G’day; I sometimes get a call from our local doctor who has a
patient whose ring finger is heading for necrosis, and is usually in
great pain. Because I live just across the football paddock, they
come straight over. I simply sit him/her down comfortably, get out
my trusty jewellers saw frame, and give the patient a number 8/0
blade, teeth pointing backwards and upwards, and tell them to insert
it just as it is under their ring; I get them to do it because I
don’t want to get blamed for pricking their poorly finger. I attach
the sawframe, put tension on the blade, hold the hand gently but
firmly against the bench top, and saw away - UPWARDS. When the ring
is cut through, I take my two finest pliers and gently pull the ring
open - and listen to the sigh of relief. “Awwww!” Number 8/0 so
the cut wastes little gold.
I never charge because I am already paid by the government via a
good University pension. I tell them if they like to come back when
the swelling is down and the sores healed, I’ll resize it for them,
but then I will charge; the pension’s not that good it allows me to
give away gold. New Zealand has been very good to me and my family;
it’s pay back time. – Cheers for now,
G’day John From below normal temperature. Minnesota Geswien in New
Jersey, sells a rotary, hand turned, saw for just that application,
and the blades don’t break as easily. It looks like a pliers with a
rotary blade on top and you squeeze it. It has a little hook that
goes under the ring between the finger and the ring and you turn a
wing nut on the side, there’s a groove to stop the ring from
rotating under the tension of the blade, and you need to use the
pliers as you described. The only thing I’ve found about using it
is the customer, whom I don’t charge for the service either, can’t
believe how fast and easy it was for me to remove there source of so
much pain and worry. The cut is much courser them 8/0 saw blade but
it makes a nice clean cut and its fast. Best wishes.
ROBERT L. MARTIN
Gold Smith / Diamond Setter yukhan@aol.com
Hello John, Thank you for your kind discussion about giving aid
without charge when cutting off a ring. I like your attitude.
I never charge because I am already paid by the government via a
good University pension. I tell them if they like to come back
when the swelling is down and the sores healed, I'll resize it for
them, but then I will charge; the pension's not that good it allows
me to give away gold. New Zealand has been very good to me and my
family; it's pay back time. --
Although you undoubtedly earned your pension during the years with
the University, it is wonderful to hear that sense of responsibility
to give something back. I think Orchid is an example of that same
ethic. Most of us have received a benefit or service that was given
without expectation of reimbursment. Sharing knowledge with others
through Orchid allows us to continue expressing that kindness and
thereby multiply it. I have to remember the unselfishness of my
first mentor, James Cook in Abilene, TX, who allowed me to learn
from him, helped me gain confidence in goldsmithing and
stone-setting, and wouldn’t take a nickle for his time. Whatever I
can give back through Orchid is really in his name. A special thanks
to Hanuman and Charles Lewton-Brain for their conception and
implementation of Orchid. Judy in Kansas, where we are having the
most wonderful fall showers that are helping abate the drought.
Judy M. Willingham, R.S.
Biological and Agricultural Engineering
237 Seaton Hall
Kansas State University
Manhattan KS 66506
(785) 532-2936