FST FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

We carry a large range of left handed instruments.

Fine Scissors 14160-10 and 14161-10
Surgical Scissors 14008-14
Utility Scissors 37000-00

Halsted-Mosquito Hemostats 13108-12 and 13109-12

Olsen-Hegar Needle Holders 12102-12 and 12512-12
Crile-Wood Needle Holder 12504-15

Ligation Aid 18063-13

Magnetic Fixator Retraction System – Individual parts (18200-01 to 18200-12)download
Magnetic Fixator Retraction System – Kit for animals up to 200g (18200-20)download
Magnetic Fixator Retraction System – Kit for animals from 200g up to 5kg (18200-50)download
Micro Cannulation System (18000-10)download
Vascular Occluders (18080-01, 18080-02 & 18080-03)download
Microtattoo System (24201-00)download
Safety Scalpel Handle #3 (10006-12)download
Safety Scalpel Blade Cartridges (10010-10, 10011-10 & 10015-10)download
Hot Bead Sterilizers (18000-45 & 18000-50)download
Fine Forceps Repair Kit (29000-00)download

High quality surgical instruments which are handmade can lead to some minor variations in the dimensions of instruments, particularly between manufacturing batches. This is sometimes evident in the fine spring scissors range and the tips of Dumont forceps.

Finest Spring Scissors
Vannas Spring Scissors  (15000-03 & 15000-04)
Vannas Spring Scissors  (15000-00 & 15000-10)
Moria Spring Scissors  (15396-00 & 15396-01)
Vitrectomy Scissors (15036-14 & 15037-14)
 

Finest Forceps
Dumont Forceps  (11252-00)
Dumont Forceps  (11254-20)
Dumont Forceps  (11295-20
Moria Forceps  (11370-40 & 11370-42
Moria Forceps  (11399-80 & 11399-87

Finest Rongeurs
Friedman-Pearson Rongeurs  (16220-14 & 16221-14)

Finest Retractor
Mini-Goldstein Retractor (17002-02)

Finest Microknife
Diamond Knives  (10100-30 & 10100-45)

FST surgical mechanics refine and perfect these instruments in FST’s own own workshop, making many of the FST hand crafted products unique in the world. Look for the FST HAND CRAFTED LABEL.

Products and Alloys

Item No. 11626-11, which is a pastel green is Inox with a Teflon coating. Item No. 11220-21, which is a regular green hue is Inox coated with epoxy. Item Nos. 11252-50 and 11272-50 are both Inox coated with ceramic. Item No. 11215-02 is carbon steel coated with epoxy.

Scissors with black handles means they are ToughCut®.

ToughCut® scissors feature two unique cutting edges that cut through the toughest tissue
with exceptional ease and accuracy. One blade is honed to razor sharpness, and the other
is micro-serrated to minimize tissue slippage during cutting.

Instruments with gold handles means they are made with tungsten carbide.

Tungsten carbide is one of the hardest alloys available and lasts almost two times longer than stainless steel. Tip inlays are either glued or welded into place. For needle holders, tips can be made with a pyramid cross pattern that holds suture needles much more securely.

Compare the extra cost of these instruments with the length of useful wear, and you have a
cost effective solution for your instrument requirements.

Stainless steel is an alloy, which does exactly what its name implies: stains less than ordinary steel (iron). Yes, it can stain, discolor and rust, given the right circumstances.

To make iron stainless, nickel and chromium are added in certain quantities, depending on the purpose it is being used for and the quality required. The more chromium added to the mix, the softer the alloy becomes, something not desirable in a surgical instrument. Given that, quality medical stainless steel alloy is of a very specific, narrowly defined mix.

A further aspect of making steel “stain less” is a repeated process of extracting surface impurities, mainly minerals. And the final high polish of the finished instrument puts a minute protective coating on it, also very important to make the instrument “stain less”. Whether the final product is highly polished or matte finished will make no difference in its stainless ability.

Titanium instruments are over 40% lighter than equivalent stainless steel instruments, with better flexibility and strength. Elemental titanium (Ti) is a very strong, lustrous, white metal with a specific gravity of 4.54. Titanium and titanium alloys readily form stable protective surface layers, giving them excellent corrosion resistance to saltwater, laboratory saline solutions, blood and other bodily fluids, oxidizing acids, alkalis and chlorides.

Titanium is 100% nonmagnetic; a great benefit when working with nerves. Its inherent surface oxide film provides bactericidal and non-allergenic properties. Titanium alloys can be heated up to 440°C (824°F).

One of the hardest materials on Earth, ceramic is used in surgical instruments to form edges that
last longer than stainless steel and even longer than tungsten carbide. Ceramic also has a high slide capacity which reduces surface tension and results in a much cleaner cut than metal instruments.

Our CeramaCut® scissors combine ToughCut® technology with Tungsten Carbide edges and a ceramic coating for one of the best, cleanest cutting scissors available on the market today.

The cutting life is more than doubled with the addition of ToughCut blades to stainless steel, and over six times longer with CeramaCut blades.

  • Tungsten Carbide  lasts 1.9x longer than stainless steel
  • Stainless Steel with ToughCut lasts 2.3x longer than stainless steel
  • Tungsten Carbide with ToughCut lasts 4.1x longer than stainless steel
  • CeramaCut (Ceramic Coated Tungsten Carbide with ToughCut) lasts 6.6x longer than stainless steel

Dumont

Forceps and tweezers are interchangeable words. Both words describe the same product.

We stock accessories that aid in the care and maintenance of your delicate Dumont Forceps.
Below are some items that can be used to prolong the life of your forceps tips.

Dumont Forceps Repair Kit (29000-00)
Sharpening Stone (29008-22)
Tip Protectors (29060-00)
O-rings (11200-00)

Scroll to Top