Love Affair with Pliers
I love my bent nosed pliers. You may have noticed that in many of my wire projects I give the option to use flat nosed pliers or bent nosed pliers. You can basically work with either type for most of my projects. However, if you get a chance to try the bent nosed, I highly recommend trying them out. The bent nosed pliers have a number of advantages to flat nosed.
We’ve been discussing the use of these pliers
on a thread in the
Jewelry Making Forum, and here are some of the reasons jewelry makers posted that they like their bent nosed pliers:
They feel more like using your fingers than flat nosed pliers.
They are great for tucking in ends of wire in a piece of jewelry.
They are more comfortable to use because they keep your elbows from sticking out.
They are extra helpful when wrapping wire around itself.
Available in both a large and smaller size, bent nose pliers can be purchased from most bead stores and jewelry suppliers. I like to use the larger size when I have thick wire, such as 18 gauge. They are also helpful when flattening thick wire or closing jump rings.
The smaller pliers have a narrower nose, so I find they work best with thinner wire (such as 21-26 gauge). They are also handy when working in a small area such as when wrapping wire between beads.
The choice of tools is often a matter of personal choice, so which do you prefer? Vote in our forum poll
"Bent vs. Flat Nosed Pliers."
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All graphics created by Tammy Powley.
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