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Recommended pincettes?

Aqua360

Aqua360

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With Christmas approaching, I'm hoping for some nice new pincettes to replace the terrible ones I'm using from AliExpress 🙈

Only issue is I haven't given "Santa" any ideas of which ones, and not too sure myself!

Can anyone recommend a good brand they've enjoyed using? Maybe I'm overthinking this, but worth discussion!

Cheers!
 
Aqua360 said:
With Christmas approaching, I'm hoping for some nice new pincettes to replace the terrible ones I'm using from AliExpress 🙈

Only issue is I haven't given "Santa" any ideas of which ones, and not too sure myself!

Can anyone recommend a good brand they've enjoyed using? Maybe I'm overthinking this, but worth discussion!

Cheers!
Click to expand...

ADA Pro-Pinsettes 30cm, there’s no competition. It’s not even brand, if anyone else could produce pinsettes with the same pinching capability and accuracy when planting then they would be getting recommended. Last pair of general pinsettes you’ll buy.

For thicker heavy duty pinsettes for pushing between rocks without breaking etc you can find cheaper than the big brands and not be losing much value. The pinch strength under those circumstances is more standardised i.e. crap but brute force is usually being used. It’s more about the serration on the tips to hold the plant, whilst jamming and wriggling about. The width of the surface area with serrated edges is holding the plant rather than the pinch strength mostly. Most will use this type 1% of the time though.

Scissors… sowing scissors do the job for most things, need not waste money. If you have a carpet that needs regular mowing, ADA Pro Scissors Curve for large carpets is the only tool that stops the cursing and swearing. Your hands will hurt with cheap scissors and you’ll end up with cramp in your hand making the job a PITA otherwise. Any brand of spring scissors or sewing scissors for tricky spots will do.

A long answer with more than you asked for @Aqua360 but maybe Santa is feeling generous this year.

If there were only two tools allowed in the kit, would use ADA’s Pro-Pinsettes XL 300mm and Pro-Scissors Curve 255mm. They make the job easy.
 
Geoffrey Rea said:
ADA Pro Pinsettes 30cm, there’s no competition. It’s not even brand, if anyone else could produce pinsettes with the same pinching capability and accuracy when planting then they would be getting recommended. Last pair of general pinsettes you’ll buy.

For thicker heavy duty pinsettes for pushing between rocks without breaking etc you can find cheaper than the big brands and not be losing much value. The pinch strength under those circumstances is more standardised i.e. crap but brute force is usually being used. It’s more about the serration on the tips to hold the plant, whilst jamming and wriggling about. The width of the surface area with serrated edges is holding the plant rather than the pinch strength mostly. Most will use this type 1% of the time though.

Scissors… sowing scissors do the job for most things, need not waste money. If you have a carpet that needs regular mowing, ADA Pro Scissors Curve for large carpets is the only tool that stops the cursing and swearing. Your hands will hurt with cheap scissors and you’ll end up with cramp in your hand making the job a PITA otherwise. Any brand of spring scissors or sewing scissors for tricky spots will do.

A long answer with more than you asked for @Aqua360 but maybe Santa is feeling generous this year.

If there were only two tools allowed in the kit, would use ADA’s Pro Pinsettes 30cm and Pro Scissors Curve 25.5cm. They make the job easy.
Click to expand...

I assumed ADA would be at the top of the pile tbf, which is reflected in the price tag 🤮

I see dooa have pincettes also, I wonder if they're remotely similar, I know they're kind of the level down.
 
After working in a store with unrestricted access to all tools to try, those are the only tools that make that cut. Stopped buying tools after those two items as they solved all problems.

Obviously to each their own but the DOOA range are comparable to Tropica’s tools but slightly more expensive from experience.

This is a buy once and move on affair if we’re specifically talking pinsettes.
 
Geoffrey Rea said:
After working in a store with unrestricted access to all tools to try, those are the only tools that make that cut. Stopped buying tools after those two items as they solved all problems.

Obviously to each their own but the DOOA range are comparable to Tropica’s tools but slightly more expense from experience.

This is a buy once and move on affair if we’re specifically talking pinsettes.
Click to expand...

In terms of sizing, I'm drawn to the size medium as my tanks rarely exceed 50l, size small I'm guessing may leave for wanting
 
It’s obviously down to preference on length.

However, you’re rarely planting anything other than straight down so longer length isn’t an issue for access for most. If your tanks have planting zones at awkward angles then shorter may suit, but it’s a rare circumstance. Using the XL 300mm on the 10l cube, 45F, AS600 and the AS1200 here.

