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Tools are an essential part of jewelry making - duh, right? If you are anything like me, you get attached to certain tools and hate to see them get damaged. I personally have a pair of flat nose pliers that I love and I dread the thought of having to replace them one day. I use them so often that a different pair just doesn't feel right. However, over time tools - such as flat nose and chain nose pliers - develop wear marks on the gripping surface. These tools marks leave impressions on the wire and are aggravating to remove.
So what can you do ti fix this? One solution is to replace them. But then you have to deal with the expense of purchasing new tools. Now I know that many high end tool manufacturer's offer free replacements if yours get damaged, but that too can be a hassle. First of all you have to give yours up so they can send you the replacements. Then you have to patiently wait for the new ones to arrive. I'm too busy to wait around. So I came up with another solution to the problem...resurface the gripping surface.
This procedure is much easier than you may think. All you need is fine sandpaper and a small bowl of water. I have found that I get the best results using 400 grit wet/dry sandpaper. The sandpaper can be found at just about any hardware or home improvement store for a few dollars. Tear off a small 3 inch square of the sandpaper and wet it in a small bowl of water - the sandpaper only needs to be damp, not soaked.
Begin sanding the surface of the damaged tool. You want to sand the surface evenly so that you avoid making any deep spots (then you'll really have to spend the time and money to buy new ones). As you sand it may be necessary to re-wet the sandpaper so there is a nice slick surface on the sanding surface.
Every few minutes check your progress, you don't want to over sand the tool. To check rub your finger across the sanding surface - you should feel a smooth glassy finish on the metal. Once the surface has been repaired it's ready to start using again.
This procedure works on just about any metal surface. I've used it not only on pliers, but on hammers and bench blocks too - It works GREAT!
Have fun and we'll see you next week.
Genius! Many Thanks!
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