Parallel jaw pliers are designed so the inside surfaces of the jaws are always parallel, which helps to prevent damage when holding parts. Note that these pliers have smooth jaws.

Automatic Center Punch
One of the most frequent tasks in gunsmithing is drilling holes in metal. This is more often than not associated with making a part or with mounting sights. Once you have located the exact point where you want to locate your hole, you'll want to use a hardened center punch to mark that spot. The tiny "V" created by the center punch also serves as a guide for the drill to help keep it from walking off the desired location.

You can take a standard center punch and tap it with a hammer, but that takes two hands. Long ago I started using an automatic center punch and it has allowed me to hold a magnifying glass in one hand to precisely locate the point of the center punch. The automatic center punch is spring loaded, so all I need to do is just put the point at the desired location and press down. The internal spring is compressed and then a "hammer" that drives the point into the metal is automatically released. It's quick, easy, and precise.

Stock Jack
Another inexpensive low-tech item I use frequently is a stock jack, or bench support. I have a number of different ones. One is simply a number of pieces of 2x4s glued together in a "stair-step" configuration. I position it on my bench to support long items, such as stocks, that are being held in my vise. The "steps" in the jack allow for variations in height as necessary. I have another support that I made out of a discarded light stand. This one sits on the floor and allows enough elevation to support anything that extends out away from the bench. I use it a lot when doing stock work.

Razor Knives
Razor or hobby knives get a lot of use on my bench. Whether it's slitting the face of a recoil pad for attaching screws, opening packages, cleaning up stock bedding, or making minor wood repairs, these knives get a workout. I have quite a few of them with blades of various sizes and shapes. The blades are cheap enough so that if a blade becomes damaged or dulled, it can be easily replaced.

Shop Tweezers
Gunsmiths are always reaching into actions--either to install or replace parts. While needlenose pliers can often be used, I tend to use shop tweezers for most of this work. But these are not your wife's cosmetic tweezers. Shop tweezers are much larger and more substantial. I have some that are straight and some that end in a bend or angle. These are just the ticket for reaching into tight spots, holding a solvent-soaked cleaning patch to scrub out the nooks and crannies inside an action, or to hold a tiny screw or part when cold blueing it.