working with (wedding) rings

[isetech]

i jumped off a truck and my ring got caught on the side of the truck, it pulled the ring out of shape but only caused bad swelling. i was lucky it didnt rip my finger off or deglove it. i cut off the ring and stopped wearing it.


when i was an appy i made a lightning bolt bangle out of stainless steel and hooked it around my wrist, while pulling a cable into the service panel the bangle went into the top of one of the circuit breaker, never wore the bangle again.

i no longer wear anything on finger arm or around my neck.

 

[Huyzel]

I take my ring off when I am working in the shop/garage.. however it saved my fingers from getting smashed between a door and door jam several times.

 

[deathbound]

I haven't worn since about a year after I said "I do"...11 years ago. I would NEVER wear it at work.

 

[copterdoctor]

my ring goes in the little 5th pocket in my jeans when I'm working.... I just got married a month ago, so me not wearing it at all isn't an option according to the wife... lol

one thing I haven't seen mentioned is Tungsten wedding rings.... which is what I have...
they can't cut a tungsten ring off of you finger, they have to hit it with a hammer so it shatters....

 

[Po'Boy]

I was already working in my field when I got married. Due to working around alot of live electrical components, and high voltage I have never worn one. Alot of guys I have worked with used to put glass tape around their ring while at work, but I'd just as soon not wear one. Wife completely understands, and I'm not even sure where said ring even is at the moment. It was always too big anyway.

 

[Heavy Metal Doctor]

My wife understands the situation and is happy when I do wear my ring on those very rare occasions. That hasn't happened in a long while.
I was never jewlery person. I used to keep a watch banded to my keys, but gave that up when I started carrying a cell-phone.

 

[jjmstng68]

I remodel homes for a living and customize cars as a hobby, and rarely take my ring off for anything. I will still wear my ring at work, but this thread has reminded me of the dangers that complacency has made me forget. For those like me who still like to wear their ring, I'd suggest Titanium. My first two rings were silver and gold and both were crushed on my finger numerous times and welding slag seemed to stick to them very well. The titanium has taken every bit of abuse and I can usually scrape the welding slag off with my fingernail.

 

[Tscott]

I remodel homes for a living and customize cars as a hobby, and rarely take my ring off for anything. I will still wear my ring at work, but this thread has reminded me of the dangers that complacency has made me forget. For those like me who still like to wear their ring, I'd suggest Titanium. My first two rings were silver and gold and both were crushed on my finger numerous times and welding slag seemed to stick to them very well. The titanium has taken every bit of abuse and I can usually scrape the welding slag off with my fingernail.

I have a titanium ring and love it. My fear is that if I do need to have it cut off after an accident that it may not be possible. I know it's tough stuff, but not sure if a bolt cutter would do the trick. if they can't cut the ring, they may have to remove the finger.

Tom

 

[Tscott]

I have a titanium ring and love it. My fear is that if I do need to have it cut off after an accident that it may not be possible. I know it's tough stuff, but not sure if a bolt cutter would do the trick. if they can't cut the ring, they may have to remove the finger.

Tom

I was wrong, it can be done.

http://www.snopes.com/weddings/horrors/titanium.asp

Tom

 

[Fatbrosracing]

Getting married next year, only been together for 21 years, so it's about time I guess. I told her my fears of wedding ring damage ( shorted my watch on an alternator once, that wasn't fun ) The electrical tech that worked for her had his wedding ring modified into a " C " shape, with a gap. If it gets caught, it comes off and it won't form a circuit. Just a thought for those who like to wear one.

 

[jdub63]

Just have your wife/ girlfriend look at these pictures, they'll understand.

http://mycoffeelounge.net/forum-replies.php?t=15098

 

[jamesemery728]

Been married for 42 years and have a very understanding wife. I have never worn my wedding ring. It came off right after our wedding and I have never put it back on.

 

[61scout80]

That's a good idea. I think I'll put a hook by my bottle cap opener in the garage. I usually misplace my rings when I take them off in the house to work in the garage. Thanks for the idea!

I just used one of those 3m stick on jobs. it's right on the door, and the only thing on the door. It, and threads like this, always remind me to hang it up when I'm working on something.

 

[thr_wedge]

Ring comes off every time I am working with tools.

 

[KEH]

Army truck driver training, 1963. The sargeant told us to remove rings, the vehicles 24 volt system would burn our finger in two if rings contacted current.

KEH

 

[Stephenw]

Mine is difficult to get off. If I'm working near energized equipment, I wrap it with electrical tape or put on my insulated gloves.

