• Jewelry designers as well as crafters have favorite hand-held tools, which are regularly used during design work. Japanese-inspired jewelry is mostly recognized by silver wire work as well as glass bead designs. Wood and stone beads are also carved into different shapes. Tool brands like Keiba and Merry generally make high quality multi-purpose hand-held tools with features for different jewelry designs.
  
  

Keiba Flush Cutter

• Snipping off metal ends to finish jewelry pieces is cumbersome when working with tools that cannot make a sharp cut. Bits of wire, which are referred to as burrs, can scrape skin or snag clothing if the wire is not cut flush. The Keiba flush cutter has a fine finished sharp jaw to nip off the metal with precision and ease. The soft flex tool is also useful with bench work. These cutters ensure accuracy and repeat cuts throughout. Certain models cut up to 3 mm and others cut up to 165 mm. As of September 2010, the cutters range in price from $32.00 to $37.00.
  
  

Merry-Brand Heat Nippers

• For those jewelry designers and crafters who enjoy making their own glass resin pendants and beads, the hand-held Heat Nippers for Cutting Plastic are used to cut different mediums. There is a built-in heater which warms the blade edges. As the tool cuts fragile mediums such as glass resins it produces crack-free surfaces. There are several blade type finishes like flat, long and end cutting blades, according to the type of cuts you want to make. The tool has a connected cord which works with a separate plug-in transformer.
  
  

Wood-Working Chisel

• Jewelry designers creating wood carved pendants as the focal point for a drop necklace will produce fine details with a Japanese chisel. According to Craftsmanstudio.com, "Matsumura chisels are among the finest quality Japanese hand forged chisels made..." These hand held tools are generally sold in a set which includes a variety of chisel widths for different carving details, such as 1/4, 3/8, ½, ¾, 1 and 1 3/8 inches. It is beneficial to work with wood scrap blocks to test the carving width and quality from each chisel end prior to sculpting the pendant with project materials.
  
  

Merry-Brand Cutters

• The shaped multi-purpose heavy-duty lightweight cutter is curved for a comfortable hand-held position. This handy tool cuts through all types of materials like glass resins, leaving a crack-free surface. The Japanese cutter also cuts other types of materials, such as rubber and nylon cords, hemp and nylon ropes, and light and heavy gauge wires. Jewelry designers working with media like leather remnants and hides can also use this tool for items such as jewelry-inspired belts, which require straight as well as precision cuts.
  
  

Cr-V Long Nose Pliers

• Cr-V Japanese long nose pliers feature an ergonomically designed, stylish two-tone handle, made of a mix of soft and hard materials to provide a comfortable feeling. The long nose pliers enable the designer to shape, form and straighten wires without damaging the metal.
  
  

Power Max Semi-Flush Cutter

• Beautiful Japanese silver wire work often requires repetitive cuts and bends into the wire. Ergonomically designed Japanese tools with shaped handles prevent strain or injury from repetitive work. The Power Max Semi-Flush Cutter cuts soft wire up to 2.3mm as well as hard wire up to 1.8mm. It has a high-grade steel jaw which allows the designer to cut extra close to the piece. As of September 2010, the cutter generally retails for $35.95.