One of the lessons that I’ve learned over my years of modeling is that it is wise to use the tool best suited for the job at hand. I have a number of high quality tools and many of them have the label, “Xuron” on the handle.

My latest acquisition is the Xuron Tk 3600 Photo Etch Took Kit. The Xuron webpage featuring the TK 3600 states that this kit was designed for scale model builders working with delicate photo-etch. Is there any other kind of PE? The kit contains three tools for cutting, bending and holding PE parts.

Model 9180ET Professional Photo-Etch Scissor cuts the PE, Model 450 TweezerNose™ Plier holds the PE, and the Model 575 Micro Bending Plier bends it.

I have two different and very useful PE benders, but sometimes the PE part is simply too small, or too oddly shaped for the benders to be useful. The Xuron Model 450 TweezerNose Plier is just the tool that I need. The jaws are about an inch long with each “plier” being about 1/16th of an inch wide for most of that length. The jaws are properly aligned so there is no over-bite on one side, or under-bite on the other. Using this tool one can bend even a very small piece anywhere from 1 degree up to a nice 90 degree angle. The plier heads have a rounded back (the side away from the jaws) and one can actually bend a nice curve into PE parts by using the outer surface of the jaws.

The Model 9180ET Professional Photo-Etch Scissor is an exquisite tool. The cutting jaws are about an inch long and have a remarkably small tip once the jaws are closed. This is important because it means that one can maneuver the tool to easily remove a PE part from the carrier even when it is secured to the carrier with what appears to be a great deal of cunning with the aim of making it difficult to remove the part. The scissor tool is easy to use, and well manufactured resulting in a set of jaws that have no “play” in them and that cut a precise line.

The Model 575 Micro Bending Plier can handle the smallest PE part, and in fact, I often use this tool when handling small plastic parts. The jaws meet at the proper angle and those jaws are rather small. When the Model 450 TweezerNose can’t handle the part I rely on the Model 575.

These tools are also useful on my HO scale railroad equipment. I have also found my wife using the TweezerNose and Micro Bending Pliers on some of her craft projects.

These tools are highly recommended for the superb quality of construction, excellent cutting edges, usefulness in difficult situations handling PE, and price.

Thanks to Xuron for the opportunity to review these items.