I use this tool to straighten wire that typically I'm use to wire wrap beads. It does a great job on 20 gauge wire, but when I tried it on finer gauges (28-30) it had a hard time grabbing the wire sufficiently to straighten it. It straightened them some, but not all the way. When I did it repeatedly, I kept getting the same result. So I think this is great for higher gauges, maybe even 24 gauge would be fine, though I didn't have any of that to try. Maybe I wasn't doing it correctly, but it came without instructions. I'll just stick to my flat nose pliers for the finer gauges.
Beadalon is very good at creating and marketing handy tools at reasonable prices, and this simple wire straightener is no exception. The tool consists of 3 nylon rollers linked together at ends, enabling them to fold in on themselves. You place your wire on the rollers, fold the rollers together and pull the wire through. (The quick video on the product pages demonstrates this.) The straightener works exactly as described and does a very good job. Please note that as stated on the package, this tool is for artistic wire (also known as German style wire) which typically has a base metal core within a color coating or finish. The nylon rollers protect against marring or stripping the finish off the wire. I have NOT tried the tool with precious metal wire such as Sterling half hard or dead soft, which can mark very easily. This tool was not designed for precious metals and I suspect it might not work well on them.
I was pleasantly surprised by the effectiveness of this small tool. I'm an amateur at wire wrapping pendants and I often find myself re-wrapping because the project didn't go as planned. I hate waste. This little tool allows me to reclaim the "wasted" wire and try again. I even tried it on an impossibly kinked wire and it worked well enough (see photo) that I can use it as a hammered test piece.
This is a handy little tool for straightening wire. Be aware it will NOT fix 'kinked' wire*. It also doesn't do more to straighten wire that comes on a spool than straightening it by hand does. (Actually, I found using my hand worked better in that situation.)
For moderately bent wire, it is the best and fastest tool.
*Kinked Wire: I had some 20 gauge copper wire I was experimenting with to create a beaded cross shape. When done, I used pliers to unbend the test shapes, and ended up with kinked wire. Ran it through this tool, but... Didn't expect it to work; I was just testing. A thinner wire might have yielded better results.
It was delivered quickly but the packaging of this product and it was entangled in the wrapping material and it almost was thrown out in the trash, if I hadn't rechecked the shipping list to seenif i had everything. It might be easier to find if it was wrapped in a bright color or taped to a bright piece of cardboard so it doesn't blend in with the shipping filler since it was in a box with several different sized items. Otherwise, the tool seems to work on a test piece of a wire scrap that had a lot of bends in it, mush easier and better than trying to straighten wire by hand or pliers. Would be good for use in addition to nylon pliers fir saving a project.
Feature Product
- Great for to straight over worked wire
- Nylon rollers help keep the Artistic Wire coating intact
- Quick and very easy to use
Description
The Artistic Wire Straightener tool makes it easy to straighten wire that has been worked. Put the rollers in your hand in the open position with each of the rollers side by side. Lay the end of a piece of wire that requires straightening on the three rollers, then move the rollers until they form a triangle with the wire in the center. Grasp the rollers in one hand holding tightly, then pull the wire through the rollers to straighten. May need to pull through a second time for highly bent wires. Nylon rollers help keep Artistic Wire coating intact.
This tool is one of the most helpful for someone who is practicing & learning, but I can also see it being useful even after I've gained more experience. It really makes nearly ruined wire straight enough that you can reuse at least for a while in practice. I've had a couple pairs of nylon jaw pliers, and besides being much more expensive in one case, they also just don't get the kinks out. This tool allows the wire to turn itself inside the tumbler and work through a kink instead of deepening it.
This is a very useful tool for straightening wire for wire wrapping a pendant. Works well and is easy to use.
light-weight, easy to use and easy to store. i used it on my color coated wires of different gauges and had no problems with it at all. i was a bit concerned it might rub some of the coating off, but even after several runs through it the wire was fine. it's a great little gadget i'm glad i finally bought!Beadalon Artistic Nylon Wire Straightener Tool with 3 Rollers
Now that I've used this a few times and got the hang of it I can see it will be a valuable tool in my novice jewellery making. You can undo your wire mistakes and run it through this to get another go! Very useful.
Great item to have for soft 20 + gauge wire, I have as yet to try it on a harder wire.
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