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How to Open Jump Rings

Jump rings are components used to connect other jewellery findings in a piece of jewellery. Here we discuss how to open and close them, which is an essential skill in jewellery making for any jeweller or hobbyist.

They can be made from gold, silver, copper or brass wire and, whilst they are traditionally round in shape, they can come in other forms such as ovals, squares, triangles and hexagons. The wire itself may also be embellished through twisting or the metal may be square, so opening jump rings is a procedure that, whilst comparatively simple, must be done with care. Ultimately, putting too much stress on these jewellery findings can result in the jump rings breaking, becoming weak or difficult to close, which will, in turn, weaken the structure of the piece as a whole.

The most important piece of equipment you will need to open jump rings is a pair of pliers. Chain nose or flat nose pliers are most commonly used in this process. Chain nose pliers are defined by the shape of the outer jaw; this jaw is rounded and tapers towards the tip. Some chain nose pliers also have a cutting blade on the inner part of the jaw, used for cutting soft wire, as well as other jewellery findings. Flat nose pliers have, as the name suggests, have two flat-surfaced jaws that are used to hold and manipulate both sheet and wire. Unlike chain nose pliers, they do not taper and are most commonly used for crimping and manipulating. The squared jaw is used to help create angular shapes in the wire. It is important that the surface of the jaws of either of these types of pliers is smooth or you will risk marking the surface of the jump rings.

To open a small number of rings, a small pair of pliers is used to hold the ring and ring and then it can be gently manipulated with the fingertips. However, it is important to note that the ring must not be opened by pulling the opposing ends apart. Instead, the ring is twisted open, to create the appropriate gap. If the jewellery findings are very small, a pair of pliers can be used to hold the ring, whilst another pair is used to twist it open. This process can also be used to open large numbers of jump rings. It is important to only open the jump ring as far as you need to or you will risk fatiguing the metal wire. It is best to use your non-dominant hand to hold the jump ring and your dominant hand to manipulate it.

Closing the jump rings is simply the process in reverse; by sliding or twisting the opposing ends of the ring together, you should be able to hear or feel a click when they are made parallel. If you need to, you can then solder the jump rings shut.

Although opening jump rings is a relatively easy procedure, you must be prepared to make a few initial mistakes. As with most jewellery-making techniques, all that is required is a little patience and a steady hand. Once you have mastered these skills, you will be able to apply them to other pieces, adding a greater depth and complexity to your pieces.

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Adam Hunter – E-commerce Marketing Manager of cooksongold.com. Cookson Precious Metals offer a choice of supplies from over 10,000 products including gold and silver wire, silver jewellery findings, tools, precious metal clay and precious metal sheet. For interviews, quotes, images or comments contact: Adam Hunter E-commerce Marketing Manager Tel(DDI): +44 (0) 121 212 6491

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