A method of manufacturing a pair of jaws for an electrosurgical instrument comprising the steps of: manufacturing first and second jaw members 2,3, each having a respective planar sealing surface 5,7 assembling jaw members 2,3 in a required orientation so that planar sealing surface 5 of the first jaw member 2 is at a predetermined orientation with respect to the planar sealing surface 7 of the second jaw member holding both jaw members 2,3 in the required orientation forming respective pivot holes 12,11 in the first and second jaw members 2,3 whilst the jaw members 2,3 are being held in the required orientation and inserting a pivot pin through the pivot holes 11,12. The required orientation may be where planar sealing surfaces 5,7 are parallel. Pivot holes 11,12 may be formed in a single operation, possibly by drilling through jaw members 2,3. The method may include a pre-assembly step of forming respective initial holes 14,13,fig.4 through first and second jaw members 2,3 and filling holes 13,14 with a softer material, where pivot holes may be formed through the softer material. The softer material may be a polymetric material.
