Products

Here’s a quick security measure you can take to prevent screws from backing out of a hinge.

Gently flare the end of a screw and you’ll never have to worry about having to replace it again. Place the sharp, pointed jaw into the dimple and squeeze ever so gently. The end of the screw will flare enough to prevent it from falling out. The patient benefits and you save time and money.

See other models of this plier below. View all Screw Flaring Pliers

Here’s a quick security measure you can take to prevent screws from backing out of a hinge.

Gently flare the end of a screw and you’ll never have to worry about having to replace it again. Place the sharp, pointed jaw into the dimple and squeeze ever so gently. The end of the screw will flare enough to prevent it from falling out. The patient benefits and you save time and money.

See other models of this plier below. View all Screw Flaring Pliers

There are times when your fingers won’t get that darn screw into the barrel or nose pad box.

Not even a tweezer or Screw Starter will work. Use this plier for those times you need to forcibly insert a screw. Engineered to cradle the head and shaft of the screw so you can really hold on. Finely tapered angled jaws fit into tight spaces.

 See other models of this plier below. View all Chain / Snipe Nose Pliers

Do you have a screw stuck so tightly that any more pressure will strip the driver slot and create more problems?

Use a drop of this specially formulated screw loosening fluid on the head and base of the screw and allow it to sink in. The fluid is designed to flow between the threads to make it easier to break free. 6cc applicator.

See other options below, or view all Lab Supplies

Darn these small screws.

Are these screws getting smaller or do I need a stronger prescription? Aligning tiny nose pad and hinge screws, using your fingers, can be painful and frustrating. Then the balancing act begins as you reach for the driver to thread the screw into the hole. Too often the screw dislodges and drops into the great void of lost screws. The Screw Starter is tall and slender making it easy for you to insert the screw and start threading it into position. You won’t lose your screws or your marbles. 4 1/4” long.

Insider Info from Joshua

"I’m a big guy and I’ve got large fingers. Not large and gracefully slender but the chubby, stubby kind. Just watching me attempt to insert a nose pad screw into the nose pad box is a traumatic experience. I bought one of those short screw grabbers but using it still required me to place most of my hand inside the eyewear. The Screw Starter is our superior solution to a universally frustrating problem." 

So Little. So Fine. So helpful.

Squeeze to open. Insert Screw. Stop squeezing and let the tweezer hold the screw.

Delicate point is machined to hold screw head plus hardy stainless steel spring action holds the smallest screw securely. 5-1/2" long.

Hold on tight to those larger/longer screws!

Screws have come a long way from the simple 3 barrel or 5 barrel options. Today's larger and longer screws must be held more securely to prevent wiggling while trying to get them started in the barrel.

We've designed the #2055XL to hold the longer self-aligning and self-tapping screws tightly by holding the screw's head and grasping farther down on the threads.

Easy to use: Squeeze to open. Insert Screw. Stop squeezing and let the tweezer do the work. 5" long.

See other options below, or view all Screw and Nut Drivers and Holders 

The Swiss Army Knife of Opticians.

Western’s engineering solution that saves you time six ways: punches out hinge and eyewire screws, re-establishes a screwdriver slot in a damaged screw head, flares or peens the screw end and can replace a hinge screw with a QuikFix Rivet.

The Shootout arms you with the most power available in a hand tool. The patented lever mechanism takes a gentle squeeze and transforms it into the controlled power needed to easily eject broken screws and reduce damage to the barrel.

The Shootout is simple to align and comfortable to grip even for the smallest hands. Kit includes precision hand tool and complete set of punches and anvils. 8 5/8" long. US Patent #6,006,410.

Insider Info from Joshua

"The head tool buyer for a very large chain came to me one day at a trade show and asked what we had for punching out screws.  We had nothing.  For the remainder of the show I asked our clients if punching out screws was a 'thing'. Sure enough, it happens more often than I imagined. Building a better solution to what was available was the engineering challenge. Making it reliable and user friendly came after several evolutions. The additional features making it a 'multi-tool' came from customer input."

Leave Your Mark.

Western’s clever and elegant Lens Marking Plier, the solution to clearly marking safety lenses with your company's personalized initials.

The Shootout Lens Marking Plier easily allows you to position the embossing exactly where you want on the lens and only a gentle squeeze is needed to impress your initials. Comfortable to grip even for the smallest hands.

The patented lever mechanism in combination with the arrangement of the die and the lens stop makes it possible to emboss lenses up to 14.0mm thick. 

