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Six-stepped Round Nose Pliers, I think I Love You

by Kate Richbourg
If you haven't tried six-stepped pliers yet, you're missing out on one of the most versatile tools in a jewelry maker's kit.

Whether you're forming consistent loops or shaping wire with precision, this tool delivers reliable results time and time again. Here are four reasons to love six-stepped pliers-and why they deserve a permanent spot on your bench.
Instructions
Four Reasons to Love Six-Stepped Pliers

Reason 1: Size Matters

There are six different loop size options with these pliers, 3 different sizes on each jaw ranging from big to small.

The sizes are as follows: 2mm, 2.5mm, 3.5mm, 5mm, 7mm, 8mm

I used to have a bunch of dowels cluttering my workspace. Enter this tool and the dowels are banished to box.

This range of size options is just what I need to make loops, jump rings and the shape for an ear wire or hook clasp.
Kate Richbourg's Six-stepped Round Nose Pliers, I think I Love You - Four Reasons to Love Six-Stepped Pliers, Tools For Wire Jewelry, Jump Rings, Jump Ring, Making Jump Rings, Loops, Wire Loop, Wrapped Wire Loop, Tools, , 6 step barrel pliers

Reason 2: "Consistency, thou art a jewel"

Okay, so maybe William Shakespeare wasn't a jewelry maker, but his famous words could have been uttered about this tool.

The heads on this tool are what we might call "barrel shaped" rather than tapered.

This barrel makes it easy to make a coil or series of loops that are consistently all the same size.

No marking the heads of your tapered pliers to hit the size mark for your loops.

Just grab the tool, choose a size and loop away. Your loops will be the same size each time.
Kate Richbourg's Six-stepped Round Nose Pliers, I think I Love You - , Tools For Wire Jewelry, Jump Rings, Jump Ring, Making Jump Rings, Loops, Wire Loop, Wrapped Wire Loop, Tools, , 6 step round nose pliers

Reason 3: We All Jump for Jump Rings

If you are like me, you're always looking for a couple of jump rings to complete a project.

With the wide variety of sizes options with these pliers, I can choose a wire in the exact gauge I want my ring to be and coil it around the exact size I need.

My default is 18-gauge wire with the 5mm barrel.

I use a flush cutter to cut the rings apart from the coil and am left with a nice little pile of jump rings for my projects.
Kate Richbourg's Six-stepped Round Nose Pliers, I think I Love You - , Tools For Wire Jewelry, Jump Rings, Jump Ring, Making Jump Rings, Loops, Wire Loop, Wrapped Wire Loop, Tools, , sketches and jump rings

Reason 4: It's a Cheap Date

This one is simple. It's not a super-expensive tool and the quality is great.

Mine has been in heavy rotation for over 10 years and it's holding up just fine.

I foresee continued long and happy relationship with this tool.
Kate Richbourg's Six-stepped Round Nose Pliers, I think I Love You - , Tools For Wire Jewelry, Jump Rings, Jump Ring, Making Jump Rings, Loops, Wire Loop, Wrapped Wire Loop, Tools, , 6 step barrel pliers

Materials

Wire
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Tools

6 Step Barrel Plier - Pack of 1
G2-503
  • G2-503
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $14.95
  • Gold Club Price: $11.21
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  • Category: Tools
  • Technique(s): Making Jump Rings, Making Loops, Tools, General Education

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