In this video, jewelry-making expert Dale "Cougar" Armstrong shares her top tool recommendations to help you build the perfect foundation for your toolkit.

With years of experience, Dale guides you through the essentials, showing you exactly what you need to start creating confidently and successfully—straight from a trusted professional!

When you’re ready, dive into our detailed guide below—crafted to help you choose the perfect tools for your jewelry-making needs.

There are many different jewelry-making styles and although each requires several tools that are similar, many techniques need specific tools. Let's look at a few options to help create your Ultimate Tool List.

First: A pair of crimping pliers, most often used by beaders, can also be used by wire wrappers to tuck the end wire in on a wrapped loop. Chain maille artists often use two pairs of wider tip chain nose pliers. One pair is sufficient for a wire wrapper, who also likes to have a pair of needle nose chain nose pliers to make tiny loops at the very ends of wire.

4-1/2 Inch Magical Crimping
Pliers for Bead forming

4-1/2 Inch Chain Nosed
Pliers with Ergonomic Handles

Secondly: Folks who do a lot of round wire designs use almost any pair of flat nose pliers, but wire wrappers who work mainly in square wire need a pair that have perfect angles (with no dips or bulges on their sides).

Some people like pliers that have extra cushion on their handles; others) think the extra bulk is difficult to hold for long periods of time. Then there is the choice of longer handles. I am a firm believer that all pliers need to have a good spring hinge of some sort, so you don't have to constantly open pliers while using them.

6.5 Inch Long
Flat Nose Pliers

6-1/2 Inch Heavy Duty
Flat Nose Pliers with Wide Jaws

Just about everyone can use a nice set of fine diamond files and/or an Arkenstone to remove sharp ends and burrs (then again an emery board works well too, even on metal clays), and we all need a good pair of wire cutters as well as a pair of small nippers for tight spots.

10 Piece Diamond Needle Files
- 140mm X 3mm

Surgical Black Arkansas Stone
with Leather Pouch

3-1/2 Inch Micro Side Cutter
with Padded Handles

Surgical Black Arkansas Stone
with Leather Pouch

Then there are mandrels. Almost all jewelry makers need a neck mandrel, a worthwhile investment! Depending on what style of bracelet you want to make, some folks like to use a steel bracelet mandrel. Most wire wrappers don't use one, as we often incorporate beads and stones into the design (that don't do well while forging on a steel mandrel). Most of us use plastic bottles and shape by hand.

Mandrels usually require that an item be beaten on it or forged, so a mallet is necessary. I like a medium had rawhide mallet, but lots of folks like using a nylon one.

Stainless Steel Ring
Mandrel Sizes 1-15

Large Rawhide
Hammer 1 1/2 inch

Forging is used in lots of jewelry making styles, so a basic chasing hammer and bench block should be on your list too. And if you want to get into more metalsmithing, a dapping block will be useful along with a jeweler's saw and diamond blades.

Flat Face Chasing Hammer with Wood Handle - Economy

Bench Block Helper with Steel and Nylon Blocks

Wood Dapping Block with 2 Punches

Jewelers Saw with Adjustable Frame without Blade

Optivisor with 1.75 Lens

Electronic Caliper

Ultimate Wire-Pliers Jewelry Pliers
with Case, Set of 5

Essentials Jewelry Pliers Set
with Case, Set of 5

If you are looking for universal but 'good' tools, on a scale of 1 to 3, 1 being best, here is my opinion on our tool sets:

3 - Starving Artist Tool Kit: Mostly for beaders, has essential tools, but will not hold up to most wire projects;

2 - Wire Jewelry Tool Kit: Very good for wirework beginners as well as for almost all jewelry making arenas;

1 - Premium Wire Jewelry Tool Kit: Better, tools have longer handles and good cutters, but the flat nose pliers are not square on all sides;

Premium Wire
Jewelry Tool Kit

Wire Jewelry
Tool Kit

Starving Artist
Tool Kit

With this Ultimate Tool List, your workbench is ready to start creating wire-wrapping masterpieces.