The Shootout Lens Marking Plier includes precision hand tool and custom die and lens stop. 8 5/8" long. US Patent #6,006,410.

Your marking die is custom fabricated. Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery. In the shopping cart comments box please indicate the initials you want (up to three letters and/or numbers/symbols). If you have questions please call 920-393-4472.

#2042LM Shootout Lens Marking Plier includes one custom die and lens stop

#2042D Shootout Lens Marking Custom Die (Maximum 3 letters)

#2042LS Shootout Lens Marking Lens Stop

** Due to the customization of this product, it is not returnable. Allow 4-6 weeks lead time. **

Mark...Set...Know!

Know at a glance if the eyewear you are servicing was actually purchased at your dispensary. Western’s clever and elegant Temple Marking Plier is the solution to clearly mark eyewear to identify your company. 

The Shootout Temple Marking Plier allows you to easily position an embossed symbol exactly where you want it on the temple or temple cover. Only a gentle squeeze is needed to make your mark.

The patented lever mechanism, in combination with the arrangement of the die and the temple stop, make it possible to emboss any plastic temple. 

The Shootout Temple Marking Plier includes the precision hand tool, symbol die and temple stop. 8 5/8" long. Symbol height approximately 3mm. US Patent #6,006,410.

#2042TM/DIAMOND Shootout Temple Marking Plier includes DIAMOND die and temple stop.

#2042TM/HEART Shootout Temple Marking Plier includes HEART die and temple stop.

#2042TM/STAR Shootout Temple Marking Plier includes STAR die and temple stop.

#2042TM/SUNBURST Shootout Temple Marking Plier includes SUNBURST die and temple stop.

...

#2042D/DIAMOND Shootout Temple Marking Symbol Die

#2042D/HEART Shootout Temple Marking Symbol Die

#2042D/STAR Shootout Temple Marking Symbol Die

#2042D/SUNBURST Shootout Temple Marking Symbol Die

#2042TS Shootout Temple Stop

Cutters for soft metals can be scaled down and have the advantage of being able to get into tighter spaces on a frame.

The head is tapered to a fine point. The smaller scale means, however, that the cutting edge is not appropriate for hard metals.

#3026V – Grey Vinyl Handle

#3026F – Green Foam Handle

See other models of this plier below. View all Side Cutting Pliers

Cutters for soft metals can be scaled down and have the advantage of being able to get into tighter spaces on a frame.

The head is tapered to a fine point. The smaller scale means, however, that the cutting edge is not appropriate for hard metals.

#2026V – Black Vinyl Handle

#2026F – Green Foam Handle

See other models of this plier below. View all Side Cutting Pliers

Size. Insert Screw. Tighten.

You need to mount a lens into the eyewire. Ideally when you’ve confirmed that the cut lens is the proper fit, you would simply screw closed the eyewire and be finished. More likely, you let go of the eyewire and the lens comes out. You preload the screw in a tweezer, reinsert the lens in the eyewire and hold the eyewire closed with your fingers. With your free hand, you pick up the tweezer and insert the screw into the barrel. Now, release the screw and pick up a screw driver, and attempt to get the screw threaded.  

Let us interest you in an easier way. Close the eyewire around the lens using this plier. Then, while still holding the plier, insert the screw into the top hollow anvil. Insert the screwdriver blade through the anvil and engage the screw slot. Tighten the screw. Remove driver. Remove plier. Done! 

Western’s parallel jaw design holds the eyewire closed more securely. This time saving plier reduces the possibility of damage to the frame by keeping the screwdriver tip from slipping off the screw head.

See other models of this plier below. View all Lens Pliers and Tools

Insider Info from Joshua

"You don’t usually hear foul language in a dispensary or lab. The most common exception is when a screw is dropped. Couple that with the grimace that comes with trying to squeeze an eyewire closed for a long period of time while reaching for the screwdriver. Not fun. With my fat fingers it was almost impossible and definitely not comfortable. That’s why I designed this plier. Honestly, it will take getting used to but worth the effort." 

Hold On. I Got You.

Buy this as a present for yourself. Start by extracting a screw a few turns then open up the jaws and grab the screw head. Keep turning and the driver will hold onto the screw. When it comes time to replace the screw in the hinge, eyewire or nose pad, the screw will be mounted in the driver making it super easy. Comes in two blade configurations. Sold separately. 4-7/8" long.

