While ready-made canvases can be purchased at art supply stores, many painters still choose to stretch their own canvases or work at a larger scale that requires hand stretching. Canvas stretching pliers are an essential tool to maintain an even tightness over the frame, as the wide-mouth pliers give more leverage against the stretcher bar to create a tighter overall stretch, resulting in a smoother and more stable surface. These pliers not only save time, but also save hands -- the true artist’s tool.