Quick Tip Tuesday: Make Straightening Wire Easier

I've been playing around with some wire pieces this morning, and I thought I would share a quick little tidbit that made straightening wire much easier for me.

If you've worked at all with wire, you probably know that the first thing you usually do after you cut your piece of wire is to straighten it out with nylon jaw pliers.  But I had a hard time getting a nice straight piece until I learned to give myself something to hold on to.

Take a pair of round nose pliers and bend a little loop in one end of your wire (give yourself a bit extra when you cut it for this purpose).  It may not seem like much, but having this little loop to hold on to when you straighten helps a LOT.  It keeps the wire in your hand, keeps it from twisting, and keeps it from bending up between your fingers.  Then when your wire is straightened up, simply clip off the loop, and you're good to go.