Reducing the size of a sterling silver ring with a tube set amethyst.

[Ruedeleglise]

Advice please.
Is there a safe way of cutting out a small amount of the shank of a ring and re soldering without demounting the stone? I think I have heard that if the stone is protected from the heat using a special thermal block jell or even sunk into a raw potato it can protect the stone…….is this true? The shank is D section 5.1 x1.25mm
David


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[Ruedeleglise]

Ah well….just found 2 u tube films on the very subject! However my ring shank is much thicker than in these two examples…….hope the extra heat doesn’t get through the themogel. We will see!


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[Dennis]

Of couse the first consideration is whether the stone is vulnerable to heating.
Secondly consider the conductivity of the metal. for instance silver very high. Brass less so.
Last, any kind of heat protection will seriously affect your ability to get solder to flow, so you will need a hotter flame.

The default advice is to unset the stone, but the method depends on the the type and robustness of the setting.

An unsatisfactory reply until we have more information. Dennis

[Ruedeleglise]

The shank is about 5.1x1.25mm so quite thick and will take a bit of heating . The stone is an Amethyst tube set . I have a tube of Technoflux which Mr Berry uses in his video , but his ring shank is much slimmer, thus needs less heat.
To unset the stone will be a bit of a job or rather, to reset it there may not be sufficient tube length above the shank to house the stone. Suppose I could totally remake another ring and sell this one!
David


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[josef1]

I would becafeful putting heat near Amethyst its usually heat treaed and will probs damage the stone. A good way to isolate the heat is with a potato the moisture helps keep the stone cooler, When its starts to smell like a jacket spuds you know its too hot! I agree with above if in any doubt remove the stone or remake it.

[Dennis]

This is what I would do then:

Make some strategic cuts in the tube, and lever it apart with a small screwdriver so that the stone drops out
Holding the ring up by its damged tube, heat it so the shank drops off.
Resize the shank.
Put on a new tube. Dennis.

[Ruedeleglise]

Thanks…..on balance I think a remake will take little extra time, and being retired and my own master (don’t let my wife read that!) ,I will start again!


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[Ruedeleglise]

Well happy ending! Made a new ring….correct size! Sold the old one the same day! Thanks all for your advices.
Happy new year to everyone.
David.


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[Dennis]

Well done David, drinks all round then.

[Ruedeleglise]

Yesh!


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