Every jewelry maker should have a few basic tools to help create gorgeous pieces. Here are the four basic tools you need to get you started in jewelry making:
needle-nose pliers, bent-nose pliers, round-nose pliers, and wire cutters. They will be discussed in the next few Wednesday Tip of the Day.

Let’s look at needle-nose pliers first. They are also sometimes called chain-nose pliers, but no matter what they’re called, they all look pretty similar: smooth jaws, tapered tips and rubber grips. Needle-nose pliers are used to open and close jump rings, make right angles in metal wire, and to flatten crimp beads. They’re also excellent for holding small pieces of wire when you’re doing wire-wrapping.

It’s important to find a pair with smooth inside tips. This keeps your wire from getting funny lines or indentations on them. It’s not necessary, but purchasing a pair of pliers with double leaf springs (the two funny metal pieces protruding at the top of the inside of the handles) allow you to open and close your pliers smoothly and easily. Those two little leaf springs make a world of difference when you’re trying to hold a delicate piece of wire and accidentally apply more pressure than necessary.

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