf Karachun]

I just got this from the hobby store. Didn't try them yet, but I think they will work better them bamboo one.
https://www.michaels.com/silicone-tongs-by-celebrate-it/M10549519.html

 

[jvo]

been using metal lpl (ss?) 40 years, perfect! ng for toning...

 

[AgX]

I just got this from the hobby store. Didn't try them yet, but I think they will work better them bamboo one.
https://www.michaels.com/silicone-tongs-by-celebrate-it/M10549519.html

Must be of really hard silicone-rubber to work as tongs.

 

[neilt3]

Must be of really hard silicone-rubber to work as tongs.

Description says "Silicone and metal" .
So presumably they are two metal strips coated with silicone and joined at the end with the solid block of silicone .

 

[AgX]

Did not realize there was a description below... Yes, with that metal core it makes sense.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

I'm having a devil of a time with getting chemical transference on my silver gelatin prints in the upper corner where I grab them to move them from tray to tray. If I use the old el-cheapo bamboo tongs with the rubber tips, or if I wear nitrile gloves and even wash the gloves between print batches, sooner or later I get an ugly purple blotch in the corner of the paper. Does anyone have suggestions for how to deal with this, and do they have any preferences for types of paper tongs?

sorry,this won't help but,I had the best results with the bamboo tongs and rubber tips. maybe you need new ones.

 

[jim10219]

I have bamboo, plastic, metal, and silicone tongs. Well, the silicone tongs are silicone coated metal.

Anyway I just use latex gloves. Tongs are too much trouble. I use my left hand for the left side and the right hand for the right side, so my left hand touches the developer and my right hand touches the fixer and they never overlap. I also frequently will wash them with soap and water when necessary. The soap is important because stuff will actually stick to the latex. I didn't realize this until I started mixing my own pigments, in which case I noticed the water wouldn't remove the pigment stains on my gloves. But just a tiny drop of soap and they cleaned up almost instantly.

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

sorry,this won't help but,I had the best results with the bamboo tongs and rubber tips. maybe you need new ones.

I resolved this issue a long time ago with new plastic tongs. They're not perfect, but they don't cause the transferrence I was having with the bamboo and rubber tongs.

 

[AgX]

I didn't realize this until I started mixing my own pigments, in which case I noticed the water wouldn't remove the pigment stains on my gloves. But just a tiny drop of soap and they cleaned up almost instantly.

Stuff may not only adhere to the surface of rubber gloves, but may also migrate through the rubber.
More on this you may find at the sites of protective gloves manufacturers.

 

[Rudolf Karachun]

Description says "Silicone and metal" .
So presumably they are two metal strips coated with silicone and joined at the end with the solid block of silicone .

No. They made from one banded strip of metal covered with silicone.