6 Best Jewellery Pliers And Their Uses
Jewellery making is such an enjoyable hobby, but it might not be worth doing if you don’t have the right tools. Even though there are many different kinds of jewellery making tools out there, the jewellery pliers are an essential tool you need to have in your tool kit.
But with the broad range of jewellery pliers on the market, you should know which is the best one to choose that can manipulate metal wire and other materials. This is no surprise considering jewellery pliers come in all shapes, sizes and materials. This is made worse because some are better than others, depending on the work you intend to do. Therefore, let’s take a look at the best jewellery pliers and their uses to help you work efficiently.
1. Parallel Jaw Jewellery Pliers
When dealing with delicate jewellery pieces, you want to make sure the tools you’re using don’t damage them. The best way to do this is to use pliers with a parallel jaw, as they distribute the force over a larger surface area than scissor-style pliers, reducing the chance of you damaging your jewellery. Maun’s jewellery making pliers are the most popular parallel-jaw type pliers.
Using the parallel jewellery pliers, you can achieve consistency and uniformity and this especially comes in handy when doing small scale batch production or repeat work. This pliers with its reliable and classic design comes in different variations and are a great addition to your jewellery tool collection.
2. Round Nose Pliers
The round nose pliers are the most common type of pliers available today that you should check out from the wide range of options available. These pliers are referred to as round nose because of their shape, allowing them to get into small spaces without damaging the jewellery, the metal, or the stones attached to them. It’s also known as chain nose jewellery pliers because of its ability to grip onto chains more efficiently than other types of pliers.
The round nose pliers are generally used in jewellery making, but they can also be used in crafts and hobbies outside of the jewellery world. This type of plier is commonly used to make loops and circles, so they’re sometimes called looping or bending pliers. Moreover, these pliers are very easy to use because all you need to do is open up the jaws and place the material between them, close them around the material, and squeeze down on it. The material will bend where you want it to bend to form a loop or circle.
3. Side Cutter Pliers
Side cutters are another handy addition to your toolkit if you’re into jewellery, as it’s perfect for cutting wire, both hard and soft. They have sharp teeth, which makes them perfect for snipping off the excess wire when you’re making a jump ring or a clasp for a piece of jewellery. These pliers are a must-have when crafting with wire, as they make it easier to cut through metal sheets and other metal components. They’re also great for clipping and shaping metal that you’ve bent with a hammer or shaped by hand.
Using side cutters, you can remove any unwanted wire from finished pieces, like extra jump rings on a bracelet or earrings that are not straight. You can use them to pry loose difficult-to-open clasps and even remove earrings from piercings.
4. Snipe Nose Pliers
The snipe nose pliers, also known as the chain nose pliers, feature long, narrow jaws that can seamlessly fit in any hard-to-reach place. In addition, it comes with sharp tips that are perfect for grasping and holding onto tiny jump rings. Thanks to this design, you can open and close them easily, something that would’ve been impossible with traditional round nose pliers. They’re also great for grasping components like pearls and rhinestones that you’d have to spend time fumbling for when you want to make adjustments.
There are a couple of instances when the chain nose pliers should be your go-to pick, and these include the following:
- Creating loops or bends in the wire
- Holding tiny items
- Compressing seed beads after making a mistake while bead weaving
- Opening and shutting jump rings
You should add the snipe nose pliers to your toolbox if you want jewellery pliers that are relatively small, lightweight, and affordable. They’re also best suited when working with the smallest rings but can still manage medium-sized ones. This is because their tips are sharp and tapered, giving you a much better grip than regular pliers. Therefore, you can close the ring back up with much less effort.
5. Flat Nose Pliers
Flat nose pliers, also referred to as duck-bill pliers, are among the most commonly used kinds of pliers in jewellery making. Because of their broader surface, these pliers are perfect for tasks that need a strong grip, and some of these scenarios include the following:
- Straighten out metal strips
- Even out ends of beading thread
- Create sharp bends in the wire
- Open and close jump rings
If you’re just beginning in jewellery making, it’s best to start with basic tools like flat nose pliers that will help you create jewellery. This is because these pliers have a flat and smooth surface, making it very easy to grip wire because it doesn’t have any grooves or bumps like other pliers do. It’s also essential to make sure that the jaws of your flat nose pliers are smooth and free of nicks so that it easy to get a good grip on the wire you’re working with.
6. Bent Nose Pliers
If you’re looking for a tool to help you with your jewellery-making, it’s hard to go wrong with a pair of bent nose pliers. They come in handy for just about any project, from assembling findings and clasps to making jump rings and ear wires. The bent nose pliers are one of the best pliers because they’re so versatile and can do almost anything that any other pair of pliers can do and more.
You should consider getting the bent nose pliers, which come in handy for making wire loops because they have a sharper curve than flat nose pliers. They’re also great for manipulating wire that has already been shaped with tools like flat nose pliers because they can get into tight spaces more easily. Bent nose pliers come in different sizes, and you may want to choose one with a longer jaw for more flexibility.

Takeaway
There are numerous options available when looking for the best jewellery pliers. But to help ease this decision and pick the right one, this article has detailed the best jewellery pliers you should consider. By using the different jewellery pliers mentioned above, you’ll be in a position to do your jewellery tasks effortlessly.