New Pliers!

Finally got some new pliers this week thanxs to the hubby.  I'm not ready yet to shell out $100 for a new pair of fancy pliers - that will go on the christmas wish list for next year.  The pliers I had been using, manufactured for my ring supplier and specially made for working with chain mail have been working quite well, but I felt it was time for an upgrade and was hoping to find a more comfortable handle.  One of the biggest issues I have while working is the pressure on my hands from the handles mainly due to the fact that my hands are more "petite".

I check the local craft stores, and nothing I'd want to spend my money on there.

We happened to be visiting a local chain hardware store for some other supplies for my jewelry and checked out their tool section.  I found EXACTLY what I wanted - but - in a set of 20 other tools!!!  They didn't have the particular one I wanted sold separately.  Thankfully, my husband has a need for extra tools, so we ended up getting two packs of these.  The two packs ended up being cheaper than purchasing two "specifically made for jewelry" pliers online.  These are just the same, if even better for my hands.

They are made by Kobalt and are what they call a "mini" plier.  Mini is good, my hands are mini!  I first fell in love with these just LOOKING at the handles.  Thick, textured, so comfortable looking.  They are a nice sized flatnose, obviously with no teeth.

Picked up a can of tool dip as well to coat the business ends to further prevent marring of my rings while working on them.  I did not coat my previous ones as they hadn't been marring my rings - but I wanted to be extra carefully sure on my new ones.

I am SO pleased with these pliers and will be using them until I can convince myself to shell out the $100 for the dream set I've been eyeing up - or until next christmas.

Here they are with one of my original pliers in the middle.  Note the yarn wrapped, electrical tape wrapped handles of the original ones.  I did what I could to get the handles thicker and less "slippy".