Of course, eventually, my husband bought me my own tools, and while they were much better than the clunky things I was using before, they still weren't "it" yet. Again, it took awhile, but eventually, I started collecting tools from here and there (shows, bead shops, catalogs) that were made for jewelry making, and - boy - what a difference!
I would say the major difference for me when it comes to finding tools I really like is the size. So many hand-tools tend to be too large for me to handle comfortably, even some of the top-end brands made for jewelry making. So, I as very pleased when I discovered these needle nose pliers from Luxe Jewels (under their tools section). They are not that pricey, just $12 U.S., but I found them very comfortable to use. Another plus is the spring in the handle. Springs like this always make a big difference to me. Now, I would actually refer to these as flat-nosed or chain-nosed verus needle because I've just seen needle-nosed pliers with narrower noses before, but call them whatever you want. I liked them.
Of course, if you can handle the larger tools, then these might not be for you, but if you tend to feel more comfortable with smaller pliers, then you may want to check out the tools available at Luxe Jewels. Oh, and you don't have to join them to be able to purchase any of their products.
