Wire Twisting Forceps, Self-Locking, 14 to 18 cm

What automatic wire twisting forceps are

Automatic wire twisting forceps do one job: they take hold of the two ends of a surgical wire and keep hold of them while the wire is twisted. The word automatic here means the lock. Close the rings and the ratchet engages by itself, so the jaws stay shut on the wire without any squeeze from the hand. What is left for the hand is the turning, which is the part that tightens the loop.

Google AI Mode, read on 4 November 2026, gives the automatic wire twister and the self-locking wire twisting needle holder as other names. It describes forceps made to clamp, loop and evenly twist stainless steel cerclage wires, K-wires or pins, and it names orthopedic fracture fixation, maxillofacial intermaxillary fixation and closure after sternotomy as the cases.

Gemini, read the same day, adds the self locking wire twisting forceps and automatic wire twisting pliers as catalog names, and places them in oral and maxillofacial, orthopedic and trauma surgery on cerclage wires, arch bar ligatures and bone fixation wires. Buyers also type wire holding forceps, and the orthopedic wire twister for the bone work.

Key design features

A ratchet that locks itself

Our photograph of the automatic wire twisting forceps shows ring handles with a ratchet between them. The ratchet catches as the rings close, so the jaws lock on the wire ends the moment they are squeezed shut. That frees the fingers to turn the instrument, and the wire cannot slip out halfway through the twist. A further squeeze on the rings lets the ratchet go.

Narrow jaws

The tip drawings on our listing show narrow jaws closing to a point. A narrow tip takes the two wire ends close together, and close to the bone, so the twist starts where it should. That matters on a cerclage loop, where a twist that starts high leaves the loop slack under it.

Four lengths, one price

The listing sells this pattern in 14, 15, 16 and 18 cm, at 40 dollars each. The 14 and 15 cm suit the mouth and small bones of the face and hand. The 16 and 18 cm reach further into a deep wound, and give a longer lever for the thicker wires of long bone cerclage. Our listing photograph carries tip drawings for the 15, 16 and 18 cm. A tray that sees both jaw and limb work can carry a short and a long one side by side.

Working the twist

Lock the ends a short way above the bone and draw them up so the loop is snug. Turn the forceps in small steps while keeping a light, steady pull, and stop when the loop is tight and the twist lies down. Unlock, trim the ends with a wire cutter, and bend the cut end in so it does not catch.

Which length to order

Four lengths at one price, read off the variations on 4 November 2026. The guide below is ours, by reach and the wire it is meant for.

Where it is used

AI Mode and Gemini, read on 4 November 2026, name these cases. The length on the right is our own guide.

What it does, and what it must not do

The automatic wire twisting forceps lock on wire and twist it. They do not cut, and they are not made to drive or pull pins.

How it compares with the rest of the family

Seven wire, bone and scalp forceps make up this part of the maxillofacial range on our site. The working ends are read off each listing’s own photograph, the options off the variations, the lengths off the name and the item code, and the prices off the order form, on 4 November 2026.

Materials and finish

Every automatic wire twisting forceps we make is formed from high quality medical grade stainless steel. The steel itself is made to a German specification. We do not publish a grade number.

The finish is plain steel. On automatic wire twisting forceps, look at the jaw tips and the ratchet teeth before each case. A tip that no longer meets lets thin wire slip, and a worn ratchet will not hold the lock under the pull of a twist. A quick test on the tray tells you: close the jaws on a short length of spare wire, lock them, and tug. If the wire pulls free, set that length aside.

Caring for it

Rinse the automatic wire twisting forceps straight after the case, before blood dries in the joint and the ratchet. Open the jaws, brush the jaws, the joint and the ratchet teeth, and wash it with the joint open. Dry it well, oil the joint with instrument lubricant, and steam sterilize it on the normal cycle with the ratchet unlocked. Store the four lengths apart so the tips are not knocked.

Ordering and wholesale

The automatic wire twisting forceps is made by Adas Instruments in our own workshop and sold direct, which is why the price sits where it does against the catalog houses. Order one for a single tray, or in quantity for a hospital list or a distributor line. We do OEM work under your own brand and your own item numbers. Send us a sample and we will hold a run to your pattern rather than ours. Stock items ship from our own workshop. Backorder items take 10 to 12 working days to make. Every instrument carries a three year replacement warranty against manufacturing defects. Production is controlled under an ISO 13485 quality management system.

Frequently asked questions

What are self-locking wire twisting forceps used for?

They lock on the two ends of a fixation wire and twist them until the loop is tight. AI Mode names orthopedic fracture fixation, intermaxillary fixation of the jaws and closure after sternotomy. Ours come in 14, 15, 16 and 18 cm, at 40 dollars each.

Why are they called automatic?

Because of the lock. The ratchet between the rings catches as the jaws close, so the wire is held without the hand squeezing. AI Mode gives the automatic wire twister as another name in its first sentence. The twisting itself is still done by turning the forceps.

Which length of the self-locking forceps should I order?

Pick by reach. The 14 and 15 cm suit wires in the mouth and the small bones of the hand and face. The 16 and 18 cm reach deeper and give more lever for thicker cerclage wire. All four are 40 dollars.

Are self-locking forceps the same as wire holding forceps?

They do the same first half of the job, which is to hold wire firmly. Buyers type wire holding forceps for this kind of instrument. These forceps then go on to twist the wire, which a plain holder is not built for, because the lock has to stay shut while the whole instrument is turned round several times under a pull.

Can it be autoclaved?

Yes. The automatic wire twisting forceps are stainless steel with no coating, and they go through the normal steam cycle with the rest of the tray. Clean it with the joint open, oil the joint, and sterilize it with the ratchet unlocked so the joint is not held under load.

Related products and categories

Three more forceps from the same tray: the Baumgartner sternal wire twisting forceps, the Obwegeser wire loop forceps and the Tessier bone contouring forceps. The rest of the range is under maxillofacial instruments, which sits inside our ENT instruments.