Hi Marlo,
 
Yep, if you're going to do micro work, you need micro instruments, for sure.
I do lots of micro work, both at home (shells) and at work.  Tweezers (or
forceps, as the pros usually call them) come in more sizes and configurations
then you can imagine.  Some of them have extremely fine, sharp tips that will
enable you to handle the smallest shell or operculum easily.  (Don't drop them
- the tips are easily damaged, and if they land on your leg - YOW! - I speak
from experience!)  I couldn't work without them.  (An aside - I recently I got
an e-mail from a collector I had sent a shell to a few months ago - a 6 mm
Nassarius.  He finally had bought a microscope, and just e-mailed me to say he
was shocked when he put the shell under the scope and found an operculum
mounted on cotton. hehe)
For picking off microencrustations, my favorite tool is hypodermic needles,
mounted on a small syringe, which makes a dandy handle.  I realize however
that these are not readily available to many folks (not legally anyway).
Ordinary sewing needles work quite well, but are a bit hard to hold, unless
you can rig some kind of handle for them.  Another possibility is to take a
dental tool (or better, a cheap dissection needle) and hone it down to a finer
point with a fine honing stone.  An electric knife sharpener may be helpful in
such honing.  I usually hold a shell in place with fine forceps with one hand
while picking with the other hand, but double-sided tape, such as used for
holding down edges of carpets, can be used to hold a shell in place.  I'd only
use it for sturdy specimens though.  Too much chance of breaking a fragile one
while trying to remove it from the tape.
I have many catalogs listing instruments one else does so first.
 
Paul M.