The Dangers of Titanium

[merlinmurph]

Ti rings, that is

http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/08/13/432086018/titanium-rings-tough-to-crack-in-emergencies?sc=tw

"Titanium rings are growing in popularity because they're very strong, light, hypoallergenic and less expensive than rings made of precious metals like gold or platinum. But that strength can also make them more difficult to remove. A normal ring cutter won't necessarily work, says Dr. Andrej Salibi, a plastic surgeon at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals in the U.K. and co-author of the letter. Jewelers who work with titanium say the commercially pure grades are much softer and easier to cut than aircraft grade, an alloy that also includes aluminum and vanadium; the exact type of titanium in this patient's ring isn't known. And of course the degree of difficulty can be boosted by the thickness of the ring."



When I got married 10 years ago, I didn't get a ring - I'm not a jewelry guy. A few years later, my wife asked me to get a ring, and I decided if I were going to get a ring, it would be ti. So, we went to jewelry stores and got warned about ti rings being very hard to cut off in an emergency. The rings in these stores were a lot more than I wanted to spend, too, like $700.

I ended up getting a ti ring in Provincetown for half-price - $17.50, plus tax. It was in one of those cardboard ring displays that sit on top of the counter, and who knows if it really is ti.

Enjoy your ride,
Murph

[redir]

When my wife an I were looking for rings we came across these ones that I thought looked frightening. They are called tension settings and the force of the spring action of the ring hold the diamond in place. Looks like this:

http://beyond4cs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/danhov-tension-rings.jpg

Now just imagine what would happen if that diamond popped out :eek:

[Slow Eddie]

A buddy of mine who is a pro wrench got tungsten wedding rings for himself and his bride, thinking that the tungsten would be immune to the nicks and scrapes that are par for the course when you're working around bikes all day. But those things are even more of a pain to deal with than Ti rings. His wife's finger swelled up during the reception, and no trick - lube, the string thing - would get it off. Sawing doesn't even scratch the finish. Hospital ran out of ideas; a volunteer firefighter who happened to be in the ER was a machinist by day, and they ended up going to his shop, putting her finger IN A VISE, and applying pressure incrementally untill the ring shattered, then back to the ER to extract whatever shards were embedded in her finger. What a way to start your honeymoon.

[MattTuck]

When I was married, I had a Ti ring.

I took it off if I was doing something that had the potential to injure my finger.

The key is to get the ring off at the first sign of swelling. Don't wait until it is too late. That goes for any ring.

[oldpotatoe]

Ti rings, that is

http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/08/13/432086018/titanium-rings-tough-to-crack-in-emergencies?sc=tw

"Titanium rings are growing in popularity because they're very strong, light, hypoallergenic and less expensive than rings made of precious metals like gold or platinum. But that strength can also make them more difficult to remove. A normal ring cutter won't necessarily work, says Dr. Andrej Salibi, a plastic surgeon at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals in the U.K. and co-author of the letter. Jewelers who work with titanium say the commercially pure grades are much softer and easier to cut than aircraft grade, an alloy that also includes aluminum and vanadium; the exact type of titanium in this patient's ring isn't known. And of course the degree of difficulty can be boosted by the thickness of the ring."



When I got married 10 years ago, I didn't get a ring - I'm not a jewelry guy. A few years later, my wife asked me to get a ring, and I decided if I were going to get a ring, it would be ti. So, we went to jewelry stores and got warned about ti rings being very hard to cut off in an emergency. The rings in these stores were a lot more than I wanted to spend, too, like $700.

I ended up getting a ti ring in Provincetown for half-price - $17.50, plus tax. It was in one of those cardboard ring displays that sit on top of the counter, and who knows if it really is ti.

Enjoy your ride,
Murph

Boy, you are quite the romantic aren't you. :eek:

[JAllen]

Both my wife and I have white gold rings. The removability was a factor when we were buying them. Hearing some horror stories about how a ring couldn't be removed so they removed the finger was a good influence. They've held up quite nicely for 7 years now.

