NEW TOY

A set of beautiful pliers designed by Alan Revere.

Well, if you read this blog often you know that I LOVE tools. A while back I started having pain in both hands, especially when using pliers to bend metal. While I was at the orthopedist I met with a physical therapist who wanted to look at some of my tools and watch the way that they're used. He suggested that for some kinds of work, especially when bending rings or heavier sheet metal, that I might try shorter pliers without padding as it would be easier to feel how hard I'm pressing. The idea being that this ability to "feel" the metal would prevent me from putting too much pressure on the area of the hand between the palm and the thumb. I normally use longer Swanstrom pliers, which I love. I love the longer length and I just love the quality of them. I suspect that I won't be giving them up anytime soon, but I recently saw these and I was intrigued by them. They're designed by Alan Revere, Master Goldsmith and founder of the Revere Academy of Jewelry Arts. They're hand-made and hand-finished with knurled, non-padded handles. I'll let you know how they feel this week when I finally get to try them out, but in the mean time, they sure are purdy to look at!