 

[autoclassicnut]

for the love of god, do not google images "degloving". Appearently it can happen to the ***** also. Im usually pretty good about removing mine but I will always take it off now

I hope you're talking about fingers again....LOL

I have worn mine for 28 years and worked around machinery and heavy equipment with all of my fingers intact, but after seeing this,my ring is on my keychain from now on...

 

[grcthird]

I usually take mine off when I need the extra wiggle room working in small spaces, but I'm thinking it's coming off for good after seeing some pictures of these ring related injuries.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I rarely take mine off. When I do, the wife understands.

If you ever need to have a ring cut off, try your local fire dept. I know we have used ours a few times. The snopes titanium story is interesting, as we talked about that a few months ago.

 

[srmofo]

they can't cut a tungsten ring off of you finger, they have to hit it with a hammer so it shatters....

Ive got a tungsten ring also. and believe me they break pretty damn easy. Mine lasted about 2 weeks after I got married. Luckily I bought from a reputable place and they replaced it free of charge. All it has to do is land just right on concrete and it shatters into multiple pieces.

It can also be placed in a vise to break it, imo is a better idea. that way you dont have some yahoo swinging a hammer at your already damaged hand

 

[Mike in Ohio]

I wear mine to work and and out and about. When I get home it goes on the top of the dresser with my wallet and change. My wife nevers asks about it because she is a nurse an doesn't wear hers most of the time either, especially at work where it might poke through gloves and because she washes her hands about ten thousand times a day and is afraid the stone will pop out and go down the drain.

 

[mad57]

I just took mine off for good told wifey about it she just said ok, not happy but not mad ...i told her the garage guys said to do it

 

[Krokodil]

I also wear a tungsten ring and they apparently be broken with a vise grip. Just have to clamp and keep tightening and clamping a few times. It is very brittle.

 

[Doug B]

My Uncle Frank had his finger ripped off when his ring got caught in the tailgate of a dump truck. After 10 years of marriage,my ring was getting pretty beat up looking from work,and one day I got a big chunk of torch slag stuck under it.I could hear my finger sizzle like bacon.The ring now lives in my top dresser drawer. She's OK with it.

 

[fflintstone]

I do not recomend it, you put safety glasses on dont you?
My wife and I both have rather affordable titanium rings we bought online. We both only wear them if we go out in public. They hang on the same hook as our keys. Funny story, I somehow lost my first one, and my wife lost my second one. (We have been together over 12 years but married just a year and a half) when I ordered my 3rd ring I ordered 2 just incase and to save on shipping. When the snow melted this spring she found my ring that she lost where she thought she lost it. Shortly there after, we found my other one in between our mattresses (we have a European bed that is two separate mattresses) now the only one missing is the spare I bought as a backup.

 

[thump186]

Anybody work with their rings on their hands? I've seen some bad pics of people's rings that got caught in something while working. The medical term is degloving, meaning only the bone is remaining and the flesh is ripped off. Have you ever thought of this?

when I was younger I worked as a tin knocker/hvac tech. and had a friend who did just that one week after he came back from his honey moon. we were hanging spiral pipe for a system from chain with s hooks on the end about 14ft in the air when he slipped on the ladder and went to grab something to stop his fall and his hand slid down the chain and the s hook caught his ring and peeled his finger clean like you'd peel a banana. One of the most disturbing things i think i've seen.

 

[Krokodil]

hook caught his ring and peeled his finger clean like you'd peel a banana. One of the most disturbing things i think i've seen.

Just the thought make me sick!

 

[Rickochet]

I had a few friends who have been through the ring injury experiences. The first was a newlywed who worked at a new car dealership. He was blindly feeling around a starter to look for a freeze plug that was leaking antifreeze. His new gold ring was a terrific conductor when his ring contacted the positive battery cable at the started solenoid and the engine block. The ring immediately melted around his finger and left him with months of surgery and PT. No more rings for him!

The other friend was also "invincible" and ignored the pictures and all of the horror stories of being degloved. You can guess what happened next. He was standing on some 8' wooden shelving units trying to reach a can on the top shelf. He lost his footing and slipped to the floor, but his ring caught between the top shelf and a vertical support. He left his ring and all of the finger skin on the top shelf! He too had months of surgery and PT and doesn't have much use of his finger.

The final first hand (no pun intended) story is one that we don't really think about much as a danger. He was on a pontoon boat with his family when one of his youngsters yelled "Jump in Daddy!" Well, he was a good dad and took a running start to jump in a make a big cannonball splash. As he ran through the perimeter rail opening, the swinging aluminum gate caught his ring just as he jumped. The ring and FINGER stayed behind caught in the gate. After months of surgery and PT, he was still missing his finger.

