Step 1
Wrap the plates in a towel or put them in a paper or plastic bag before breaking them with a hammer. This minimizes mess and helps prevent accidents caused by stepping on stray pieces of crockery.
Step 2
Hold the hammer firmly but relax your arm. Position the plates on a work surface. Swing the hammer down gently – too much force will cause the plates to break more erratically. Aim to align the tip of the handle’s blade with the chisel tip on the handle while breaking the plates.
Step 3
Place the mosaic tile nippers in the palm of your cutting hand, with the rounded end of the jaws facing toward you. Feed the plate into the jaws of the cutter using the thumb and forefinger of your other hand.
Step 4
Cut the plate. Press your thumb and forefinger together while simultaneously squeezing the handles together.
Step 5
Create precision shapes. You can create curved shapes by chipping small pieces from the broken crockery until you achieve the desired curve. To make diagonal lines, angle the nipper head and align your finger and thumb with this direction.