Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip for
September 13, 2011

Question:

Hi, I have been wire wrapping for about 3 years, love it, but I have been purchasing low to medium priced tools that need replacing quite often. Can you recommend a set of tools that are good, but won’t break the bank? Thank you.

-Julie in Canton, Ohio

Answer:

Hey Julie, thanks so much for asking this question! I have written a lot of tips with regards to tools, but your situation is the perfect example of something I tell folks all the time: "The quality of your work is reflected in the quality of your tools," and how you work with them. Depending on the style of wire wrapping you execute most often (chain maille, traditional, coiling, sculpting, etc) your most important tools may be different from those I use, however you can apply my answer to any tools!!

You state that you have been using "medium-priced" tools that often need replacing. My question is, how many times do you have to replace a certain tool and at what cost? Example: if a pair of flat nose pliers presently costs $12 and you have to replace it twice a year, after 2 years (and $48) you could have purchased a single pair of Swanstrom flats (retail $42, Gold Club $31.46)! Seriously, purchased in 1993 for around $28, I have been continuously using the same pair of Swanstrom flats for 18 years and they are still as good as new! (And like everything else, look how much their price has risen.) That’s another positive point, prices are NOT going down, ever! Invest in good tools in the same manner as you invest in the beads and gemstones that you use in your jewelry designs. They (and you) are worth it!!

OK, now that I’ve had my little rant I would like to direct you to a recent tip where we spoke of tools and brands, Lindstrom or Swanstrom that might help you further with your decision. Work smarter, not harder and save both your body and your wallet some stress. Explore Wire-Sculpture’s tools section as well as our sister site, JewelryTools.com, for some tools that will work for you.

Answer contributed by Dale "Cougar" Armstrong

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Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip for
August 4, 2011

Question:

Dale, I’ve read your posts and articles about tools and have a question. I noticed you recommend the Swanstrom brand of pliers and am wondering what the difference and benefits are as opposed to Lindstrom. My husband bought me an entire set of Lindstrom pliers for Christmas one year and I love them. Are Swanstrom pliers better quality/comfort-wise than Lindstrom?

-Traci in Palmer, Alaska

Answer:

Hi Traci, tools really are a personal preference, depending on the style of wire jewelry you want to make. I know a lot of folks who have only used Lindstrom tools for creating wire jewelry using mostly round wire in a variety of gauges. These same people have tried Swanstrom when making wire pieces using square and half round wire and now own both brands! They still prefer Lindstrom for their round wire but enjoy the benefits and ease of using Swanstrom for square wire designs.

The reason is that when you most often use square and half-round wire, you need a perfect pair of flat nose pliers. In my opinion, flat nose pliers need to have very smooth jaws, and need to be perfectly flat and square, as well as have a gentle graduation from about 1mm to 3mm as the jaw forms from the tip toward the handle. The width across the tip of flat nose pliers should be no wider than 3mm. When making a hook at the end of a piece of either square or half-round wire (that is meant to begin a wrap across a square wire bundle of 2 or more wires) the hook needs to be as close to the size of the width of the bundle as possible. In this way, the hook will not slip when beginning the wrap. When wrap wire is bent over the jaw of flat nose pliers, it should be perfectly straight, and not have even the subtlest hint of a curve. This feature will also help a single or segments of wraps slip while you are working, or after the project is done. If you look at the sides of both brand named flat nose pliers, you will notice that the Swanstrom flats are perfectly square, smooth and flat while the Lindstrom flats have a duck shaped jaw with a divot in the side.

Lindstrom Flat Nose Pliers

Now although both brands of tools are a bit pricey, I firmly believe that having one good pair of flat nose pliers is imperative to executing great traditional wire jewelry techniques (using a majority of square and half-round wire). As a wire jewelry instructor for more than 16 years, I have seen many students struggle in my classroom with what I would consider the wrong tool for the job. It doesn’t matter how expensive the tool is, but it must do what you choose it to do! I then loaned these students what I consider a good tool for the job and the difference was amazing!

Dale’s frequently-used flat nose pliers (Swanstrom pair is in the middle)

As you can see in the photo, I personally use a LOT of different pliers, including 5 different flat nose styles. Traci, I do appreciate your question and I guess my summary would be to use whichever brand that suits you, for the specific job at hand!

How about my fellow wire jewelry artists? Will you share your favorite tool with us, and why it’s your favorite? (This could be fun-Thanks!!)

Answer contributed by Dale "Cougar" Armstrong

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Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip for
September 1, 2010

Question:

I would like to know what tip width on flat nose pliers you prefer. I have been using a 6mm, but it seems a little wide for some projects.

-Sonia in Salisbury, North Carolina

Answer:

Yes, flat nose pliers with a tip width of 6mm would be great for working on specific projects using a bundle made of 18-gauge wire and larger. As you are asking me what I prefer, my favorite flat nose pliers are the Swanstrom flats.

Swanstrom Flat Nose Pliers

The width across the tip is 3mm and the thickness of the jaw’s very tip is less than 1mm. This makes them the perfect choice for traditional wirework; wide enough to push up to 14-gauge square wire, yet small enough to work in little areas like rings. The tip’s thickness is about the same as that of a 22-gauge wire, making it the perfect choice when wrapping a bundle of like width.

I also like the long handles, allowing the tool to do more of the work for me, thus saving my hands. Thanks for asking!

Answer contributed by Dale “Cougar” Armstrong

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