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Upholstery Pliers, Stretchers and Pincers
Shop upholstery pliers, stretching tools, cutting nippers and pincers for gripping fabric, tensioning leather and canvas, working with furniture springs and removing suitable tacks, pins and fixings.
Livedale supplies general workshop pliers alongside specialist C.S. Osborne tools for professional upholstery, furniture restoration, spring work and automotive trimming.
The range includes tools for:
- Cutting suitable wire and hog rings
- Gripping small components
- Stretching leather, canvas and webbing
- Closing BW spring clips
- Pulling upholstery fabric
- Removing suitable tacks, pins and nails
- Working in confined furniture areas
Choose the tool according to the material and task. Side cutters, spring-clip pliers, duckbill pliers and carpenter’s pincers have different jaw shapes and should not be treated as interchangeable.
Shop Upholstery Pliers by Type
The range divides into five practical groups:
- Side cutters and diagonal nippers
- Needle-nose pliers
- Duckbill and stretching pliers
- Spring-clip pliers and compatible clips
- Carpenter’s and rubber-handled pincers
Side-Cutting Pliers and Nippers
Side cutters and diagonal nippers are designed to cut suitable wire and metal fasteners.
The current range includes:
- Am-Tech 6″ Side-Cutter Pliers
- Am-Tech 8″ Side-Cutting Pliers
- C.S. Osborne No.3377 Diagonal Cutting Nippers
Potential upholstery applications include:
- Cutting suitable wire
- Removing or cutting open hog rings
- Trimming selected spring components
- Cutting small metal fasteners
- Furniture repair and dismantling
- General workshop maintenance
Do not use side cutters on hardened wire or fasteners beyond the capacity of the tool.
Am-Tech 6″ Side-Cutter Pliers
The Am-Tech 6″ Side-Cutter Pliers are described as:
- Drop forged
- Heat treated
- Fitted with heavy-duty PVC handles
- Fitted with slip guards
The compact 6″ size may be preferable for smaller fasteners and work in restricted furniture areas.
Am-Tech 8″ Side-Cutting Pliers
The Am-Tech 8″ Side-Cutting Pliers have the same published drop-forged, heat-treated construction and PVC handles with slip guards.
The longer handles may provide additional reach and leverage where the fixing and tool capacity make this appropriate.
Neither Am-Tech page currently publishes its maximum cutting capacity, so the tool should not be selected solely by overall length.
C.S. Osborne No.3377 Diagonal Cutting Nippers
The C.S. Osborne No.3377 Diagonal Cutting Nippers are specifically described for cutting:
- Hog rings
- Suitable wire
They have a polished drop-forged head and plastic-covered handles.
These nippers are closely associated with Upholstery Hog Rings used in furniture, automotive trimming and suitable spring or wire applications.
Wear suitable eye protection when cutting wire or hog rings, as the cut section may move suddenly.
Mini Needle-Nose Pliers
The Am-Tech Mini Needle-Nose Pliers are drop forged and fitted with handled grips.
Their narrow jaws can provide access where broad pliers or pincers would be awkward.
Potential applications include:
- Gripping small clips
- Holding small wire components
- Positioning suitable fasteners
- Bending light wire
- Retrieving small items from restricted areas
- General furniture and workroom repairs
Needle-nose pliers are primarily gripping and positioning tools. They should not be used as a substitute for specialist cutters unless their jaws include a suitable cutting section and its capacity is known.
Avoid twisting the jaws sideways against a heavy fixing, as this can damage their alignment.
Duckbill Upholstery Pliers
The C.S. Osborne DB1 Duckbill Pliers are manufactured from cast malleable iron with:
- Extra-wide jaws
- Serrated gripping surfaces
- A small finger crook
The broad jaw helps distribute the grip across a wider area than conventional narrow pliers.
Potential uses include gripping and controlling suitable:
- Upholstery fabric
- Leather
- Canvas
- Webbing
- Furniture-covering materials
The serrated jaws provide additional grip but may leave pressure marks on delicate materials.
Before using the pliers on visible leather, vinyl or fabric:
- Test them on an offcut.
- Keep the jaws within a concealed turning where possible.
- Apply only the pressure needed to grip the material.
- Check that the serrations are clean.
- Avoid repeatedly repositioning the jaws on the finished face.