[Likes2ridefar]

When my wife an I were looking for rings we came across these ones that I thought looked frightening. They are called tension settings and the force of the spring action of the ring hold the diamond in place. Looks like this:

http://beyond4cs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/danhov-tension-rings.jpg

Now just imagine what would happen if that diamond popped out :eek:

my wife has had a boone ti ring similar to that for 10 years now and no problem.

i must admit the article has me a bit concerned though.

[8aaron8]

Keep this in mind if your ring is ever stuck
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrDROoJAF4I

[merlinmurph]

Boy, you are quite the romantic aren't you. :eek:

Oh yeah, an incurable romantic - ask my wife. ;-)

That's what happens when you get married at 51. Hey, we were married on Swan's I. in Maine by the town clerk with the two friends we were visiting (who didn't know we were getting married until a few hours before). Oh yeah, there was a random dog at the wedding, too. I shaved, had a clean pair of underwear on, a Hawaiian shirt and shorts, and my Tevas didn't smell too bad from walking around in the muck earlier in the day from kayaking.

[oldpotatoe]

Oh yeah, an incurable romantic - ask my wife. ;-)

That's what happens when you get married at 51. Hey, we were married on Swan's I. in Maine by the town clerk with the two friends we were visiting (who didn't know we were getting married until a few hours before). Oh yeah, there was a random dog at the wedding, too. I shaved, had a clean pair of underwear on, a Hawaiian shirt and shorts, and my Tevas didn't smell too bad from walking around in the muck earlier in the day from kayaking.

Good on ya..One thing about gold, I have a gold ring that is...yup more than 40 years old. It's next to and rubs on a Navy Pilot wing ring and the wedding ring is getting really thin. From rubbing on the adjacent one. Kinda a Naval Academy ring knocker thing, but a Wing Ring..ain't no Ring Knocker..I went to college, not 8 years of high school, and my parents were married.;)

[oddsaabs]

Keep this in mind if your ring is ever stuck
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrDROoJAF4I

How cool is that!

[seanile]

it's better to start from the ring-side with the string trick because starting from the tip just moves the blood toward the ring, compounding the issue.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSq_7e6DJMg

[Saint Vitus]

Platinum, the other white metal.

[Bostic]

Platinum, the other white metal.

That's what I insisted on when I finally got around to getting married at 41. It's been a couple of years now and since then I only wear full finger gloves while cycling. I'm sure the ring would not fall off but still..

[MattTuck]

That's what I insisted on when I finally got around to getting married at 41. It's been a couple of years now and since then I only wear full finger gloves while cycling. I'm sure the ring would not fall off but still..

Do you feel held back by the extra weight of those glove fingers and the incremental weight of platinum over Ti? ;)

[hokoman]

When my wife an I were looking for rings we came across these ones that I thought looked frightening. They are called tension settings and the force of the spring action of the ring hold the diamond in place. Looks like this:

http://beyond4cs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/danhov-tension-rings.jpg

Now just imagine what would happen if that diamond popped out :eek:

I think the tension is only enough to hold the diamond in place... Not that the ring would snap shut. I would not buy a tungsten ring because of what is in the article, but am comfortable with my ti...

[gavingould]

I recently got a filament-would UD carbon ring. looks cool (atmo) weighs nothing, cheap to replace if something happens, should be easy to chop off if necessary. The wife got the fancy stuff.

[Bostic]

Do you feel held back by the extra weight of those glove fingers and the incremental weight of platinum over Ti? ;)

It's worth the weight! My love affair with Platinum began in the early 80's as a kid playing AD&D and other role playing games. I didn't know what the heck Platinum was but I knew it had to be good since it took 5 Gold Pieces to equal 1 Platinum Piece.

