Opening and closing rings

Every ring in a piece of mail gets opened and closed at least once. If you do it wrong, you get rings that are out of round, rings with a gap, and rings that fail later. Doing it right takes about a minute to learn, and it matters more than any other single technique.

The wrong way

Most beginners open a ring by pulling the two ends apart sideways, like opening a clip. This stretches the ring into an oval and work-hardens the wire. It becomes harder to close, never quite round again, and the seam does not meet cleanly.

The right way: twist

Hold the ring with the cut at the top, one pair of pliers on each side of the cut. Move one hand toward you and the other away, as if opening a door on a hinge. The ends slide past each other in the plane perpendicular to the ring, and the ring stays round. Open it only as far as you need to slip the neighbouring rings on.

To close, reverse the motion. The ends slide back into the same plane and meet. If they overshoot slightly, push them back past each other and return. You should feel them click into line.

Holding the ring

• Grip the ring with the pliers close to the cut so the twist is localised at the seam.
• Keep the jaws flat against the ring. If the jaws tilt, they twist the ring.
• Use smooth jaws. Serrated ones mark the wire. See the tools guide.

Closing so there is no gap

A good closure has no light visible through the seam and the two cut faces sit flush. To get there:

1. Close the ring until the ends touch.
2. Press the ends in a tiny bit more, so they push together slightly.
3. Look at the seam against a light. If you see a sliver, adjust.
4. Roll the ring between your fingers to confirm it is round.

If the ends slip past each other and will not line up, the wire may have work hardened. Replace the ring.

Stiff wire needs more care

Steel and stainless spring back. Close the ring a touch beyond the meeting point so that when you release it, the ends rest against each other. With soft aluminum you can be gentler. See metals compared.

Do not reopen the same ring repeatedly

Every open and close cycle work-hardens the wire. After several cycles the ring snaps. If a ring needs repeated adjustment, replace it.

Fixing problems

The ring will not stay closed. The wire is too stiff or the ring is too large for its gauge. Check aspect ratio. Rings with a very high AR are springy.

The ends are mismatched. The cut may be at an angle, or the ends may have burrs. Trim or file lightly. Rings cut with flush cutters should be flat on one side.

The ring is oval. Squeeze it gently with the pliers along the short axis, or roll it on a mandrel.

The ring scratched. Pliers with serrated jaws are to blame. Replace them.

Practice before you build

Open and close fifty rings before you start a project. Your hands will learn the motion and your rings will be more consistent.

For a first piece to practise on, try the bracelet walkthrough.