Prevent maring findings

[Kathfa]

Pliers mark my pieces, jump rings etc what can I coat the pliers in to prevent this. My plastic teeth pliers are too unwieldy.

[WriteBrainedWoman]

Thanks for asking, Kathfa. There is a very easy and inexpensive way to prevent pliers from marring/gashing your metal findings. It's a dipping solution called Tool Magic.

Just dip metal plier tips to coat them with this anti-scratch rubber. It air dries in 2 to 3 hours, won't chip or crack, and is easy to peel off. It's $4.95 per jar (as of today), and you get 100 dips per jar.

Also, the rubber is starting to wear off the handles of my cheap pliers, so that the metal beneath it pokes my hand. So I'm now thinking of trying to dip that end in Tool Magic to make it soft again. I can't recommend that additional use yet until I try it though!

Melissa

[Luann Udell]

Quote

Also, the rubber is starting to wear off the handles of my cheap pliers, so that the metal beneath it pokes my hand. So I'm now thinking of trying to dip that end in Tool Magic to make it soft again. I can't recommend that additional use yet until I try it though!

LOL, Melissa, I believe that's the original purpose of the stuff!  You shouldn't have any problem...   '>

Another quick fix is to simply wrap a short length of tape--electrical, duct, even masking tape--around the grasping tips to take the hard edge off the pliers.  Also, I find the cheaper jewelry pliers sometimes have fine "ridges" on the faces (which mar surfaces more), while more expensive pliers are smooth.  

Hope this helps,
Luann

[WriteBrainedWoman]

Thanks for the words of wisdom, Luann! I didn't realize that was the original purpose of dipping solutions!  But it makes perfect sense!

Melissa

[marym]

-And for anyone with drummers in the house- it also works to coat the end of drum sticks!!  (It cannot, however, help your ears in any way).

-Mary

[Metalman]

LuAnn has it right on quality pliers but you can modify your cheap ones with a little polishing. Start with a 200 or 300 series wet-dry sand paper and smooth out those cheap machining marks. As you do this, be careful to sand/file flat and straight so that you don't round out your work surfaces.  A good way is to make sanding sticks so your sanding is straight and flat. You work up through the sanding grits until you are ready to polish.  This will make almost any tool nicer.  There is a certain pleasure to having a tool you have reworked this way - you can also change the shape to fit your purposes better. A Warning:  sanding and finishing on steel or tool steel takes time, so plan this into your schedule. It is not a quick fit but it is a very long term fix.

With regard to the tape on pliers suggestion - one thing I do is put the tape on for bulk and then do the tool dip for hold and surface consistency.