How to Open Split Jump Rings
Correctly opening split jump rings is essential when making quality jewelry. Incorrectly opening jump rings damages their shape and makes them more likely to reopen once closed. Jump rings are small pieces of metal that have been formed into a circle and then had their ends soldered together. Split jump rings are jump rings that have not had their ends soldered together; therefore, there is a small gap between the ends, which is referred to as the "split." Split jump rings are used as connectors in jewelry making.
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Instructions
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Pick up the split jump ring with a pair of chain-nosed or needle-nosed pliers.
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Position the pliers so that they are holding the split jump ring along one of its sides, with its split exposed. The very tip of the nose of the pliers should extend past the ring.
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Orient the split jump ring so that the split is facing in the same direction as the nose of the pliers (i.e. the split in the ring should be parallel to the pliers). Perform the next steps while holding the ring in this position.
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Grasp the split jump ring along its other side with the other pair of pliers. Make sure these pliers are positioned in the exact same manner, but on the other side of the ring. The split in the ring should be halfway between each pair of pliers, and the pliers should be parallel to each other as well as the split in the ring.
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5
Hold one pair of the pliers in a fixed position while using the other pair of pliers to slowly bend one side of the ring upward. The object is not to pull the sides of the ring away from each other to open the split, but rather to open the split without widening the ring. Open the ring the minimum amount necessary to avoid misshaping the ring.
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Tips & Warnings
Do not use pliers with textured jaws, as these may scratch the surface of the ring.