For those of you who continue to wear your rings while working or playing actively, please think of these stories before you do so. Do an internet search and show your wife why you would rather not wear your ring, or ask her to leave hers off if she has any chance of injury.

Think Safe--Act Safe--Be Safe

 

[Deltarat]

I had 2 friends that pulled the meat off of most of their fingers jumping out of the back of a deuce and a half and my brother in law lost his entire finger- pulled off by a grease fitting on an slow turning axle.
Took mine off when we got back from the honeymoon. My wife put her diamond on it and wears it now.

 

[rayzor32]

Never wear a ring while working, you can lose a finger that way, you can tear the flesh off to the bone or get your finger smashed and it will swell over the ring. Not safe, not a good idea, don't do it ever.

 

[GregD]

I hate to admit it but I learned the hard way. I was working on my 48volt golf cart on 4th of July weekend. I was loosening the positive terminal on one of the batteries and was not paying attention to where I was putting my other hand. My wedding ring hit the terminal on another battery and lit up my ring like a glow plug. I instinctively just pulled the ring off the finger as fast as a could and through it across the driveway. I imeediately ran it under cold water. When I had pulled the ring off, it took off a few layers of skin with it. Its been close to a month and the finger is finally close to healed up. I got extremely lucky that I was able to get the ring off so quickly or it would have been much worse. The ER doc said I could have lost the finger.

 

[a91syncro]

Have been married for 13 years now, I have not worn my ring for about ten years. I started setting tile then and the ring woulg catch on tile boxes when unloading them. Told my wife I would like to keep all my fingers intact and took off the ring. Did not bother her at all. She knows I love her with or without a piece of metal on my finger,

 

[kev b]

I had a lucky miss, as a trainee mechanic my signet ring shorted a battery to earth whist I was working on a Triumph Stag. I was fortunate to escape without serious injury, however, years later I caught my wedding ring on a hook and nearly pulled my arm off! Since then I have not worn any jewelery.
My brother was messing with the starter on his car when his watch shorted out the terminals, seconds later he was wearing a novel glowing bracelet, he was warned of the danger minutes before. Oh how we laughed!

 

[billspit]

My wife's best friend lost her finger when she jumped out of a boat and her wedding ring caught a fitting on the boat. They tried to save the finger but couldn't.

I have clients who won't let you in their palnts with a ring on. I had great trouble taking mine off one day and never put it back on. I told the wife if she wanted me to keep wearing it she would have to take it in and get it stretched. Its still sitting on my dresser so it must not bother her too badly.

 

[Boiler]

Shortly there after, we found my other one in between our mattresses (we have a European bed that is two separate mattresses) now the only one missing is the spare I bought as a backup.

Irony...

 

[rockchucker]

Just have your wife/ girlfriend look at these pictures, they'll understand.

http://mycoffeelounge.net/forum-replies.php?t=15098

Pretty nasty.

No Jewelry when I work on anything.

 

[6768rogues]

My dad almost lost his finger in a farming accident due to his ring. A coworker who was welding had a hot weld spatter hit his ring and weld itself to the ring, heating the ring to red hot. I have never worn a ring.

 

[knucklebusted]

I never wear much of anything on my hands or arms. I wore a metal banded watch once and shorted it between the fender and the positive terminal (battery was in backwards) and it welded several links together. Now, my watch bands, when I do wear a watch, are all plastic or fabric.

I wore my wedding ring for the day it was first put on and haven't worn it since. I've worked on cars and computers long enough that she knows why despite her not caring for the practice early on.

 

[Mustangmike]

been married 16years..my wedding ring hangs on a chain around my neck, and my claddagh ring comes off before work and goes on the carbiner keyring.watch comes off and goes in the lower right drawer in the topbox until work is over...wife is ok with it after she realized how dangerous working with jewelly on can be.

 

[neonturbo]

A guy I used to work with always wore his wedding ring. His harping shrew wife would yell and scream if she caught him without it, and she often stopped to check. (as if he was having an affair in a shop of 10 guys and no girls!) One day he got the ring caught between the starter solenoid and the engine block of a small block Chevy. It burned the ring off his finger and burned right down to the bone. Lovely smell that was! His caring, wonderful wife divorced him about 3 months later because he wouldn't wear a ring in the shop again. "He doesn't love me anymore" she cried and moaned.

I have all my fingers and other body parts because I never wear jewelry in the shop ever. The "bling" is for when I go out, not to work in. It is too expensive to wreck, I do not understand why you would even want to wear it. I won't even take it to work, a few guys, including my father, had their rings stolen from their tool boxes at work. Either the ring is on my finger or it is at home safe.