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I'll repost this over here as it should be helpful to someone.
I use a lot of different tools for working with PE (and not all of them are pictured.)
The first thing I'll normally do is clean/etch the frets in a short bath in acetic acid or peracetic acid.
For removing PE from the fret, I'll either use a #10 blade in a rolling or pulling motion (pressing down can bend the PE) or I'll use Xuron's photo etch scissors (9180ET.) I'll clean the part up using the scissors, Tamiya's diamond file, and sandpaper. I'll usually give the parts a quick bath in denatured alcohol to clean them afterwards.
I'll bend the parts using a bending jig, a steel ruler and blade, or bending pliers. For bending curves, I'll usually anneal the part using a lighter to make it easier. You don't want to anneal straight bends.
For attaching parts, I'll use medium or thick CA to tack the part to the surface and then use the CA applicator to flow thin CA around the part like what you would do with extra thin cement. I use microcentrifuge tubes to hold a drop of thin CA for the duration of the work session and throw them out afterwards. I have a variety of tweezers to attach parts (including poor man's watch and electronics tweezers) and I'll also use a wet toothpick to attach parts that are too small to use tweezers on.
