Pin vices can be used in certain stages of jewellery making. Their ability to hold very thin materials makes them excellent for holding and twisting the wire used in jewellery applications.
Twisting wire
Step 1 – Insert wire
Insert the wire into the pin vice and secure by tightening the chuck head.
Step 2 – Hold firmly
Hold the other end of the wire firmly with pliers.
Step 3 – Turn pin vice
Turn the pin, whilst holding the centre and head of the tool, to twist the wire.
Filing ends
Cutting wire can leave sharp edges, which is not a problem if the end is being bent into the jewellery and will not be exposed. However, particularly with ear jewellery, these sharp ends need to be filed. Cup burs can be used to do this.
Cup burs are small diameter pieces of steel, which can fit into a pin vice. They have a cupped end with ridges inside which act as cutting edges rather like a file.
Cup burs come in different sizes, which relate to the diameter of the wire they will be filing.
Cup bur size:
Wire thickness:
1.2mm (3/64″)
18 gauge (1.0mm)
1.8mm (5/64″)
14 gauge (1.4mm)
2.7mm (7/64″)
12 gauge (2mm)
Using a cup bur
Step 1 – Insert cup bur
Place the desired cup bur in the end of the collet of your pin vice and screw the head tight.
Step 2 – Insert wire
Place the end of the wire in the end of the cup bur and turn the pin vice to begin rounding the edge. This will remove the sharp edges.
Cup burs can also be used in pin chucks. Attached to a power drill, they will bur the ends of the wire faster but they can be more difficult to use on finer pieces of wire.