[stansarch]

After breaking my ring finger in an accident, I just stopped wearing my ring out on the bike. The odds of ring finger trauma is pretty low, but hey it happened. I almost lost my mind trying to get the ring off, which took 3 people and a few water bottles. The swelling/break pinched a nerve that affected the whole hand, and those little fine motor muscles waste away pretty quick while healing. There's a lot you don't think about when getting a tungsten or ti ring, I was just so lucky to have a dr. on the ride!

[Saint Vitus]

Do you feel held back by the extra weight of those glove fingers and the incremental weight of platinum over Ti? ;)

I take mine off when riding, so I gain the weight advantage and that I don't lose a $600 ring.

[benc]

I got a tungsten ring when I got married a few years ago. I had never worn a ring a day in my life so I bought one I thought looked cool. I barely made it through my honeymoon with it as it was bulky and very heavy and just uncomfortable. I got home and bought a 'silver' ring off Amazon, followed by a 3 pack of Ti rings. I wear the Ti exclusively now.

When I got smashed by a car a few months ago, I broke multiple bones in my ring hand. First thing I did, while laying in the middle of the road, was take my ring of.

Edit: The Ti rings are like $10...

[downtube]

My wife wears platinum rings and i have a tungsten ring but my wife and I both remove our rings before riding. Just a precaution but one less thing to think about. I myself am not really into jewelry so sometimes i don't put my ring on for weeks at a time.

[Idris Icabod]

I got a Ti ring when I got married 11 years ago, also got a Moots Compact SL with Moots stem and seat post and was still cheaper that what the wife picked.

I heard back then that the Ti ring may be a problem in an emergency room situation but conversely when it comes time for me to rescue someone by jamming my hand into something to keep it open, such as a elevator door during a building fire, then I will be the man for the job.

[BlueFly]

Keep this in mind if your ring is ever stuck
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrDROoJAF4I

That's a good one.

My wife does not wear her ring as the diamond came out of the setting a few years back. Thankfully she did find it. For an anniversary, I bought her a new diamond and gold setting. She is too afraid to wear it on a daily basis. But, as a chef, she is always concerned about any kind of foreign materials.

[kramnnim]

My first ring was tungsten. Didn't realize that cracking them would leave shards embedded in your skin... The ring was a little too big, and would fall off randomly. Once, it bounced onto a concrete floor and it got a hairline crack. I've since replaced it with a slightly smaller ring, also tungsten. Considering how much I've spent trying to weightweenie-ify my bike, I should probably take it off when riding, would lose a few grams... Should probably also remove it when I'm at work, for fear of "degloving"...

[kramnnim]

But, as a chef, she is always concerned about any kind of foreign materials.

Yum, biting in to a diamond would be interesting.

[CAAD]

My ring is split down the middle ti/platinum. I hardly ever wear it though. Only when we go somewhere nice or when im at work. I open beer bottles with the ti side, still in great shape. I was in construction before and never ever wore it to work.

[MattTuck]

Yum, biting in to a diamond would be interesting.

You'd quickly discover the difference between carat and carrot.

[campy man]

Been wearing a Ti wedding ring for approx 10yrs. A lot nicer than the white gold rings I wore in the past ... light and durable.

[Mikej]

I have worked with titanium stock on various lathes, vertical mills etc., I find it to be very soft and "chewy" and prone to thread stripping and marring in a clamp. I have also re-drilled and taped several older moots / litespeed c- clamp type seat posts and was amazed at how quickly I drilled and tapped through. I didn't read the article, but I suspect grinding a ti ring off would be short work. It has a very high stretch ability, which may make shearing it very difficult.

Edit - I read it -the reason commercially pure rings are easier to shear is because CP Ti is more brittle, not softer than 3/25.

[thirdgenbird]

When I was married, I had a Ti ring.

I took it off if I was doing something that had the potential to injure my finger.

The key is to get the ring off at the first sign of swelling. Don't wait until it is too late. That goes for any ring.

Ti ring here too. I treat it the same way. No problems yet.