#2052 – Standard Spring Clamp Screwdriver Flat Blade – 1.5mm  

#2053 – Phillips Spring Clamp Screwdriver

Western Optical Tip

Hold. That. Open.

Stop frustrating yourself. This is the spring hinge mounting tool that really works. This simple to use tool set allows you to extend the spring hinge barrel and hold it in the extended position. The self-locking plier makes it easy to align the temple with the frame front and insert the hinge screw. Single handedly assemble those frustrating spring hinge frames in seconds.

This updated model allows you to safely and quickly open several types of spring hinges. Watch our demonstration video and be dazzled.

For added convenience use the Self-Closing Fine Tip Tweezer or the Screw Starter to easily start the screw in the barrel.

Insider Info from Joshua

"One of the many nice things about owning the factory is that I can make product improvements whenever I want. As eyewear styles change regularly in both fashion and hardware a tool’s design needs to stay current. That’s what occurred when the US Military contacted us with a problem. They had been using our Spring Hinge Plier for years and loved it. Yet, lately the spring hinges that were on their frames didn’t work with the original plier. They sent me a few samples and I made a change to the jaw of the plier so it would still work on the original hinge as well as the new style.  Time for an upgrade to Spring Hinge Plier Kit 2.0" 

What you need to get started on your road to success.

Western is offering three tool kits to complement various skill levels and environments. The Starter Tool Kit is for both beginning opticians and opticians on-the-go. It is an efficient selection of tools that will allow you to make a broad range of adjustments and repairs.

The Office Tool Kit and the Pro Tool Kit are for offices and expand on the variety of adjustments and repairs. The tools also correspond to a wider selection of eyewear styles allowing for a greater manipulation of eyewear. The Pro Tool kit features parallel jaw pliers for more sophisticated eyewear adjustments.

2069 – PD³ Multi-Rule  
3009F – Budgetool Wide Jaw Angling Plier  
3012F – Budgetool Combination Round Chain Nose / Delrin Jaw Plier  
3015F – Budgetool Double Delrin Jaw Plier  
3024F – Budgetool Oblique Head Cutting Plier  
3030F – Budgetool Nose Pad Adjusting Plier  
3040F – Budgetool Long Chain Nose Plier  
5075 – Universal Nut Grabber – Office Model  
2046PF – Driveshaft With Phillips / Flat Driver Blade  
2084 – Temple Tamer 

2172 – FREE Canvas Tool Pouch! 

View all of Western Optical's Tool Kits

Insider Info from Joshua

"For years I resisted offering a preset collection of tools. Now I understand how vast our product line has become and I’m happy to lend a hand in selecting a basic set of tools to kick off your dispensary. I tried to select the most popular and necessary items so you will be prepared on day one of your enterprise to successfully serve your patients. As your business grows, I hope you will remember Western Optical Supply when you need to add to your collection of dispensing equipment." 

The Driver That Adjusts To You.

Stop pointing your elbow skyward when turning a screw. The most comfortable driver ever! Designed so your arm can be in a more natural position by having the driver head swivel and pivot to always fit securely in the palm of your hand. Ergonomic design eliminates wrist and elbow fatigue. Blades are held in place with a magnet for easy switching. Steel and brass construction. Uses standard replacement driver blades. Includes standard screwdriver blade. 4-5/8" long. US Patent #6,145,982.

Western Optical Tip

Insider Info from Joshua

"I was at a lab inserting lenses into metal frames when I found that I am not as young as I used to be (surprise!). My arm was aching from having to keep it raised when using a screwdriver. To be able to lower my elbow, something on the driver would have to adjust to my angle. A day at a lathe and the Stealth was born."

Stick-On Silicone Symmetrical Nose Pads

Packaged in 10 pairs per pack.

Standard Thickness:  1.8mm

#2220/10 – 15mm, 1.8mm $14.95
#2224/10 – 17mm, 1.8mm $14.95
#2228/10 – 19mm, 1.8mm $14.95

See other options below, or view all Nose Pads and Tubing

Slender. Solid.

If you like your drivers to be tall and slender yet solid in your hand, then we made this driver for you. All steel construction with a stationary cap rotating on ball bearings, yields a smooth silky feel. A high power magnet holds the blade securely in place for quick blade changes. Includes a standard screwdriver blade. 3-3/4" long.

See other options below, or view all Screw and Nut Drivers and Holders 

Western Optical Tip