Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip for
November 9, 2010

Question:

In your Rings Series Disc 5, you are using 3 step square pliers. Where do you get these? I would like to use them for the 2mm prongs, they do not come out quite even.

-Rex in Lakewood, Colorado

Answer:

Good News Rex! The 3-Step Flat Pliers I use are really difficult to find; however, Wire-Sculpture has answered my (and all of your) requests, and we now have them!! I love using these pliers when I am forming any size wire bundle to frame any stone that has a really sharp angle (especially for thick frames).

Without any graduation, the jaws make perfect angles across the entire bundle. They are also very useful when making prongs, as each prong will be the exact same length as the others in your design, like a prong ring or a prong frame. These pliers are awesome!

Note: The 3-Step Square Pliers are currently being manufactured; we expect to be shipping them the week of Nov. 22. Click here to preorder your 3-Step Square Pliers (and save 15% and get free shipping through Nov. 12!)

Answer contributed by Dale “Cougar” Armstrong

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Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip for
September 19, 2010

Question:

I have some tiny nicks on my wire cutters. What can I use to remove the nicks and not ruin the cutters?

-Gayle in Maycomb, Illinois

Answer:

The nicks in your cutters are more than likely from cutting material harder than the cutters were designed to be used on.

If the blades on your cutters were to be filed down to remove the nicks, the blades would be smaller and not meet properly thus not working as you want. My advice here is to put them in to the kitchen junk drawer, and never again use your good cutters for anything other than precious metal wire!

Answer contributed by Dale “Cougar” Armstrong

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Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip
October 29, 2009

Question:

What types of pliers and other materials are needed for a beginner to get started making wire jewelry?

Answer:

The supplies needed to begin making wire jewelry depend on what ‘style’ the student is interested in learning to do. What I call ‘the basic four’ tools include flat-nose, chain-nose and round-nose pliers, and a good pair of wire cutters, are essential for about all styles, with the exception of chain maille where two pair of chain-nose are helpful and flats are optional. A good way to determine what gauges and shapes of wire are needed would be to look at patterns for the style you are interested in learning and follow what the author/designer uses, as each pattern was developed using certain techniques and each choice a designer made is for a specific reason. If you are interested in one particular style you will begin to notice similarities in the materials used. This will give you a good idea of what supplies you would need for whatever style you choose to learn.

Answer contributed by Dale “Cougar” Armstrong

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Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip
September 24, 2009

Question:

How do I use bail making pliers?

Answer:

Bail making pliers are simply pliers whose jaws are cylindrical in shape and usually two different and ungraduated sizes. Although they can be used in many situations that require the bending of wire in a curved shape, they are titled ‘Bail’ making because a lot of folks use them to form the main bend, consistently on one or several wires at one time, when forming a bail at the top of a pendant.

Answer contributed by Dale “Cougar” Armstrong