Beading Essentials: Tool Edition (Part 1 of 2)

When it comes to tools, everyone has their favorite set of pliers, cutters or hammers. But there are newer types of tools that can even help your jewelry-making be more consistent and efficient. In this Beading Essentials: Tool Edition, we hand-picked a few tools that can help you with your next beading project. Who knows, you might even find a new tool to add to your collection.

For this segment, we will discuss different types of looping tools and cutters to assist you in your jewelry making.

 

Looping Tools

In our previous blog, Jewelry Beading Essentials, we pointed out simple pliers that all jewelry makers should have on hand, like your round nose and cutters for making simple loops. Did you know there are looping tools that can help with the consistency of your loops? Or making wire loops in a shorter amount of time.

Wubbers® has looping pliers in various sizes that helps make simple loops easier.

This Bail Making Wubbers is great for making small 2-2.5mm loops or coils. Using this tool instead of your round nose pliers will give you a more consistent loop every time.

This Wire Looping Wubbers comes with instructions on how to use this plier to make eyepins and wrapped loops. One side is concave so that it holds your loop in place while you make a loop on the other side of the plier. This tool is also perfect for beginning jewelry makers that are learning about making wire loops because the tool guides the user to make a round loop.

Tip: When you have finished your loop, bend the wire back slightly so that it centers the loop with the wire.

Large Wire Looping Pliers makes larger loops. This loop is great for making larger loops to attach to thicker chain pieces or making larger eyepin loops. One of our favorite ways to use this tool is making jump rings, especially for chainmail.

Make coils with your looping pliers. Cut off excess wire. Then cut in a straight line across the coils to make 7mm jump rings.

These Memory Wire Finishing Pliers are best used to make loops on your round or flat memory wire. Because memory wire has a stronger gauge, these pliers will help make a simple loop end easy.
Clamp the pliers at the tip of the wire and roll towards you until you’ve made a full loop.

 

An innovative tool we have is the 1 Step Looper. Designed to make loops in literally 1 STEP! It loops your wire and cuts it all, in one step.

This tool is perfect if you need to make a lot of eyepins. Feed your wire until it passes the middle lever. Squeeze your pliers and it will make a loop while cutting the excess wire end.

Tip: When you have finished your loop, bend the wire back slightly so that it centers the loop with the wire.

You can use this tool when you are making a lot of dangles. Feed your wire until the top of the beads are close to the pliers. There will be a hole at the other end if your wire is long. Squeeze your pliers to make a loop. Bend your dangle back slightly to center your loop.

 

Cutter Tools

Side cutters are one of the essential tools you will need for jewelry making. Whether you are cutting excess wire off of a headpin or cutting thin chain links, cutter tools are versatile. But not all cutters are the same. Certain cutters are used for certain projects.

Memory Wire cutters are used for the heavy duty cutting. Best to use on memory wire or larger gauge wire, but you can use them for cutting thick chain links without damaging your regular cutters.

Flex Wire Cutter is designed to cut flex wire. With this precision cutter, you don’t have to worry about your flex wire having frayed ends. We also use these for our Beading Wire or Elastic Cord for a closer cut on a finished project, when scissors cannot.

Xuron® Shears are manufactured for cutting high strength fibers, wire, metal sheets, leather cords, and even Beading Wire. They are perfect to cut wire coils to make jump rings because they create a clean, flat cut.

We recommend this tool if you are wanting a flat cut to your jump rings. Because when cutting the coils with your side cutters, you will find that your jump rings will have a sharp, pointed end. This is because side cutters are best for flushing the flat side of your side cutters for a close cut. While Xuron Shears cut clean and flat especially for making jump rings.

As you can see here, the left jump ring was cut with a side cutter, while the right jump ring was cut with the Xuron Shears.

With a comfortable grip, this Licorice Leather Cutter is perfect for cutting your licorice leather or all of your leather or rubber cords with a clean and accurate cut.

 

Feature: Tool Wallet

For all your pliers and tools, get the Tool Wallet to keep your tools in one area! It has convenient elastic straps to organize up to six pliers. It is the perfect tool storage and slim enough to carry along with you when you cannot part from making jewelry on your vacation.

Stay tune for Part 2 of our Beading Essential: Tool Edition!