Daily Wire Tip Nov. 4: How to Englarge a Ring

Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip
November 4, 2009

Question:

How do you enlarge a ring that is too small for a finger?

Answer:

As this question is vague and we deal with wire jewelry creation and design I am going to answer regarding wire rings. Resizing a wire ring is only possible if it has a wrapped shank, and then a ring can only be sized up by ½ to ¾ of a size, by removing all or part of the shank wrap. Another option would be to buy a ‘ring guard’ (also known as a ‘ring wrap’) that can be found at any jewelry store and even some department stores at their jewelry counter.

Answer contributed by Dale `Cougar` Armstrong

Have a question? Submit your question here!

Related Posts

• 

  Featured Tool: Anvils and Bench Blocks
  Featured Tool: Anvils and Bench Blocks
• 

  Using Tiles on Tube Rivets and Eyelets
  Using Tiles on Tube Rivets and Eyelets
• 

  Using a Tile to Cut Rivets
  Using a Tile to Cut Rivets
• 

  Make a Rivet and Eyelet Tile
  Make a Rivet and Eyelet Tile

7 Comments

1. 

   Della

   November 4, 2009 at 5:16 pm

   You had a question about “enlarging a ring that is too small” In order to stretch a ring that is already made ,all you need to do is place the ring on the mandrel and tap it down to a larger size.:ex: if you have a size 6 and want a 6 1/2 keep tapping it till you have stretched it to 6 1/2 .Make sure you flip the ring on the mandrel ,because it is tapered you want it to be uniform.I’ve done this many times. I have a lot of rings already made and sometimes people like a ring I have but is too small so I re size it to fit . you usually can stretch it a half size larger. You have to be careful not to make marks on the finished piece.
2. 

   Judy

   November 4, 2009 at 8:06 pm

   You can size a wire wrapped wring by putting it on a mandrel and hitting it with a rawhide hammer. You can usually get up to 1/2 size larger this way.
3. 

   Susan Shafer

   November 4, 2009 at 9:52 pm

   I read in a book that if you put a ring on a steel mandrel and tap on it with a rubber mallet the steel (or whatever) will stretch allowing the ring size to get bigger.
4. 

   David

   November 4, 2009 at 11:43 pm

   Exactly what is a ring guard(wrap). What does it look like and how do you use or incorporate it?
5. 

   Jessie Adams

   November 5, 2009 at 5:33 am

   I defer to the Cougar when it comes to wire wrap As to cast or formed rings it depends on three things
   the size increase
   the thickness of the shank
   and whether it has a stone set on it
   Any really big increase usually means taking it in for benchwork to a gold or silversmith
   If is is a realatively small increase with a good thick shank on it (like Tripps settings ) then you can usually do it pretty easily with a leather mallet and a ring strecher; but ONLY IF IT DOESN’T HAVE A STONE SET IN IT. Using a strecher will distort prongs,crack the shank and leave you with a rather upset customer.
   The better tool to use is a ring roller which works by rolling out the shank but doesn’t strech the whole ring. Costs a bit more but is definitely a better way to do it.
   By the way I’ve seen people who have been in the trade for decades try to to use a ring stretcher on a set stone ring and still crack the shank ( I know I bought a tanzanite ring from a collegue at a local mineral show and asked to enlarge the shank a 1/4 size; guess what it cracked! Luckily it was only sterling and I was planning to reset it anyway. Everyone has a different learning curve.
   Any way hope this helps
   Have fun!
   J
6. 

   Alex Netherton

   November 5, 2009 at 9:15 am

   This is an ongoing problem with any wire worker. Placing the ring on a steel mandrel and *carefully* tapping it upward with a plastic or leather hammer has worked for me, but only for a half size or so. Even then there is a chance for distortion of the design. Getting so you can make a ring to the right size is a matter of practice. Some designs will “pull up”, or shrink by half a size or more during construction. You have to allow for this.
7. 

   mbt shoes

   May 3, 2010 at 10:06 am

   Thanks for sharing this.