Browse Upholstery Vinyl & Fabric for furniture-covering materials.
Leather, Canvas and Webbing Stretching Pliers
The C.S. Osborne No.250 Leather, Canvas & Webbing Stretching Pliers are specialist stretching pliers with a hammer-style jaw.
The hammer jaw acts as a lever against a suitable frame edge where a stronger pull is required.
The tool is designed for stretching suitable:
- Leather
- Canvas
- Upholstery webbing
- Heavy furniture-covering materials
Its published construction includes:
- Vinyl-covered handles
- Nickel-plated finish
- Lever-style hammer jaw
Using the Hammer Jaw
The material is gripped between the jaws before the rounded hammer section is placed against a suitable frame edge.
Rotating the handles allows the frame to act as a fulcrum, increasing the pulling force applied to the material.
Before levering:
- Check the furniture frame is sound
- Protect finished timber where necessary
- Keep the material correctly aligned
- Grip enough material to prevent tearing
- Apply tension gradually
- Keep fingers clear of the jaw and frame
- Avoid overstretching the covering
The tool should not be levered directly against a fragile, polished or visible furniture edge without suitable protection.
Stretching Leather and Canvas
Leather and canvas should be tensioned evenly rather than pulled fully tight at one isolated point.
Work gradually around the frame, checking:
- Grain or surface direction
- Alignment
- Wrinkles
- Corners
- Fixing positions
- Material condition
- Whether the stretch remains even
Leather and coated materials can retain permanent jaw marks. Keep the gripping area within the concealed fixing allowance wherever practical.
Stretching Upholstery Webbing
The No.250 can also be used with suitable upholstery webbing.
Browse:
The required tension varies considerably between traditional jute webbing, elasticated webbing and rubber systems.
Do not use the maximum available leverage automatically. Overstretching can damage the webbing, frame or finished seat support.
For traditional peg-and-slot or spiked webbing tools, browse Specialist Upholstery Tools & Workshop Accessories.
BW Spring Clips and Closing Pliers
The category includes a matched spring-clip system:
The pliers and clips are designed to be used together.
C.S. Osborne No.522 BW Spring-Clip Pliers
The C.S. Osborne No.522 BW Spring-Clip Pliers are designed to close compatible ¼″ cushion-spring clips around 8–9 gauge wire.
Potential furniture applications include connecting suitable:
- Zigzag springs
- Edge wire
- Edge springs
- Torsion springs
- Other compatible wire components
The formed jaws close the clip around the wire more consistently than general-purpose pliers.
Do not substitute an ordinary pair of pliers where the clip requires the No.522 jaw profile.
BW Paper-Lined C Clips
The BW C Clips are supplied in boxes of 100.
They are described as:
- Solid-steel clips
- Paper lined
- Intended to resist squeaking
- Compatible with the C.S. Osborne No.522 pliers
The clips may be used with suitable:
- Zigzag springs
- Edge wire
- Edge springs
- Torsion springs
The paper lining separates the metal surfaces and helps reduce noise as the spring system moves.
Browse:
Fitting BW C Clips
Before fitting:
- Check that the spring and wire are correctly positioned.
- Confirm that the clip is the correct size.
- Place the paper-lined section against the intended wire surfaces.
- Position the No.522 pliers around the clip.
- Close the clip progressively.
- Check that it is securely formed.
- Inspect the paper lining for damage.
Do not close clips around unidentified or incompatible wire.
Furniture springs store energy. Wear suitable eye protection and keep hands clear of components that may move under tension.
Carpenter’s Pincers
The Carpenter’s Pincers are:
- 200mm or 8″ long
- Manufactured from carbon steel
- Fitted with a ground head
- Finished with black-painted handles
The rounded head can act as a rolling point when pulling suitable nails, pins and upholstery tacks.
Potential applications include:
- Removing suitable upholstery tacks
- Pulling nails and pins
- General furniture dismantling
- Extracting exposed fixings from frame timber
- Furniture repair and restoration
Position the jaws as close to the timber as possible and roll the pincers gradually rather than pulling sharply away from the frame.
Protect visible timber where the rounded head could mark the surface.
For more specialised removal tools, browse Staple Removers, Tack Lifters & Ripping Chisels.
