What's your favorite tool?

Leslie Rogalski wrote

on Mar 5, 2010 7:51 AM

Polling all members!

If you make jewelry I bet you have a tool you can't do without. You may even have a sentimental "thing" about it. It may be your first "good" pliers, your college hammer or your grandmother's pearl reamer. It may be that finally you just splurged on a high end wire snips or finished a beaded needle case. It could even be a toy tool or photo of tools just on display that inspires you. Whatever it is, can you share for a blog post?

A snapshot would be nice, jpeg sent to me with TOOL in the subject line: lrogalski@interweave.com

Just a line or two telling me what it is, why it's special.

Please send to me by next Friday, 3/12.

Comments here are welcome, too, with or without a photo!

MY favorite? You'll have to wait for my blog. I can't decide!

JSmaz wrote

on Mar 5, 2010 7:59 AM

It's tough to narrow it down to just one tool, since it depends on the project what I need to use.  If I just have to go with my most used tools, I'd have to say my ergonomic pliers are my favorites: chain, round and bent chain nose pliers plus wire cutters.  I use them all pretty equally.  At the moment I just have BeadSmith brand cheap pliers but I'm planning to upgrade to Lindstroms sometime this year, at which time I expect to have new favorites. :)

Leslie Rogalski wrote

on Mar 5, 2010 8:02 AM

Thanks, Jeni!

LinaG wrote

on Mar 5, 2010 8:22 AM

Mine is my ergonomic half and half concave round nose...it's makes the perfect tool for rosary turns.

Billy Z wrote

on Mar 8, 2010 6:03 AM

My favorite tools are my 3 new pairs of Lindstrom Rx series pliers(round, chain, and flush cutter) and a pair of gloves. The Rx series pliers have handles that are about 1 1/2" longer than the 'norm' and that gives us folks with arthritis a little bit more leverage and trust me, it makes a world of difference. Even with the longer handles, I was still getting a bit sore in the palms. I knew that some sort of glove would probably fix that, but doing wirework, you really need your fingertips. After a little research, i went to our local gym and bought a pair of ocelot weightlifting gloves. They are padded in the palms and have the fingertips open and work out extremely well for this purpose. As a side effect of a sort, I have also noticed that the elastic holding a slight bit of pressure on the knuckles also helps keep the swelling down. Go figure.

Billy ;o)