Gyrogami Blog - Precious Metals, Jewelry, Artwork

Cutting Jump Rings

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Categories: Instruction and information; Jewelry

Word count/read time: 479 words; 2 minutes

While there are just a few ways to make good jump rings, there are limitless ways to do the opposite. Therefore, this is about saw-cut rings using a jeweler's saw or equivalent. Cutting your own is a positive step towards exceptional quality control and legitimate handmade goods.

Pinch- or shear-cut rings are used only on novelty items and accessories, never on real jewelry. It's about function and fashion. Science, math, and physics show why so don't dispute the facts: jagged edges, stretched and deformed rings, razor splinters. Some nippers and shears are kinder but they still destroy the rings.

Jewelry requires the best so it only uses perfectly closed saw-cut rings. Further, precious metals should most certainly have welded or soldered links. I digress. This is about how to make rings, not how or what to make with them, though it should be keenly noted.

Micromaille will torpedo any method. Mini-me doesn't play nice. It will be demanding and frustrating, a mere sampling of the upcoming aggravation. There are suppliers for "bigger" micromaille rings. Smaller sizes, like those found in chainmaille purses, are custom. People who need rings this small are making them.

Jump rings can be ruined before they are even coiled. Fresh wire has to settle before handling. Spooled wire must be unrolled properly or it twists. Too much handling may cause sporadic hardening. Coiling the wire carelessly or irregularly will introduce memory issues, kinks, and hard bends. Everything, tools included, must be inspected for flaws or damage.

Saw blades seem to get dull or break so often that pricey ones can be difficult to justify. There seems to be less difference in saw frames; shallow or deep, select the shallowest one for the job to ensure the best outcome. A $15 frame might be as good as a $150 frame to you, who's to say?

Cutting a straight line that is also perpendicular to the coil is challenging. Uneven cuts happen quickly. Besides not looking good they prevent the ring from closing properly. However they're cut, the blade must be straight.

When cutting a coil on the mandrel, anchor or secure the coil as needed. Sometimes a slightly larger mandrel can be used for cutting however a wandering coil is an invitation for gaffed rings.

If the saw blade is removed from the coil, re-positioning it identically lessens the chance it pinches or breaks. If flesh is nearby it could result in an unpleasant experience. Don't let rings jingle on the blade because they will get scratched.

Hardened stainless steel and its evil metallic siblings can be cut by hand with a jeweler's saw. Using perfect technique, of course, which is fleeting at best. It's a lesson in futility because it's too damn slow and dulls blades faster than the wet on rain. Save the hassle and get commercial saw-cut ones or purchase ring-cutting equipment yourself.

Posted by M: July 21, 2018

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