Micro tweezers come in a wide variety of tip sizes, shapes, and materials
To choose the best tweezers, keep in mind the size of the animal and/or tissue
The type of cleaning and sterilization required may also affect the chosen material
If autoclaving is required or users 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, 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.