LBS - Local Bead Store Alliance

I had a necklace come apart at the crimp and it taught me a lesson.  While the crimp looked perfectly secure, it wasn’t.  Now, when using crimping pliers, I add a step.  After squeezing the crimp in the top groove of the pliers (the second step), I use the tiny flat section of the jaws on the crimping pliers to give the crimp a final squeeze to make sure the crimp is good and tight.  I always give the wire a good pull to test the tightness of the crimp. 

Contributed by Susan Howard, Plumb Alley Beads, Abingdon, VA