The pliers and cutters shown in the photo above are the most popular. Although, in theory, the pliers partly share their uses, in practice, one is just easier to use for one task, and one for another.

Kitiki cutters are used to cut wire, strips, chains, and clasp links. The cutting edges are hardened and align perfectly, and the cut is slightly oblique or vee-shaped.

Kitiki flush cutters are used to cut wire, strips, chains, and clasp links. The cutting edges are hardened and align perfectly, and the cut is nearly straight.

Kitiki flat-nose pliers have tapered rectanglular jaws, and are used to position and adjust jewellery findings, squeeze and close links, straighten wire, bend wire and strips at angles, and shape paper-type metal clays.

Kitiki pointed-nose pliers have tapered semi-circular jaws, and are used to shape jewellery findings, re-shape links, and bend wire and strips into curves, circles, and ovals.

Kitiki bent-nose pliers sometimes called pointed-nose, have tapered semi-circular jaws, and are used to shape jewellery findings, re-shape links, and bend wire and strips into curves, circles, and ovals.

Kitiki round-nose pliers have tapered circular jaws, and are used to position and adjust jewellery findings, squeeze and close links, bend wire and strips at angles, and shape paper-type metal clays.

To look at the pop-up photos, hold your mouse over the zoom buttons below: you don't need to click.

Kitiki Cutters.

Kitiki Flush Cutters.

Kitiki Flat-Nose Pliers.

Kitiki Pointed-Nose Pliers.

Kitiki Bent-Nose Pliers.

Kitiki Round-Nose Pliers.

Before dismissing the word ergonomic, remember that the palm of your hand has around 1700 nerve endings and, every time you hold a hand tool, 42 muscles are put to work. The continual strain of using an awkward tool makes delicate work less accurate and more difficult, and can lead to strain injury or numbness.

Designing and making precision hand tools that work smoothly and accurately, and feel comfortable, is a complicated, expensive, precision process. So, here are some general comments:

Very few shops sell high quality pliers and cutters for delicate work: most pliers and cutters are designed to undo rusted nuts and cut fence wire.

Economy pliers and cutters usually use regular mild steel, inadequately hardened, and laquered to hide the poor finish. The laquer will soon wear away and the metal will rust or stain. They're often rebranded, repackaged, and repriced, with different coloured handles: so it's hard to know what you're getting.

Economy special-offer boxed sets appear to be good value. However, once opened and used, the poor quality will soon become apparent. Buying like this is unpredictable and replacing one of the set, or buying a different shape, is usually impossible as the brand will have disappeared.

Poorly machined, aligned, and hardened cutting edges will cut at an angle or unevenly, and will soon go blunt or get notched. Poorly machined and aligned jaws will make it diificult to hold small shapes reliably.

Jaws might have high spots, serrations, or roughly finished edges that will mark soft metals such as silver, copper, and gold. Jewellery pliers have smooth jaws, and are precision engineered for careful work.

If they're uncomfortable to hold, the handles can nip your skin whilst squeezing, and the sprung release-action might need too much continual pressure: tiring during precision work. Tight hinges won't release unless you use both hands.

Some jewellery and electronic pliers have very short handles and are quite difficult for an adult to hold. Work soon becomes tiring: that's when you make mistakes.

Scissor-style hinges, rather than box-style hinges, will gradually loosen and twist as you bend and cut, making delicate work less accurate and more difficult.

Jewellery cutters are not designed to cut spring steel or stainless steel wire or strips. If you want to work with these, or other hard materials, you need special snips: mail or call.

The internet is packed full with inaccuracies: accidental or intentional. There are unsubstantiated claims that whatever is being sold is the best, the newest, or the cheapest, and it's being sold by the largest dealer or the premier distributor.

So, why buy Kitiki cutters and pliers from Cherry Heaven?

We used to sell Swedish-made Lindstrom cutters and pliers. They were generally agreed to be the best you could buy, and Lindstrom promoted the box-joint designs as the best solution. However, they were very expensive, varying in price from about £40 to £75 depending where you shopped.

When the factory moved to Spain, many people felt that the quality wasn't as good, especially as they now used the scissor-joint. So, we had our own made in the same factory that makes our magnetic polishers, small kilns, and other tools. They cost about five or six times less.

A Cherry Heaven Internet Resource.

is a Cherry Heaven internet resource. It's a UK-EU distributor for Texas-made Paragon kilns, furnaces, ovens, accessories, and tools, and has been one of their top-selling partners from 2006 to : a pleasing outcome since the UK is only one third the area of Texas and one fortieth the area of the US.

As this is an on-line resource, there isn't a paper catalogue or a price list. However, you can mail or call a technician about kilns, power supplies, public area safety, a special project, business ideas, diagnostics, repairs, or reselling opportunities.

Cherry Heaven Limited, West Holme Cottage, West Holme, Wareham, BH20 6AQ, Dorset, England.

Cherry Heaven was the name of the business in West London, then the shop in Corfe Castle village. It's now an on-line resource in rural West Holme, Dorset, South-West England. Although there's no longer a real shop, Cherry Heaven is still the working name.

The surrounding countryside includes green farmland, dramatic heritage cliffs, pretty stone cottages, historic buildings, sandy beaches, protected coves, open heathland, hill-top panoramic views, market towns, and peaceful villages. And lively seaside resorts. To look at some photos, use the dorset link below the menu bar near the top of this page.

Paragon Industries Incorporated, 2011 South Town East Boulevard, Mesquite, Texas, 75149-1122, USA.

Paragon Industries started as a family business in 1948. It's now the world's leading manufacturer of kilns and furnaces, and has built over 430,000. The 4,400 square-metre site, in Mesquite, Texas, USA, has over 80 full-time staff. A new 1,700 square-metre warehouse is under construction.

During manufacture, every kiln is checked at every stage by a technician and signed-off before shipping. They're simply but robustly engineered, and you're buying a comprehensive, versatile, safe, low-cost kiln: a kiln with a future.

Paragon kilns are TUV tested, and CL and CSA approved for the US, and are CE Marked for the EU. Paragon is Greek for Model Of Perfection.

The Kitiki Studio's Art Clay Classes And Courses.

The Kitiki Studio provided an Art Clay educational programme, as classes, masterclasses, workshops, and Art Clay Level 1 and Level 2 certification. However, as we're in a rural area, I now recommend teachers that might be nearer, so mail or call.

Discounts, Trade Prices, And Business Opportunities.