How to Use Wire Straightening Pliers

by Jennifer VanBenschoten

A nylon-jawed wire straightener should be a part of any wire jewelry maker's tool box right from the beginning. These easy-to-use pliers have wide, flat nylon jaws that are used to remove the kinks from used wire and to straighten wire when it comes tightly coiled on a spool. The nylon jaws of the wire straightener need to be replaced periodically because the wire will dig into them and leave tiny notches.

When I bought my first wire straightener pliers over a decade ago, I had no idea how much money I would save by being able to reuse wire that I thought was destined for the scrap jar or the garbage. I almost couldn't believe how easy and effective they were when it comes to straightening out the kinks in my wire after something I've been working on doesn't come out quite right. If you're not sure how to use your wire straightener pliers, here's a simple tutorial and a couple of handy tips to help you get the most out of this essential wire jewelry tool.

Instructions

So, you've got a length of wire that's a total mess, right? Never fear! You can straighten out that wire in a jiffy. To begin, unwrap the wire with your fingers as best you can, straightening any bumps out as much as you can using just your fingers.

Jennifer VanBenschoten's How to Use Wire Straightening Pliers - , Tools For Wire Jewelry, Tools, straighten wire

Next, grasp the wire with your fingers in your non-dominant hand a few inches from the end. Place the wire straighteners a few inches from the end of the wire in front of your fingers.

Holding on to that wire firmly, press the wire straightening pliers together and draw them down the wire to the end. Repeat as many times as you need to until the wire starts to smooth out. It may take a few repeats, but trust me, as long as you're gripping the pliers together tightly, you'll be able to watch that wire straighten itself right out!

Once that section of wire is straight, move back a bit to the next section. Repeat until you've straightened out the entire length of wire.

Ta-da! Never again will I fear wasting wire when I'm learning a new wire wrapping technique. My handy wire straightening pliers will always come to my rescue!