A very basic question from me, but what is the best way of removing plier marks from silver wire or jumprings? I'm always afraid of trying to file them out, or sandpaper them down in case it does more harm to the wire than good. I also wasn't sure whether you could polish them up with just a sliver ploish cloth or if you needed a special polish-so I thought I'd just check here what everyone does before I attempt it.
Forgive me my ignorance ;D
I could be wrong here, but i think you need special pliers with a coating on as to not get the marks on in the first place :-\
Thanks Vicki, I didn't know you could get coated ones. All the pliers I have are jewellery pliers, so they should be ok really, but when working with soft wire I've found then still dent it slightly sometimes.
You can buy nylon-jawed pliers Jess, I got mine from Ebay, here's a link to some:-
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Beadsmith-Nylon-Jaw-Pliers-Wire-Working-/370403702365?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Crafts_JewelleryMaking_GL&hash=item563dc7f65d
If you want to see more alternatives, just type "nylon pliers" in the search box & you'll get a few more :)
I think you can buy some stuff to coat your round nosed pliers - I am hoping George may be along shortly to advise (coz I'd like to know too!) :D
Kazx
You can get tool magic which you dip your pliers in - it's a rubber coating I believe (I've never used it myself - I'm sure George will be along soon to confirm or tell me that I'm wrong! ;)) http://www.palmermetals.co.uk/Tool-Magic-10707.aspx (http://www.palmermetals.co.uk/Tool-Magic-10707.aspx) You can also lightly sand the face/edges of your pliers to get rid of any rough bits which can leave marks. After that it's investing in a really decent pair of pliers (Lindstrom for example) and the same old thing of PPP to use a lighter touch when using your pliers. I tumble my jewellery to get rid of small marks but any bigger ones need filing out first. HTH's :)
Yes, it is Tool Magic, you just dip your pliers in it and leave them to dry. When finished it can be peeled off. However, you still need to be quite careful as the rubber coating wears off and I generally need to re-dip mine after each evening of chainmaille use.
BTW, I find those nylon jawed pliers way too thick for chainmaille use!
Tool magic, or plastidip, are OK, but I don't recommend them tbh. Sal's absolutely right, it does help to dress your pliers (wet and dry paper or micromesh are the best bet), and try to keep a light grip all the time.
There is now an excellent budget alternative to Lindstroms for wire work and maille in the form of the ultra ergo pliers (from Palmers). Really nice pliers, with an almost identical face configuration to the Lindstroms, and each pair is under a tenner.
Nylon pliers are useful for straightening, but don't have enough grip for working.
If you do end up with marks that can still be seen, they do need filing out. If they're not deep, then 0000 grade wire wool usually does the job, if not, then micromesh or wet and dry paper (start about half way through the grits, you rarely need the coarser ones for this sort of thing). If they're bad, then start with a needle file to get the worst out.
Thanks so much for all the advice everyone! I find it very hard to keep a light grip, I just can't seem to bend the wire/close the jumprings unless I grip hard, but I'll have to keep practicing and try and get the hang of it. I will certainly be looking into dressing my pliers to help as well, and maybe replacing the roundnose pair that I have with a new pair. The Lindstrom ones are sadly out of my price range, but I like the look of the ultra ergo pliers, so might have to treat myself :D
Just to check, if there are bad marks and I do need to file them out, do I need to polish the silver up with anything in particular afterwards, or will a silvercloth surfice?
I have a pair of nylon jaw pliers which i really like but can be a bit chunky for some work (they are getting ready for new jaws now too) those ultra ergo pliers look absolutely fab though, theyre going on my wish list!