There are many different types of jewelry pliers. Here's our quick overview to jewelry making pliers to help you learn more about these jewelry making tools.

Jewelry Pliers 

Jewelry Pliers have been developed to create new jewelry. Here's a quick overview to the different types of jewelry making pliers used in today's jewelry making industry.

Chain Nose Pliers

Chain Nose - have a flat jawson the inside and rounded on the outside. The flat side is for gripping small parts like headpins, earwires and jump rings. They are used to manipulate small items and to make 90 degree bends in the wire. With two pairs of pliers, you can twist jump rings apart and closed again for assembly work.

Round nose jewelry making pliers    

Round Nose - the jaws on these pliers are conical or rounded all the way around making them difficult to grip with but perfect for creating jewelry wire loops. Use caution when gripping and refrain from too much force to avoid denting metal parts.

Bent nose pliers for jewelry making    

Bent Nose- generally flat on the inside with a 45-degree angle at the nose, these types of pliers are specially built to work with awkward angles. Bent nose pliers are shaped to handle tricky areas that could put a strain on your hands and wrists. They also keep your hands, and the tool itself, out of the way so you can clearly see your focal workspace.

Needle nose pliers    

Needle Nose- these pliers have an especially long nose and often have a serrated jaw for a very strong grip. They are long and pointed at the tip making them handy for using on areas that are difficult to reach. Serrated jaws will scratch and mark your metal pieces so it's best to find non-serrated pliers or to plan spend extra time removing scratches from your piece.

Flat nose pliers    

Flat Nose - have a wider nose that is shaped like a duckbill instead of a narrow tip. Flat nose pliers are usually 3mm-5mm wide for a firm grip or straightening metal strips, plus you can use them for creating sharp bends in your jewelry designs too!

Nylon jaw pliers for jewelry    

Nylon Jaw Varieties- nylon tips eliminate the marks and scratches that metal jaws can cause making them ideal for shaping soft metals. The only downside is that occasionally the soft nylon tips need to be replaced. It's a good idea to keep replacement jaw sets handy.

Crimping pliers  

Crimping Pliers- are specifically made to work with crimp tubes. Although you can use standard pliers for this task, crimping pliers, if used correctly, create a smooth rounded crimp whereas the standard pliers do not.

Pliers for punching holes in metal blanks    

Punch Pliers- are types of pliers used to make perfect holes in jewelry pieces. These pliers are commonly used with blanks to create a connection or riveting holes. Punch pliers can pierce different gauges of metal sheet, but it's important to know the recommended maximum thickness before punching. Hole placement can be limited by the distance from the punching pin to the pivot on the plier jaws. These pliers work great near the edges of metal blanks but they cannot reach the center of a large circle to punch a hole. Punch pins will need to be replaced periodically as they become dull. 

Gem setting and prong opening pliers    

Setting Pliers- these pliers are important tools for gem setters also known as prong opening pliers. The pliers used for setting gems have jaws that are flat (some may feature a groove) and by gently squeezing the handles while the jaws are placed against the prongs you can close them around the stone. Pliers used for opening prongs have a groove at the tip of the jaw which pulls open the prong while the bottom jaw braces the piece. Both of these pliers are designed to prevent damage to the prongs and stones. 

Jewelry cutting tools - Side cutter, Sheet shears, Ring cutter    

Cutters- are invaluable in your metalwork for quick, clean cuts.

Looping pliers for jewelry wire    

Looping Pliers- have jaws that are round on at least one side. They may also feature tiers on the jaws so you can wrap the wire around them to make loops or coils in different sizes. Not only do these types of pliers speed up wire forming, but they are also great for making jump rings and eyepins, too!

Bending pliers    

Bending Pliers- allow the user to create smooth curves in bezel wire or metal strip. They can be used to shape rings, bangles or hoops, as long as the plier can handle the gauge

Dimple pliers    

Dimple Pliers- have a nose that is bent on one side while the opposite jaw has a corresponding concave indentation. With very little pressure you can create a dimple in your metal pieces without breaking through the material. Perfect for creating precise patterns in your designs without taking a chance by using a hammer and punch.