Rubber-Handled Pincers
The Rubber-Handled Pincers are 200mm long and have:
- Forged chrome-vanadium steel construction
- Hardened, ground and polished jaws
- High-leverage design
- Vinyl-dipped handles
They provide an alternative to the carbon-steel carpenter’s pincers.
Potential uses include:
- Pulling suitable tacks and nails
- Gripping exposed metal fixings
- Furniture dismantling
- General frame repairs
- Removing suitable pins
The more suitable pair may depend on jaw shape, grip, leverage and the fixing being removed.
Neither product should be used to remove deeply embedded staples where a dedicated staple lifter or remover would provide better access.
Choosing the Correct Tool
Choose side cutters or diagonal nippers for:
- Cutting suitable wire
- Cutting open hog rings
- Trimming selected metal fasteners
- General workshop cutting
Choose needle-nose pliers for:
- Gripping small components
- Working in confined areas
- Positioning suitable clips
- Bending light wire
Choose duckbill pliers for:
- Broad gripping of fabric or leather
- Pulling suitable covering material
- Work where a wider jaw is beneficial
Choose No.250 stretching pliers for:
- Tensioning leather
- Stretching canvas
- Pulling suitable upholstery webbing
- Work requiring a lever-assisted pull
Choose No.522 spring-clip pliers for:
- Closing matching BW C clips
- Connecting suitable spring and edge-wire components
Choose pincers for:
- Pulling suitable tacks
- Removing pins and nails
- Furniture dismantling
- Frame-repair work
Removing Upholstery Fixings
Before removing a fixing:
- Identify whether it is a tack, nail, staple, clip or hog ring
- Choose the tool suited to its shape
- Expose enough of the fixing to grip it
- Protect the furniture frame
- Pull gradually
- Keep the supporting hand clear
- Check whether the fixing is under tension
Use:
- Pincers for suitable tacks, pins and nails
- Diagonal nippers for cutting suitable wire and hog rings
- Dedicated tack lifters for lifting upholstery tacks
- Staple removers for embedded staples
- No.522 pliers for fitting compatible BW clips
Do not use a cutting edge as a lever unless the tool is designed for that purpose. Levering on cutter jaws can chip or misalign them.
Care and Storage
After use:
- Remove fabric fibres and metal fragments
- Wipe jaw surfaces clean
- Inspect cutting edges
- Check the pivot action
- Keep serrated jaws free from debris
- Protect polished or nickel-plated surfaces from damp
- Store spring clips in a closed container
- Keep specialist pliers clearly identified
A small amount of suitable lubricant may be applied to compatible pivots where permitted by the manufacturer.
Keep lubricant away from leather, vinyl, fabric and other materials that could be stained.
Replace tools with chipped cutting edges, loose pivots, cracked handles or badly damaged jaws.
Safe Use
Wear suitable eye protection when:
- Cutting wire
- Cutting hog rings
- Closing spring clips
- Working with tensioned furniture springs
- Pulling brittle or damaged fixings
Avoid:
- Cutting hardened material beyond the tool’s rating
- Holding fingers close to closing jaws
- Using damaged handles
- Applying extension bars to increase leverage
- Forcing specialist spring clips with ordinary pliers
- Pulling towards the face or body
- Leaving tools on upholstered furniture
- Using serrated jaws on visible fabric without testing
- Allowing children access to pliers, pincers or clips
Related Upholstery Tools and Materials
The ranges most closely associated with these tools include:
- Upholstery Springs
- Spring Clips & Bracewire
- Upholstery Webbing
- Upholstery Hog Rings
- Upholstery Tacks & Gimp Pins
- Staple Removers, Tack Lifters & Ripping Chisels
- Upholstery Vinyl & Fabric
Return to the Upholstery Tools hub for hammers, cutters, pneumatic tools, needles and other furniture-workshop equipment.
Trade Upholstery Pliers, Stretchers and Pincers
Livedale supplies general and specialist upholstery pliers to professional upholsterers, furniture manufacturers, restorers, automotive trimmers and training workshops throughout the UK.
The range covers material stretching, spring-clip fitting, wire cutting, gripping and furniture dismantling.
Approved trade customers can access preferential pricing across eligible products after registering for a trade account.
Choose each tool according to its jaw design, cutting capacity, intended material and compatible fixing system.