How are Pliers used in Jewelry Making?

Pliers are essentials for gripping, bending, and shaping metal and wires. Pliers should be constructed of stainless steel with rubber coated handles for comfort. They should be smooth jawed and hinged with box joints. There are numerous types of pliers, but the main ones needed are: round nose, flat nose, chain nose, flat and half round, and parallel.

• Round nose pliers have two round jaws that taper to a point. They are excellent for gripping and bending wire into round shapes. They also come with extra long jaws for better leverage in gripping. Shorter jaws are an excellent starter pair. Amazon and Rio Grande have round nose pliers. Rio Grande also has the ones with the longer jaws.

• Flat nose pliers have flat jaws that slope to a blunt, straight end. They are excellent for shaping and bending flat metal and wire. Amazon and Rio Grande have flat nose pliers for sale on their websites.

• Chain nose pliers have jaws that are round on the outside and flat on the inside and taper to a point. They are great for manipulating metal in tight areas. Amazon has an ergonomically designed pair with thicker handles for added comfort. Rio Grande also sells them on their website.

• Flat and half round pliers have one jaw that's round on the inside and one jaw that's flat on the inside with both being flat on the outside. They are helpful with rounding wire and metal, for instance, into rings. Amazon and Rio Grande sell flat and half round pliers on their websites.

• Parallel pliers have jaw that are flat on the inside and always open parallel to each other. They are excellent for hold wire or metal securely at one end while it's being worked on at the other end. The jaws have no springs (unlike the other pliers listed above) and remain stationary when released. They are to be tough and durable so spend a bit more for the better quality. Amazon and Rio Grande have the pliers available on their websites.