The Work Room: Jump ring closure

When we buy commercial jump rings, you will either get them as closed or open junp rings.

The jump ring on the left shows a closed jump ring whereas the jump ring on the right is an open one. Either way, they don't make much of a difference anyway. You'll still need to close them, even you bought them as closed jump ring! Because......

........ this type of closed joint can't be right!

Alright, just a recap on how to open and close jump rings. Well, you should have known them by now but oh, well.......

Let's concentrate on closing though since that is the focus for today's topic. Very simply, grip onto each side of the jump ring with your pliers like this.

If you want, you can also open it up a little prior to closing.

But you're not wrong in skipping this part entirely too. You can just go ahead and close it. Push both sides of the pliers simultaneously towards the centre, making the two ends meet like this!

And you do the reverse to open it, pulling both sides away from the centre. Aaaaanyway, that's old story already. The new story is the following,

One thing I don't quite like doing it this way i.e. holding both the pliers horizontally with the tip gripping on each side of the jump ring is the tendency for the grip to slip away. I'm not sure if it happens to any of you before but it happens to me very often, which is why I've resorted to holding it this way instead.

Vertically, with the jaw gripping onto half of the circle instead. I find that gripping it this way provides for a stronger grip with no slipping. Or is it only me who is experiencing the slipping thing? Hhmm.....

See how the grip this way is sturdier? Don't worry about marring the wires, as long as you don't do the 'death grip'! LOL.......

That's that. The appetizer for today's meal. Heheh.... I'm thinking a three course meal now. Oh, gosh! So random! LOL..... The main course is this. Sometimes, occasionally..... we get this.

Erm, can you spot what's amiss with the picture? Yes, the small gap in the closure. It seems small from afar or even almost unnoticeable to the naked eyes but let's zoom in, shall we?

See how the gap is not so small after all? And not insignificant at all because that's how sometimes you might find joints sometimes falling apart. You really do need a closure that is as 'closed' as possible.

But sometimes, no matter how you open and close it again, the gap still persists.

So, how?

Well, you're right in opening and closing it again. But there's just a 'lil 'twist' in the reopening of the ring.

Normally this is how it's like when we reopen the ring.

Upon reopening the jump ring, you'll find the two ends of the jump ring somewhat in tandem with each other on the same line as represented by the red line. Now, if you still close the ring following the same red line path, you might find that the gap still persists even opening and closing multiple times.

Next time, try doing this instead.

You can do this either when you are opening or closing. What matters is right before the closure. Have the two ends of the ring somewhat overlap a little instead as represented by the gap between the red line and blue line. The gap may seem rather substantial here, but don't forget, this picture is a magnified version. In actual fact, the overlap is only minute.

Okay, okay..... I know what you're thinking. You must be wondering isn't it the same as the commercial jump rings. Well, in a way, yeah. But upon the two ends touch at the overlap, you are to go further by 'forcing' the two together and closing it, just like how you would have forced the two ends of a commercial closed jump ring to close off.

If you're also wondering if the overlap might compromise the round shape, well, fret not. It doesn't, really. Provided you don't overdo it. Just bear in mind that the pictures here have been blown up for your viewing. In actual fact, the overlap is only a slight one.

Well, just give it a try. This was also the same thing Yvonne told me in the silverszmithing class.

Riiiight, now on to dessert. LOL.....

It's just a tool I like using when opening and closing jump ring. No, no..... not the ring thingy that you wear on your fingers..... although, to think about it, I'm quite tempted to try! LOL...... told ya I'm a tool freak! :P

It's this!

The bent nose plier. Newbies especially might not know what to do with this plier. It's not like an essential tool but it sure helps to make life easier! Well, to me at least! LOL......

The bent nose pliers is just like your chain/flat nose pliers but comes with a well, bent jaw. :P

Especially how I pefer doing it vertically, it positioned my hands in an akward position and tends to strain the wrist.

But with help of the bent nose, I'm able to ease my wrist and still do it the way I like it. It makes the gripping more......hhhmm, what's the word.... ergonomical? Well, yeah...something like that.