The basic pliers have been introduced and should work for almost all of your beading needs. There are several factors to consider when deciding which pliers to use: 1) Comfort of use; 2) The specific project you're working on; 3) Tip Size; 4) Spring/ no spring; 5) Jaw Length. The two most decisive factors in determining plier choice are: 1) The project you are workong on, and 2) Comfot of use. You want to pick up and manipulate pliers to see how they feel in your hand before you purchase them. This is important as comfort is key. Too short a handle, or some other feature, may determine whehter a plier is right or wrong for your hand. Pliers are available with many different tip sizes. Pliers with slim tips should be used when working with fine or delicate materials. If your material is thicker or stronger, it is important to use a plier with a wider, thicker jaw. Slim tips can be easily damaged by using them on a material that is too heavy or thick. Some pliers seem "automatic." Thse pliers have a spring mechanism whereby when you squeeze them closed, then release your grip, they automatically return to the open position. These are comfortable and easy to work with. The purpose of using spring pliers is that they ease the tension on the hand by eliminating the need to manually manipulate them. Spring or no spring is a matter of personal preference, however, spring or tension pliers seem to cause less ratigue on the hand and fingers. Short Jaw Vs. Long Jaw -- Shorter, wider jaws are stronger and best used for fine work using the tip of the plier. At the same time, they are suitable for bending thicker wire. They also have more taper per millimeter than long jaw pliers. Long jaw pliers normally have longer handles that gtive you more leverage. their length, however, can cause them to be more easily damaged as they do not have the strength of short jaw pliers. Stainless steel pliers are probably the number one choice for use in beading. They are resistant to rust and reasonably priced. Some sharpening of the jaws may be required, as they can and do nick with use over time.This is a basic introduction to pliers and tools. You will find in seeking tools that there are many, many styles and sizes of pliers on the market. We reccomend starting with the basic tools mentioned above, and graduate to other types as you advance in your beading skills.
Rollover to Zoom