SPI Supplies offers over 150 tweezers. SPI-Swiss tweezers are designed, tested and packaged in the USA but are manufactured in Switzerland the most advanced Swiss manufacturing technology. All are hand made, ultra-high precision instruments of superior quality and durability at an affordable price. Each tweezer comes individually packaged in its own plastic storage box.
In addition to the SPI-Swiss line of fine tweezers, SPI also offers a broad assortment of additional tweezer products from "Outils Dumont®" or what is more commonly known as "Dumont®." All tweezers offered by SPI are fabricated and finished in accordance with one of the following descriptions.
SPI Gold Plated™ Tweezers
Gold plated tweezers are no gimmick! Strictly for the most demanding researchers. High quality 24-carat gold plating is applied everywhere (e.g. not just on the tips) to our 100% anti-magnetic Miracle Tip®tweezers. Special proprietary plating process makes the gold plating scratch resistant. Who would benefit from using a SPI Gold Plated Tweezer? Remember that gold is the most inert of metals and almost nothing will react with gold. Consider these reasons:
- For immuno gold work, when holding a nickel grid (e.g. for "on-the-grid" reactions), the presence of the gold plating keeps an electro-chemical current from flowing, thereby stunting the activity of the immuno reaction. Unprotected tweezers, used in this application, will of course result in an electro-chemical current flowing, with a diminution of ultimate results. One could expect, in general, an enhanced result if gold plated tweezers are used for immuno gold work.
- Vapor phase osmium (or ruthenium) tetroxide staining because osmium and ruthenium tetroxide vapors will corrode the unprotected metal tips, resulting in the possible presence of corrosion product on the grid. Some instances of apparent "osmium precipitation" on the grid have been shown to be corrosion product which, when gold plated tweezers are used, no longer occurs.
- Autoclaving tweezers between uses protects the tweezers from corroding and a gold plated tweezer will stand up to an almost unlimited number of autoclavings.SPI Gold Plated Tweezers are available in style N4
SPI Miracle Tip® Tweezers
These ultra-fine high precision tips are fabricated from a 100% Anti-magnetic Super Alloy so unique that the tips can be restraightened if they become misaligned. That is the real reason we call them the "Miracle Tips" since no one can believe that the tips can be straightened until they see a demonstration! But that is not the only advantage. Anyone working with the nickel grids is familiar with the problem of the grids "sticking" to the tips if ordinary anti-magnetic stainless steel tweezers are being used, the reason being that there is no such thing as 100% antimagnetic stainless steel! The best that one can find in tweezer-making steel is 92-95% antimagnetic and that is still too much residual magnetism to keep Ni grids from sticking to tweezer tips! More corrosion resistant (tips) than anti-magnetic stainless steel, but less resistant than SPI Gold Plated tweezers especially for osmium tetroxide vapors.Available in styles #3, 3C, 4, 5.
SPI PTFE Coated Tweezers
The very finest PTFE coated tweezers found anywhere! The PTFE reduces the rate of heat flow from the fingers to the tips during critical cryo work and dramatically reduces the corrosive action of acids and bases on tweezers tips such as for use with HF! The PTFE coating also tends to give at least some protection of the metal when using with osmium tetroxide. The tweezer itself is fabricated from the highest quality stainless steel. Actually there are many other advantages when using the SPI Supplies Brand of PTFE coated tweezers.Available in styles #3, 3C, 4, N4, 5, N5, 5a, 7.
SPI Supplies own "biology tip" Tweezers
For the most exacting of work, where the very ultimate in sharpness is needed, and the most precision of high precision points are required.Available in the most often asked for pattern, style #5.SPI Anti-magnetic Stainless Steel Tweezers:Sharp, high precision tips make these excellent, all-purpose tweezers, especially for picking up TEM grids. Crafted from high quality, anti-magnetic stainless steel.Available from the SPI-Swiss in styles #00, 0, 2, 3, 3C, 4, N4, 5, N5, 5a, N5a, 7, 7a, N7, 8.
SPI Stainless Steel (INOX) Tweezers
Hardest tips, but the trade off is magnetic nature and least corrosion resistance. Not recommended for autoclaving.Available in style #5.
DUMONT®
Dumont® "Dumostar" Tweezers
Dumont® "Dumostar" is a new high technology alloy that has very good resistance to corrosion and is superior to that of the best stainless steel. Dumostar tweezer tips are insensitive to fatigue and never lose their elasticity. Some styles are available in a polished and/or matte finish.
Dumont® "biology tip" tweezers
For the most exacting of work from Dumont®.Available in styles #3, 3C, 4, N4, 5, N5, 5a, N5a 6, 7, N7, 55.
Dumont Dumoxel™ Anti-magnetic Stainless Steel Tweezers
Sharp, high precision tips, entire tweezer made from anti-magnetic stainless steel.Available in styles #00, 2, 3, 3C, 4, 6, 7, 7A, 55, NOC.
Dumont® Stainless Steel Tweezers
From the Dumont®"Inox" line of high precision tip products. Not recommended for routine TEM use because of the magnetic nature of the metal being used.Available in styles #00, 0, 1, 3, 3C, 4, N4, 5, N5, 6, 7, N7, 8, 55, NOC.