1. The plier jaws met decently and the steel was pretty hard, so I decided a trip to my tool modification station was in order to bring them up to task.

2. I have a kit of specific attachments I always use for steel tool modifications: Snap-On sanding discs in several grits, a Mizzy heatless grinding wheel, a steel bristle brush for burnishing, a separating disc, a few flexible silicon carbide abrasive discs, and, of course, safety goggles to protect my eyes.

3. Since we’ll be working with both plier jaws, you’ll want to start by marking the top jaw. I used a Sharpie to put a dot on the top jaw.

4. The first task is to create a centered slot on the bottom plier jaw for the earring post to slide into. Use dividers and a permanent marker to indicate the position of the slot.

5. To use the separating disc safely, position the opened pliers in the V-slot of a bench pin with the cutting line facing out. Cut very slowly and use a bur lubricant on the separating disc to prevent shattering. Wear those goggles! Cut the slot wide enough for an earring post (about a 22 or 20 gauge wire diameter) to easily slide into. Sand the inside of the slot with a sanding disc.

6. To create the seat on the bottom jaw that will allow the earring head to rest at about a 45-degree angle to the top jaw, indicate a notch with the Sharpie. Use the grinding wheel to gradually remove steel, testing the fit and angle against an earring as you work. Once you have created the notch, you might also need to lengthen the slot you cut first so it extends just past the point where the two angles meet at the base of the seat.

7. The oval groove on the top jaw of the pliers also needs to be extended to allow the prongs of the setting to contact the steel jaw as the pliers are closed during setting. Use the separating disc to extend and lengthen the groove.

8. Take your time and test the angles of an unset earring to ensure the plier jaws have good contact with the metal at the base of the setting, that the earring post sits at about a 45-degree angle in the closed pliers, and that the prong to be compressed is resting firmly within the slot of the upper plier jaw as well. Once all of these criteria are met, sand and burnish the steel to a high polish using the abrasive attachments and a steel bristle brush. Happy setting!