Introduction Nanoscale characterization of biological materials continues to be a challenge in the fi elds of mechanics and material testing. One example of this type of research is the characterization of the mechanical properties of spider silks. Such silks have an astounding strength- to-weight ratio that has attracted the interest of a number of communities, ranging from medical to military. Complexities associated with spider silk research include the small and hard-to-measure diameter of the silks, diffi culties harvesting and gripping the samples, and the ability to obtain meaningful quasi-static results over large strain ranges as well as to measure various dynamic characteristics.