Titanium Ring Question

[Tira]

I'd like to engrave and gold inlay a ring for my husband out of damascus steel. I've heard this might not be the best idea due to the fact that the damascus may be hard to cut off in the case of a hand injury where you have to go to the hospital and they have to remove the ring fast. First of all, does anyone know if this is true and second, would the same problem occur with titanium or would that be a softer metal and not present the same problem.

Thanks for any advice on these metals. I have not worked with them yet.

 

[ChrisB]

Tira,
Using Damascus Unhardened, There shouldn't be a Problem to get it off in a Hurry,!! even with Titanium.
I work with these everday, and They Cut Easely!!
I have Friends out Here, Maybe You have Heard of Them "HEAVINFORGE" Heather makes all kinds of rings and Bangles in Damascus and Mokume.
Just Tell Hubby Beforehand to Remove the Ring Before he has it Damaged!!! I mean You Are Going to spend a lot of time on It.
Hope This Helps.

 

[sam]

I think the problem with cutting rings off (I was told) is that ring cutters used in emergency rooms are made for gold and silver and not steel or titanium. I guess you could cut 'em off with a jewelers saw, but in an emergency situation one might not be available.

 

[jlseymour]

Tira,
You may consider your husbands skin reaction to the diffrent metal that maybe in the damascus steel.
Some people have a bad reaction to plated necklaces and rings from the base metal...
The tool we cut rings off with is only made for soft metals and our standard jeweler's saw blade will not cut
real hard metals...

JL Seymour

 

[Mike Cirelli]

Tira either one shouldn't be a problem for a ring cutter. It would probably take a little longer than gold but a heavy gold band doesn't cut so easy either. Don't even think about tungsten. Tungsten rings are glass hard.

 

[Swede]

How often do rings need to be cut off? Is it so the poor person can get put into one of those super-magnetic imaging machines?

 

[Mike Cirelli]

I cut off a few every month. Mostly woman because they never take them off and their finger grows and they don't seem to notice or something.

 

[monk]

tira i've had experience in both worlds, emergency room and naturally doing the metal work. the damascus is a marriage of a soft and hard metal .who knows how hard the hard stuff may be ? the titanium , well it is pretty tough stuff. i've personally used ring cutters to remove ordinary gold and silver rings from fingers and it seemed it was not too easy a task. i don't think the ring cutters would do the titanium. at least not the ones i used years ago. maybe a good thing to ease your mind in this regard: get in touch with gesswein or rio grande. i bet one of their tech people could be real sure on this. good luck