Jewelry Blog

>Six Most Useful Jewelry Making Tools

1. Chain nose pliers
These are used to do flat crimping, their tapered jaws allow access to narrow spots. Also useful to hold the jewelry piece when doing wire-turning. They must NOT contain teeth.

2. Round nose pliers
These are used to make wire loops. The size of the loops depends on the position along the tapered jaws when turning the wire. Your loops will not work out if you try and make do with just chain nose pliers – I did that when I first started and learnt the hard way.

3. Flush cutter
Sometimes called nippers, these cutters allow you to cut thin wire or thread as close as possible. Electricians use this tool so check electrical supply stores if you are not near a craft or jewelry making shop. To save money for the first little while, you can substitute with a toenail clipper which does the same thing for most situations but it’s curved cutting edges are trickier to manage. You’ll not regret buying a flush cutter. Do not use this cutter on memory wire – just use regular wire cutters instead.

4, Crimping Pliers
These are alternatives to making flat crimps with chain nose pliers. This is a two-step operation These pliers first apply the crimp tube to the beading wires and then reform it into a rounded tube again. Just to be sure, reposition the pliers again and redo the reforming step a second time, or if you’re paranoid like me, a third time.

5. Nylon Jaw Pliers
No one is perfect. Wire doesn’t always bend to your will. Straighten it again by gripping one end of the wire and stroking the rest of it a few times between the soft jaws of these pliers. A real wire saver when you are working with more expensive metals like sterling silver and gold.

6. Split Ring Pliers
Split rings (looks like key rings except way smaller) are much more secure than just a plain jump ring which can accidentally open. However, trying to open split rings ruins your nails and could expose your children to cuss words they shouldn’t hear. These pliers do a wonderful job of keeping the beginning of a split ring open whilst you slide something on it. Just apply the hook end in between the double ring to start.

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