A few weeks ago I won some Lindstrom pliers on Twitter.  (@lindstrom_USA if you want to follow them)  Today they asked what I thought of them.  Since you have limited space on Twitter, I figured I would write them up here.

First, let me say I was excited when I won.  I have lots of pliers, and I like them all for different reasons and different uses.  I knew these would be a chain nose plier, and I knew they were a new product.  Anybody who uses pliers for jewelry probably knows the name Lindstrom, and their reputation.  Who wouldn’t want a pair for free?

When I first received them I was quite surprised just how long and tiny the nose was.  These will really get into some tight spaces, that’s for sure.  The handles have a nice foam padding, return springs that seem to be quite hardy, and overall nicely constructed, just as you would expect from them.  They advertise the handle as 4 1/2″, which is a bit small for my big paws, but I am used to it, and quite honestly, with such a fine tip, I think I would have had problems had the handles been any longer.  The jaws have a nice finish to them, and the edge is not sharp, so they should not mar your delicate rings. Because the tip is so fine, I think I would worry about using them on anything bigger than 20g in a soft metal.

I did notice that while the side edge of the jaws had a nice, non sharp edge, the front edge on the tip was not quite as smooth.  This has no effect on how I use them, but it might come up for others.

My only other issue was that I only had one.  I am very used to using 2 of the same plier, and it made me feel lopsided.  = )

Lindstrom 47i plier

For those that will ask, the bracelet is a European 4-1 on the Bias.  22g, 5/64″ ID in sterling silver.  Approx 8″ long and contains approx 1300 rings.  (and no, I did not use any magnification to build it)

Overall, this is a very nice plier that will find a home on my bench for the tiny/tight patterns I like to do.

Remember, It’s in the Maille!