It’s the balance between the grip strength from the spring action and this that matters:

1636248405596.jpeg


Sharp point and just enough serration to hold but not grab at plant tissue, you’re predominantly relying on pinch strength on a tool designed for accurate and fast planting. Pinsette and plant go in, just the pinsette comes out everytime.

It’s no different than a chef with knives. Once you’ve used properly weighted knives everything else feels awkward:

1636249627833.jpeg


400 covers a night when working as a chef, home use now, probably be inherited by the kids. Sharpen like new with a whetstone every time.

Buy once, then forget. Everything else is false economy and steals the joy out of the task.
 
Geoffrey Rea said:
It’s obviously down to preference on length.

However, you’re rarely planting anything other than straight down so longer length isn’t an issue for access for most. If your tanks have planting zones at awkward angles then shorter may suit, but it’s a rare circumstance. Using the XL 300mm on the 10l cube, 45F, AS600 and the AS1200 here.

It’s the balance between the grip strength from the spring action and this that matters:

View attachment 176927

Sharp point and just enough serration to hold but not grab at plant tissue, you’re predominantly relying on pinch strength on a tool designed for accurate and fast planting. Pinsette and plant go in, just the pinsette comes out everytime.

It’s no different than a chef with knives. Once you’ve used properly weighted knives everything else feels awkward:

View attachment 176928

400 covers a night when working as a chef, home use now, probably be inherited by the kids. Sharpen like new with a whetstone every time.

Buy once, then forget. Everything else is false economy and steals the joy out of the task.
Click to expand...

I think you've convinced me on the ADA 😂
 
Don’t forget your finger and thumb nails… perfect for trimming S. repens, H. aragauia, H. pinnatifida Anubius, Bucephalandra, Cryptocoryne, Bolbitis and Microsorum when feeling your way around is the highest form of accuracy.

The best tool is sometimes in your hands already.
 
Geoffrey Rea said:
Don’t forget your finger and thumb nails… perfect for trimming S. repens, H. aragauia, H. pinnatifida Anubius, Bucephalandra, Cryptocoryne, Bolbitis and Microsorum when feeling your way around is the highest form of accuracy.

The best tool is sometimes in your hands already.
Click to expand...

Good point!
 
Karmicnull said:
Threads like this are one of the reasons UKAPS is so spectacularly good. Been struggling with my pincettes since day 1. Plant and pincettes go in. Plant and pincettes come out. Now I have at least a whisper of hope that it's the tools rather than the workman.
Click to expand...
Yeah I usually have to use two sets of tweezers, one to insert the plants, and one to hold them down while withdrawing tweezers.

Hopefully this will mark an end to that method
 
image.jpg

The jbl angled scissors and the jbl spring scissors are the best scissors for nearly every job. The veterinarian scissors (no4) are used for everything else.

The best pinchers are the smallest veterinarian ones followed by the jbls. I have the tropicas too but they aren’t on the strip for a reason.
 
Geoffrey Rea said:
ADA Pro-Pinsettes 30cm, there’s no competition. It’s not even brand, if anyone else could produce pinsettes with the same pinching capability and accuracy when planting then they would be getting recommended. Last pair of general pinsettes you’ll buy.

For thicker heavy duty pinsettes for pushing between rocks without breaking etc you can find cheaper than the big brands and not be losing much value. The pinch strength under those circumstances is more standardised i.e. crap but brute force is usually being used. It’s more about the serration on the tips to hold the plant, whilst jamming and wriggling about. The width of the surface area with serrated edges is holding the plant rather than the pinch strength mostly. Most will use this type 1% of the time though.

Scissors… sowing scissors do the job for most things, need not waste money. If you have a carpet that needs regular mowing, ADA Pro Scissors Curve for large carpets is the only tool that stops the cursing and swearing. Your hands will hurt with cheap scissors and you’ll end up with cramp in your hand making the job a PITA otherwise. Any brand of spring scissors or sewing scissors for tricky spots will do.

A long answer with more than you asked for @Aqua360 but maybe Santa is feeling generous this year.

If there were only two tools allowed in the kit, would use ADA’s Pro-Pinsettes XL 300mm and Pro-Scissors Curve 255mm. They make the job easy.
Click to expand...
Not the first time I have heard this and aquarist think the initial outlay well worth it.
 
Garuf said:
View attachment 176987
The jbl angled scissors and the jbl spring scissors are the best scissors for nearly every job. The veterinarian scissors (no4) are used for everything else.

The best pinchers are the smallest veterinarian ones followed by the jbls. I have the tropicas too but they aren’t on the strip for a reason.
Click to expand...
What brand is the smallest S shape scissors?
 
ADA are the pinnacle for form and function as Geoff mentions above. However, if you're on a budget JBL are pretty decent.
 
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