Tungsten carbide is one of the hardest metals. It is nearly as indestructible as a diamond. This is a great feature when looking for long-lasting material, and so the growing popularity of tungsten rings makes perfect sense. However, what happens when you need to get a tungsten ring off and can’t?
Sometimes a ring needs to be removed from a finger in an emergency. Maybe you were involved in an accident or maybe your finger is swollen and the ring is cutting off circulation. In this case the ring is usually cut off, but because of its toughness, a tungsten ring can’t be cut off.
Luckily, there is a solution. While tungsten rings cannot be cut off, they can be “cracked” off.
Here are the three easy steps to remove a tungsten ring from your finger.
First, get a vice grip wrench or pair of locking pliers. These are easy-to-find tools that most home tool kits have. If you do not have a pair at home, you can go to any hardware store or make at trip to an emergency room.
Second, once you have your tool close the jaw of the wrench around the tungsten ring. Then tighten. Now with the added pressure, clamp down on the wrench in an attempt crack the ring. You might need to loosen and tighten the wrench or pliers multiple times to get this done. There should be no pain to you as you do this. If you experience pain, stop and seek a medical professional.
Third, once cracked do not slide the ring off your finger, less you cause any damage to yourself. What you will want to do is cut away at the metal inside the tungsten ring. This allows you to safely remove the ring from your finger.
Another method is using what is called a ring cracker. A ring cracker can be purchased online and is a great tool that many jewelers might have in their shop. It looks a little bit like a cigar cutter, but instead of a sharp blade, it’s a smooth circle of metal. What happens is you put your finger with the ring on it inside the hole and, much like a vise grip, pressure is applied to the tungsten. It only takes a matter of seconds before the ring shatters and can be removed.
So while a tungsten ring cannot be simply cut off, it can be easily removed by “cracking” the metal and taking the ring off.
