Jewellery Making Tools - Choosing What You Need

If you're new to jewellery making, the idea of choosing specialist beading tools can be daunting. Should you use serrated pliers or non-serrated? Are mini pliers as good as larger ones? Do combination pliers do everything that all the other pliers do? Help!

But there's no need to be overwhelmed if you'd like to make your own jewellery. It only takes one or two tools to get started, and you only need to invest in more if you get more serious about your beadcraft.

Here we present our "jewellery making for beginners" guide to some of the most popular jewellery tools. We'll try and help you make an informed choice about which tools are right for your jewellery making projects - then you can get on with the fun part!

What to look for in your jewellery tools

Since jewellery work can be quite fiddly and time consuming, it's important to think about comfort. You'll probably be doing a lot of squeezing, which can put a lot of strain on your hands and wrists.

So when it comes to the tool you'll be using most - jewellery pliers - there are a couple of things to look for. Comfortable handles make a huge difference, so go for cushioned ones - the softer the better. And if you can find them, some pliers have a built-in spring so they automatically spring back open after squeezing (like these Round Nose Pliers). Not having to manually reopen the jaws means you only have to operate the pliers half as much, reducing hand fatigue.

Now let's look at the tools...

The most popular jewellery making tools

Round Nose Pliers

Round nose pliers have rounded jaws which taper to a narrow point. They are best for bending wire into smooth curves, loops and coils. They are particularly good for making earrings, adding charms to bracelets and creating wire jump rings. These are among the most popular pliers for jewellery makers.

Flat Nose Serrated Pliers

Flat nose pliers can be used for almost every other jewellery making job. They are great for closing up jump rings and chain links, as well as holding things in place while you work. The serrated type have roughened surfaces which are great for giving you a really strong grip. The only drawback is that the serrated edge can mark some surfaces.

Flat Nose Non-Serrated Pliers

These have a smooth surface which means that while they don't grip quite as well as the serrated pliers, they won't scratch any of your materials. Important if you're working with delicate items like glass beads. These pliers are great for crimping (pinching) crimp beads and also for bending angular shapes into jewellery wire.

Combination Pliers

Combination pliers are half round and half flat, and some can also be used as wire cutters. If you don't want to invest in too many tools to start with, combination pliers are the way to go. With these multipurpose pliers, you can use the rounded tips for bending wire and the flat part of the jaws for gripping and squeezing. They won't give you quite the same degree of precision as individual pliers, but they are a great place to start.

Mini Pliers

Sets of mini pliers contain miniature versions of a few different pliers (like this mini pliers set with round nose pliers, flat nose pliers and wire cutters), and are designed to save space and be easily portable. They do exactly the same job as their bigger counterparts, though being smaller, with smaller jaws, they don't give you quite the same leverage - won't grip as firmly etc. If you find it hard to work with smaller tools you may find them a bit fiddly, but if that isn't a problem and you want tools that offer good value for money and pack away neatly, these will do the trick.

Wire Cutters / Side Cutters (Side Cutter Pliers)

Wire cutters, or side cutters, have sharp jaws that will help you snip jewellery chain and softer beading wire (nylon-coated and metal) to size. You can use them on jewellery findings, like eyepins and head pins, to snip off any excess and leave you with a nice neat finish, and they can also be used to cut shapes out of sheet metal.

Other helpful tools

There are a couple of other bits and bobs that will make life a lot easier once you get into your jewellery making. If you are thinking of threading necklaces or bracelets, a bead board will help you map out your designs before you start threading so you avoid mistakes. There's nothing more annoying than having to unthread loads of beads because you've strayed from your original vision by a single misplaced bead!

For bead storage, there are lots of bead organisers and containers available in different shapes and sizes - a good idea if you plan on keeping a healthy stock of beads and other jewellery making supplies.

And cushioned bead mats are great for keeping your beads safe and sound while you work, and stopping them rolling away - solving one of those niggly problems encountered by beaders everywhere.

A final thought

As you get more involved, there are lots of specialist tools to perform all kinds of specific tasks. But when you're making your first forays into jewellery making, the best thing to do is keep it simple. All you really need can be summed up in 8 words...

A pair of pliers, some beads and wires!

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Jewellery Making Tools - Choosing What You Need

What to look for in your jewellery tools