Removing a Ring Stuck on the Finger

This summer, we at Handiwork have seen a good number of ladies arriving at our store in Memphis with quite a dilemma on hand, literally. These very faithful women have worn their wedding ring every day and night since they got married, and anywhere from five to fifty years later, bodies and hands have changed while their ring remained the same size. Other times, a pregnancy or hospital trip results in water retention, making your hands swell.

A panic phone call starts off with a, "My ring is stuck on my finger, and I have tried everything! Can you cut it off?" After trying to remove the now too small ring with lotion, petroleum jelly, butter, and even oil, they are now desperate to restore the circulation in their fingers. Also be sure to try soaking your hand in ice water since our hands sometimes swell in warmer conditions. I also found this nifty but doubtful ring removal trick with string online here.

When all else fails, you can come to a local jeweler like Handiwork, and we can remove the ring while you keep your finger. I do know that hospitals will also be able to do a similar thing, but I have seen their efficient work, which destroys the ring's shank (band) more than necessary.

We use a ring cutter remover very similar to the one found here on Ebay and available at a pretty good deal (under $15 with shipping).

This handheld tool has a blunted hook that fits under the band between the ring and the finger. A small rounded saw rotated by hand (the extended bar with round disk pictured above) slowly and gently grinds away a thin line into the gold or silver. Once we hear a snap, we remove the ring cutter and take two pairs of pliers to slowly pull apart the band to minimize damage to the ring. Having this done at Handiwork is no charge if you then decide to have it re-sized, otherwise it costs $25.

In order to prevent this from happening, we recommend taking your rings off at night, as well as taking them off to be cleaned at home or at a local jewelers (free jewelry cleaning at Handiwork Jewelry!). Additionally, if you are pregnant or entering a hospital, remove your jewelry and keep it at home for safekeeping. We have unfortunately heard many stories of jewelry being lost or stolen at the hospital.