Does your ring stretcher mark the inside of your rings?

[susieq]

Hi - decided to invest in a ring stretcher back in February and having waited a couple of months for Cookies to get them back in stock it finally arrived mid May.

Works great for stretching BUT noticed with the first ring I re-sized that I had marks on the inside, which I thought I had filed/sanded before putting on the ring stretcher, but decided that I couldn't have, so refiled and sanded. No big problem but was annoyed with myself.

Second ring resized - same issue - and I definitely made sure the inside of the ring was smooth first.

On checking the ring stretcher spines, they seemed a little bit sharp on the edges especially when opened up, so thinking this was the cause of the marks I sanded them with smoother with emery paper.

Next ring I did was a little better but still marking.

I have reported the issue to Cookson with photos, and they have referred the issue to Durston but two weeks later they haven't had a response (although to be fair there's been a bank holiday in-between).

So just wondering whether significant clean-up is to be expected after stretching. The attached photo is of a test ring I did, 1.85mm sterling, rounded with rawhide mallet after soldering, inside sanded smooth. Then put on the ring stretcher and increased by one size. I used platinol on the inside of the ring just to highlight the marks I am getting - they are quite deep and will need filing to remove.

9012

Thoughts? Is my ring stretcher faulty or are the marks to be expected?

Thanks, Susie

[LydiaNiz]

Hi Susie,
If it's the Durston one, I've had some light marks, but only where I haven't turned the ring enough, and been too vigorous with each pull down. Tiny increments and regular turning will help.
Lydia

[ps_bond]

I've not managed to do that with mine. I shall go and try and see if I can replicate it later.

[Dennis]

I think it inevitable that the inside of a ring will be marked with shiny facets by stretching it on a metal mandrel.

Normally the effect is very superficial and the inside of a ring is the easiest part to polish with rotary tools. So I just leave the final finish til after stretching.

That said, the severe indents in your picture are unacceptable and eradicating them would significantly enlarge the size. I should ask for a refund and get another make entirely. Dennis.

[Aurarius]

On checking the ring stretcher spines, they seemed a little bit sharp on the edges especially when opened up, so thinking this was the cause of the marks I sanded them with smoother with emery paper

Those marks look fairly brutal. Can you show us a picture of the ring stretcher giving a close-up of the splines? They're perhaps not quite as they were originally if you've taken emery paper to them.

[susieq]

Thanks for the replies - unfortunately I have tried to get decent photo of the ring stretcher splines but been unable to get anything in even reasonable focus. I wonder if I could get a decent closeup through a magnifying glass? Will search it out. The emery only took off the very sharp edges, in much the same way I run emery along the edges of new pliers and the marks before I did this were worse.

None of the pulls on the handle of the ring stretcher were harsh - in fact it's not yet properly anchored down so I have been very careful and gentle when I've been using it.

Hopefully Durston will get back to Cookies soon. I do wonder if the reason their ring stretchers have been out of stock for a few months is because Durston have either changed the maker, or have had quality issues?

[LydiaNiz]

I am not at the studio until next week but will give it a go and see if I can take a few pics

[enigma]

Thats definitely not normal.
I stretch mine before finishing so there may be very slight marks but nothing like that.

[ps_bond]

OK, I've been able to test mine; I *can* get some fairly deep marks into a ring - but only through going to the full extent of handle travel, which isn't how I normally use it. I usually stretch it a little bit (not even going halfway on the handle), test, flip it over & continue.
My 22mm bit of copper pipe used as a test is now up at 26mm.