Supplies: Pliers
There are three reasons I can think of off the top of my head that you will need pliers. First and most important, to attach the earwires to the earring. Second – to break unwanted beads that have been strung. Third – to help pull a needle through a tight spot.
I recommend that you get a good set of jeweler’s hand tools. Remember when purchasing them that you get what you pay for. The prices range from about $13.00 for a 5-piece economy pliers set to $160.00 for a 4-piece professional jewelry makers tool set. I have been using an economy set for about 10 years, and they are quite adequate for me. These are some of the most common tools you will find in sets:
Chain nose pliers, which are a very versatile tool.If you don’t have a lot of money to spare, get the best one of these that you can afford, and wait to get the other tools. This is really the only tool that you will need to make our earrings. Chain nosed pliers are rounded on the outside and have a flat smooth surface on the inside. They taper to a point, so they work great for getting into small places. They can be used for the three tasks listed above and also to open and close split rings and squeeze chain links down to a smaller size.
Flat nose pliers have a rectangular jaw and the edges are square. I use these a lot to hold a split ring while opening and closing it with the chain nose pliers. They are also good to have when I bend wire at a right angle and for pinching and prodding a contrary beading wire tail. We won’t be using beading wire for our earrings, just beading thread.
Round nose pliers are just that – round. The tips are shaped like long, small cones. They are used to form a loop on the end of a wire, make figure eights, make “S” curves, and create spirals.
Flush cutters are useful for cutting wire as well as well as trimming headpins and eyepins.
Side cutting pliers were also included in my tool set, as you can see in the photo above.
