FAQ's
What are the finest Dumont forceps?
What are Jansen Forceps?
Why are my forceps delivered with an oily coating on then?
May I flash-sterilize my forceps in an open flame?
What is a tying platform?
Which Volmed tweezers should I use to pick up microscope slides?
Why do some instruments have gold or black handles?
Tech Notes
Tweezers Material Reference Guide
Micro Tweezers
Foerster Forceps
Singley Forceps
Volmed Forceps & Scissors
Tube Occluding Forceps
DeBakey Forceps
Stainless Steel Qualities
Staining of Surgical Instruments

Summary: How to choose the right micro tweezers for your research application.
Micro tweezers are useful in a variety of different applications. Common uses include micro dissection of tissue and vessels, and processing tissue in electron microscopy procedures.
Micro tweezers come in a wide variety of tip sizes, shapes, and materials. To choose the best tweezers for your application keep in mind the size of the animal and/or tissue you are working with. The type of cleaning and sterilization you require may affect the material you choose, For example, if you require autoclaving and you are working under a microscope on a mouse the thinnest-tipped forceps made of stainless steel, titanium, Dumostar, INOX, and Dumoxel are good choices.
Carbon steel instruments may not be the best choice for use where there is constant exposure to water. If not handled properly, carbon steel is likely to rust if exposed to water for a length of time. Though not recommended by Volmed Surgical, flash flame decontamination could be used on carbon steel tweezers because this material is less likely to be damaged by high heat. The extreme heat from flash flame decontamination changes the molecular structure of most material adversely. High heat softens metal and shortens the useful life of instruments. Consider another method of decontamination where lower heat levels can be applied to keep your instruments useful for many more years.
You will often see tweezers available in the Biologie pattern. Biologie tips are about twice as fine as standard tips. Some tweezers are available with a mirror finish and some in a matte finish. Make a choice between the two finishes based on personal preferences- there is no quality difference between the two. A mirror finish may look clean and will be more reflective under bright light than a matte finish. A Matte finish will not show smudges easily and the surface provides more of a grip. Both are high quality and protect the instrument equally.

Summary: The unique characteristic of the Foerster forceps is its handle.
The unique characteristic of the Foerster Forceps is the octagonal handle. The unique handle is designed to provide more "feel" and control at the tip. This handle also provides a better grip while wearing gloves. The tips are very fine and serrated and provide a sure, steady grip of tissue without trauma. The Foerester forceps are excellent for fine dissection of mice and dissection under a microscope.

Summary: The Singley forceps are designed to hold the heart of rats without the tip damaging the heart.
The Singley heart holding forceps are designed to hold the heart of rats without being concerned about a sharp tip damaging the heart. A pin and screw allows you to adjust the opening of the tip to accommodate different size hearts. The pin and screw also holds the tip steady and in position to keep your hands free to conduct other steps of the procedure.

Summary: Volmed forceps can be used in a variety of surgical situations.
Volmed forceps can be used in a variety of surgical situations. The feature of this instrument is its long, narrow tip which is helpful in procedures where you need to grasp and manipulate fine, small tissue in deep cavities. The unusual round, textured grip provides great control of the instrument and the tip. The box style handle provides a "non slip" grip for even more control, particularly when wearing gloves. The Volmed style is also manufactured in a spring action scissor. As with the Volmed forceps, fine tissue in a deep cavity is easier to manipulate and cut with a long narrow tip.

Summary: Tube occluding forceps are a useful tool where blockage of a tube is necessary.
Tube occluding forceps can be used in almost any surgery where fluid or blood in tubes needs to be stopped. One such surgical procedure is when a perfusion is involved. During perfusions blood flow is re-directed from the heart to a series of tubes that directs the blood back to the patient's tissue. The tube occluding forceps are ideal when flow of blood must temporarily be stopped. They tightly grasp the tube and can be set and kept in place.

Summary: Description of DeBakey vascular forceps.
Debakey forceps are vascular forceps specially designed to grasp vascular tissue with minimal damage to the vessel. The design that minimizes the potential of damage is often described as atraumatic (meaning non-traumatic) and is used in other instruments as well.

Summary: Stainless steel is a metal which resists rust, can be ground to a fine point, and retains a sharp edge.
Stainless steel is a metal which resists rust, can be ground to a fine point, and retains a sharp edge. Its composition can be altered to enhance certain qualities. For example, a manufacturer can make a scissor of stainless steel with carbon to create a harder cutting edge on a scissor. It is the carbon in the stainless steel that makes the scissor stronger but the carbon makes the instrument more susceptible to rust and corrosion. A quality surgical instrument achieves a proper balance of the material characteristics in order to provide an instrument appropriate for its use. All stainless steel can stain, pit, and rust if not cared for properly.
Manufacturers subject instruments to a passivation and polishing process in order to make the steel as stain-resistant as possible. Passivation and polishing removes the carbon molecules from the instrument surface, forming a layer which acts as a corrosion resistant seal. This passivation process can also occur through repeated exposure to oxidizing agents in chemicals, soaps, and the atmosphere. Polishing creates a smooth surface on the instrument. It is extremely important to polish an instrument because the passivation process leaves microscopic pits where the carbon molecules were removed. Polishing also builds a layer of chromium oxide on the surface of the instrument. Through regular handling and sterilization the layer of chromium oxide will build up and protect the instrument from corrosion. In some circumstances, that is why older instruments seem to be less subject to corrosion than newer instruments. The newer instruments have not had the time to build up the chromium oxide layer. Improper cleaning and sterilization can cause the protective layer of chromium oxide to disappear or become damaged, increasing the possibility of corrosion. That is why it is so important to properly clean, sterilize, and store your instruments.

Summary: Stains can either be plated or deposited on the surface of an instrument.
Stains are discoloration of metal by material being just added to the surface of the metal. Stains are often mistaken for rust- an actual change to the metal material. A brown/orange color stain is the most common and is often mistaken for rust. The brown/orange color stain is usually a phosphate deposit on the instrument. Phosphate can come from traces of minerals in the autoclave water source, a dirty autoclave, high alkaline or acidic detergents, surgical wrappings, and dried blood or tissue. Hot steam in the autoclave deposits the phosphate and produces the stain on the instrument’s surface. Remove this type of stain from the instrument by rubbing with a pencil eraser (rust cannot be removed by an eraser).
A brown/orange stain or a blue-black stain can occur from plating during the cleaning or autoclaving process. Through electrolysis when dissimilar metals touch while being autoclaved, ultrasonically cleaned, or sometimes even stored together, plated stains actually bond the stain material to the instrument metal. They do not often change the metal material except for the discoloration. These stains are very difficult to remove and should be sent to a surgical instrument service facility for refinishing.
Black stains are usually due to an acid reaction. An acidic detergent deposit left on the instrument during autoclaving might cause a black stain. Always use neutral pH detergents and distilled deionized water in your autoclave process, and be sure to completely rinse instruments before autoclaving.
Multi-colored stains or chromium oxide stains result from excessive heat. These rainbow colored stains indicate the instrument may have lost some of its original hardness after being heated. Cutting edges loose their sharpness quickly when hardness is reduced. Flash flame decontamination ( an instrument is decontaminated by inserting it into a flame for a few seconds) changes the molecular structure of most material adversely, shortening the useful life of instruments. Consider another method of decontamination where lower heat levels can be applied  to keep your instruments useful for many more years.