(Emergency) ring removal

Ring removal when all do-it-yourself-methods fail.

Several tricks can be found online to remove a ring that is stuck on a finger. You can remove a ring with green soap, you can remove a ring with a string, etc. But these methords often will not work if the finger is (suddenly) swollen, due to an accident, a condition, or resulting from the use of certain pharmaceutical products. To remove the ring without harming the finger, the ring must then be cut or sawed through.

Cutting a ring open with side cutters/nippers:

Pro's: Fast and effective removal, especially in medical emergencies

Con's: more damage to the ring due to the pressure of the pliers

If a ring cannot be removed from a finger intact, the ring must be openend! This can be done by sawing or cutting the ring open. In the hospital or in an emergency situation, rings that are stuck are usually simply cut with diagonal pliers/side cutters/nippers. This is fast and effective, but a pair of nippers crushes part of the ring around the "cutting point", so repairing the affected ring afterwards requires more work and material. After all, the flattened parts must be removed and replaced with a new piece of gold of the correct dimensions.

Sawing ring open (with jewelers ring saw):

Pro's: A nice tight cut, easy soldering

Con's: Requires a jewelers ring saw, less likely to be used in medical emergencies

If there is no acute emergency situation, we recommend having the ring cut by a jeweler or goldsmith with a jewelers ring saw. (We almost always do that for free.) The lower metal bar on the tool protects the finger against the saw and after the ring has been sawn open, both ends of the open ring are bent outwards with 2 pliers so that there is room to withdraw the finger. The 2 ends of the ring can be neatly soldered together by the goldsmith afterwards. Since the ring was too tight, it usually has to be enlarged afterwards.

Let the finger "rest" for at least 6 weeks after ring removal!

After the ring has been removed, the skin where the ring used to be is still quite "compressed". We therefore recommend to let the ring rest for at least 6 weeks after ring removal. The finger can slowly recover to a natural state during this time. After that, the size of the finger can be measured more accurately for possible enlargement of the ring.