Wire Cutter/Flash Cutter Safety... Hmm Practice What I Preach!

OK for those of you that make jewelry this will hit home hard. We have all had to cut wire and when we do a few things happen:

1. The piece you cut off becomes a projectile that will of course land where you can not find it.. until you are in bare feet.

2. The spool or coil you are cutting from unravels-COMPLETELY! Or you get poked by the wire you are trying to get off of the coil.

3. You cut yourself because you are not paying attention

So to help myself and others here are a few safety tips when using your Wire Cutters/Flash Cutters:

Safety Tip #1:
Always hold both ends of the wire as you cut it. When the cut is made, the loose end of the wire tends to fly. It can be a hazard to your eyes and it can be a hazard to your back as you crawl around on the floor trying to find the wire and pick it up or to your bare feet when you find it unexpectedly. Wearing safety glasses when jewelry making is often recommended, but it is safer still to make sure the loose end of the wire can not become a missile hazard.


Safety Tip #2:
A good habit to have, is when you are cutting wire from a coil or spool to cut it so that the flat side of the cut remains on the spool or coil of wire. This way the shorter wire segment that you work with will always have one sharp end and one flat end. In addition, the wire on the spool with have a flat end so it will be less likely to hurt anyone who picks up that spool later. Also, hold the spool firmly to prevent unraveling issues. It never goes back the way it was the first time around.

Safety Tip #3: Flush cutters can be sharp and may not be suitable for young children or adults who are not paying attention. Jewelry making is probably not appropriate for young children or adults who have focus issues.

Hopefully these tips will help you and prevent you from injury. I post these as I have done all 3!