Jewelry 101 - Tools

These are the most commonly used tools in jewelry making.

	Needle Nose Pliers These come in both flat nose (pictured to the left) and round nose (below). They are used to grip and manipulate wire, though they have other uses as well.
Round Nose Pliers A type of needle nose plier with round, tapered jaws. These are used to bend wire with a smooth curve, as opposed to the blocky curve a pair of flat nose pliers might make. They are not very good for gripping or clamping wire to steady it, as the rounded jaws are usually smooth and prone to slipping.
	Wire Cutters These are used to cut your wire. If you are using stainless steel wire, be sure to use heavy-duty wire cutters. On softer wires, however, craft-grade is fine.
Mandrel These are used for ring sizing. It is featured in the ring tutorial.