ka-pow

There I was...just crimping away and POW...something small and black flew past my head.

Crimping is when you take a crimp bead - a hollow silver tube type bead that finishes a wire together - and use crimping pliers to make an indent in the tube, then fold the tube, holding two pieces of wire together or secure around a closure. I did not think I was crimping that hard. I want to make sure the crimp is solid....but this time, I broke my pliers.

I've had these pliers for over two years. They were the cheap pair at the local Walmart when I started this hobby. I had to glue the blue handle covers on once and the other just falls off and I slide it back on. I have adjusted to this quality.... You get what you pay for, right?

I'm thankful I wear glasses. I weld and I shoot and my glasses have always been my eye protection when either habit called for something more. I am planning on corrective eye surgery soon - but along with new pliers, I'm going to get some really geeky looking eye protection! That little black thing that flew past my head could have been a blinding injury.