The Most Popular Jewelry Pliers You Need And Their Uses

Discover the different types of jewelry pliers and how to use them so you know which ones you really need.

It doesn’t matter what kind of jewelry you love to make, pliers are essential tools to have on hand.

There are so many different types of pliers that it’s no wonder beginners are confused about what they need. Jewelry-making pliers range from multi-purpose to serving specialized functions.

In this handy guide, I’ll explain the types of pliers you’ll need most for beadwork and their uses.

Even though my focus is on beading, you will occasionally see references made about wire. The majority of your jewelry may be beaded but you’ll still have to work with some metal components e.g. headpins, eyepins, jump rings and other findings.

Types of Pliers And Their Uses

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Flat Nose Pliers

A flat nose pliers, also known as a duck bill pliers, has jaws with squared ends that are flat on the inside and outside. Their wider surface makes them great for tasks that require a firm grip.

Some common uses are:

• Flattening the ends of beading thread
• Opening and closing jump rings
• Creating sharp bends in wire
• Straightening metal strips

I also use this pliers to (carefully and gently) pull my needle through tight spots in my beadwork.

Chain Nose Pliers

Chain nose pliers have jaws that are rounded on the outside but flat on the inside. The jaws taper to a point.

They are sometimes called snipe nose pliers or needle nose pliers. However, needle nose pliers are actually different from the chain nose. Needle nose pliers have longer jaws and sometimes, they are serrated or have ridges on the inside.

Chain nose pliers are great for:

• Crushing seed beads when you’ve made a bead weaving mistake
• Holding small items
• Opening and closing jump rings
• Making bends or loops in wire

You can read more about chain nose pliers here.

Bent Nose Pliers

The jaws of bent nose pliers look very similar to those of the chain nose with one exception — the ends are bent at a 45-degree angle.

These are ideal for working in tricky areas that could put strain on your hands and wrists. They also allow you to clearly see what you’re working on since your hands on out of the way.

Bent nose pliers are ideal for:

• Opening and closing jump rings
• Shaping wire

Round Nose Pliers

Round nose pliers have round jaws that taper to a point from a wider base. These are perfect for creating loops, coils or bends in wire e.g. when making eyepins.

Tip: To create uniform-sized loops, draw a line on the jaws of the jewelry pliers and make your loops on that mark.

Nylon Jaw Pliers

Nylon-tipped pliers eliminate scratches or dents in wire and findings.

Use them to:

• Straighten wire
• Manipulate and shape soft metals

One con associated with nylon pliers is you may need to replace the tips over time.

Side Cutting Pliers

Side cutters have beveled edges on the side of their jaws. As the handles are closed, the two sides align pinching the object between them. This is a different cutting action to scissors where the blades slide past each other.

I typically use these cutters to:

• Cut headpins or eyepins
• Cut a length of Flexrite wire that I’m adding to my beading project

Split Ring Pliers

If you’ve ever tried opening a split ring to slide a key on or off, you know how difficult that can be. Some beaders prefer to use split rings instead of jump rings. If you use them frequently, you may want to get your hands on a split ring pliers.

These make it easy to open the rings so you can slide your findings on. No more sore fingertips or split rings flying across the room.

Learn how to use split ring pliers.

Crimping Pliers

Last on my list of jewelry pliers is the crimping pliers. This is a tool specially designed for closing crimp tubes neatly. You could just flatten them with a chain nose pliers, but that doesn’t look nearly as good.

Usually, crimping pliers have two slots. The first one, closest to the handles, creates a U-shape that locks the crimp tube into place. The second slot squeezes the two sides of the U-shape together forming a cylindrical shape.

When purchasing crimping pliers, pay attention to the crimp tube sizes that it should be used with. This 4-in-1 pliers will work with multiple crimp tube sizes.

Specialty pliers e.g. crimping pliers are sold separately but you can usually purchase several basic jewelry-making pliers in a set. Buying a pliers set saves you money and they sometimes come with a handy case.

If you travel often and enjoy taking beading projects along with you, consider getting small pliers that will take up less space in your luggage.

Take a look at the best-selling jewelry pliers on Amazon.

If you were confused about what to buy, hopefully this list of best jewelry pliers for beginners cleared things up for you. There are tons more available but these are the ones used most often for beadwork and other common jewelry-making tasks.

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