Viking Knit Tool Review …

You may remember my DIY Viking Knit Tutorial of a few weeks back where I showed you how I make this age old and super versatile wire chain using a pencil, a smidge of sellotape and a wooden draw plate as my only tools?

I mentioned that there were fancy schmancy tools available as well.  Ahem… curiosity got the better of me and when I saw one available here in NZ … I purchased one – The Lazee Daizee Viking Knit Wireworking Tool by Stephanie Eddy.

Here are the results…

The shorter silver chain is straight off the tool, the longer has been pulled through a draw plate to the third largest hole. 

Silver chain has been made with 24 gauge wire, deep plum is 28 gauge.

Now I have to say it’s a useful little tool – I love the fact that it has a hole near the top which makes adding new wire very easy, it also has a groovy wee feature at the end where you can easily and quickly shape end caps for your larger chains.

On the downside … it’s plastic.  This means it’s harder on your colour coated wire with the potential to strip the colour off as you work the wire - even the best of colour coated wire needs a gentle hand/tools.  This is not a problem you have with a wooden pencil which has far more ‘give’.
 
But, if you just use the tool with plain copper, gold, silver or brass wire you should be sweet
.

The almost finished bracelet (featuring gorgeous lampwork focal bead from Bobbie Pene) just requiring some sea-toned crystal clusters one either side

So in summary I would say this … both options give the same result in roughly the same time.  If you like tools and will be making a lot of chain in non-coated wire – the Lazee Daizee could well be your new best bud!  If you want to make Viking Knit with different types of wire and using items already in your stationery stash – I’d suggest you stick to your pencil and tape .