Heidi52974

Which type of tools work best for this? I don't want to damage my wire. Thanks!

envyjewels

I have a set similar to this . You don't have to go quite so expensive, but I will say that mine are 4yrs old and still look and work great! A quality cutter is very important, you can go a little cheaper on the pliers. I like having round nose, chain nose and flat nose pliers and use all three for most projects. Some people like having the bent nose, or even two of the chain nose...I guess it is a preference.

You can also get a special dip that coats the end of your pliers making it so they don't mark the wire, but I've heard mixed reviews. It's really all about learning the right pressure to manipulate the wire without marring it. Also, the temper of the silver makes a difference. I like half hard for small gauges like 30g-20g but anything larger, I use dead soft.

hth, happy shopping!

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merehawk

Hello. I also have the lindstrom pliers. They are quite expensive, but if you plan to make a lot of jewelry they are well worth the price. I didn't realize how much difference really good quality tools would make until I got them.

About not marking up your wire, my best advise is to use the best qualiity tools you can afford and practice on copper or brass craft wire to perfect your technique. Only use enough pressure to securely hold the wire. My biggest hurdle was to stop have a "death grip" on the pliers.

I usually round nose, two pair of chain nose, and flush cutters.

Hope this helps.
Gina

Heidi52974

Thank you ladies! I have been practicing on cheaper silver plated wire for a while and I am feeling pretty confident with my technique. I just ordered some sterling silver and wanted to make sure I use good tools for it. I'd rather invest in good tools now, then end up buying new ones every year.

kimber

ah fun times..I hate it when I mangle wire.
I was using 5 inch flat nose pliers with rubber jaw , which were incredible but they wore pretty fast for me..I was pretty rough on them though (in their defense)
they did make a world of diffrence though. Good luck !