Handmade Jewelry-Making Basics – What is a Split Ring?
Knowing the terminology of basic jewelry findings will help the novice jewelry designer to make quality jewelry pieces faster. Split rings may look similar to jump rings, but they are not interchangeable.
What is a split ring?
A split ring is a round jewelry finding made of wire that does not have a gap all the way through the ring, so jewelry components do not fall through a cut. The wire curves over almost two whole circles -- 720 degrees. At the first circle, the wire makes a bend, then the second circle is right next to the first. If you have ever purchased a plain key ring and "wound" your keys onto the ring, then you have already used a split ring.
Jewelry Making with split rings
An obvious use for split rings are as key rings. Key rings themselves can be decorated with charms or pendants fit directly onto the key rings (if they have big holes); if not, they may be placed on a smaller ring before decorating the larger ring.
For putting charms on bracelets, choose rings with diameters smaller than the beads on either side if you want the charms fixed in place. Lobster claw clasps and toggles may be attached to either bead wire projects or chain projects using small split rings.
Some people will use split rings as the target for a lobster claw clasp on bead wire projects -- crimping the ring into place at the end of the jewelry piece. However, the "transition" point from the two wires of the ring to the one wire may damage a stranded bead wire.
Split Ring Materials
Split rings used in DIY jewelry making will most often be made of low karat gold, gold-filled, sterling silver or plated metals over brass, steel or aluminum.
Many sterling split rings are not tempered hard enough to let them to return to shape after having jewelry components "wound" onto them. Plated and gold-filled split rings do not have as much problem "springing" back into shape.
Small split rings of thick wire are difficult to open. Large rings with small wire diameter may not have the strength one needs for a jewelry piece.
Tools for Split Rings
Many jewelry makers will open split rings with split ring pliers. These pliers have a "hook" jaw bent toward a flat jaw that makes these pliers more safer and easier to use than teeth or fingernails.
Split rings are basic jewelry-making findings. A jewelry designer should quickly learn when split rings are permissible or recommended.
Paul Brandon knows split rings and writes for OhioBeads.com, which sells bulk jewelry chains and jewelry findings (in sterling, gold-filled, antique brass, antique copper, gunmetal, silver-plate and gold-plate) to the U.S. market.
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