I have worked with titanium stock on various lathes, vertical mills etc., I find it to be very soft and "chewy" and prone to thread stripping and marring in a clamp. I have also re-drilled and taped several older moots / litespeed c- clamp type seat posts and was amazed at how quickly I drilled and tapped through. I didn't read the article, but I suspect grinding a ti ring off would be short work. It has a very high stretch ability, which may make shearing it very difficult.

I've heard the dangers of titanium rings are overblown. Apparently many places now have diamond blade rotary tools that make quick work of them.

Edit:
Skimmed the article. Dental saws and diamond blades require more "manpower" than large bold cutters???? I could cut a ring off my own finger with a dremel style tool.

[CSTRider]

tungsten rings are easy to break/remove using a vice grip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poM423pewRE

[thirdgenbird]

tungsten rings are easy to break/remove using a vice grip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poM423pewRE

Same emt told me these are easier to remove than gold. As an FYI, they shatter the same way if you drop them. They are not nearly as durable as their marketing will tell you. With hardness comes brittleness.

[jlwdm]

Where is TiDesign?

Jeff

[aosty]

Agreed, the danger of cutting off titanium rings is overblown...it's not difficult. Difficult to cut accurately, yes.


I have worked with titanium stock on various lathes, vertical mills etc., I find it to be very soft and "chewy" and prone to thread stripping and marring in a clamp. I have also re-drilled and taped several older moots / litespeed c- clamp type seat posts and was amazed at how quickly I drilled and tapped through. I didn't read the article, but I suspect grinding a ti ring off would be short work. It has a very high stretch ability, which may make shearing it very difficult.

Edit - I read it -the reason commercially pure rings are easier to shear is because CP Ti is more brittle, not softer than 3/25.

[BlueFly]

Yum, biting in to a diamond would be interesting.

You'd quickly discover the difference between carat and carrot.

Which is a totally different conversation than the recipes with 'Shrooms!

[Matthew]

Been wearing a ti ring for a few years now. No issues whatsoever. Never take it off, but caneasily if I need to. Cost me $45.

[Spdntrxi]

When my wife an I were looking for rings we came across these ones that I thought looked frightening. They are called tension settings and the force of the spring action of the ring hold the diamond in place. Looks like this:



http://beyond4cs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/danhov-tension-rings.jpg



Now just imagine what would happen if that diamond popped out :eek:


My wife has had tension set for 17 years in platinum ... Never had an issue.. Not the case with anniversary band which has more tradition set.

[redir]

My wife has had tension set for 17 years in platinum ... Never had an issue.. Not the case with anniversary band which has more tradition set.

They are indeed very cool looking.

---

I don't know about anyone else here but I simply cannot wear rings, watches or anything like that. It drives me crazy to have something on my arm or finger. I do wear my wedding band on occasion and I find I constantly have to flip it from the left to the right hand to... I don't know.. Balance out or something. OCD to the max. Just can't do it.

[brendonk]

Platinum for me. Has held up well for 15 years.
I take it off when riding, especially on the mountain bike. After a spill and 2 broken fingers I couldn't get it back on for close to a year. My wife wasn't too happy about that.

[NHAero]

My wife wanted palladium for our wedding bands because it was recycled. Who really knows where it came from, but she was happy!

[Louis]

I stopped wearing my college ring some years ago after I lost it for a few weeks, then found it on the floor in the closet. (Had put it in my pants pocket then when I put the pants on a hanger in the closet it fell out without my noticing and hid next to some shoes I don't wear often.)

I wouldn't mind wearing some sort of ring on my right hand ring-finger - where's a good place to look for nice guy-oriented rings? (not super-plain, but nothing fancy either) Price-wise, I'd really have to fall in love with something to pay more than say, around $150.

[buddybikes]

http://www.ironring.ca/background.php

http://ubyssey.ca/news/an-inside-look-at-the-iron-ring-ritual-for-canadian-trained-engineers/

Friend of mine got his and symbolism is strong.

[Louis]

Years and years ago the chief engineer on a program I worked used to wear a pinky ring. We thought it was incongruous for this big gruff manager to be wearing a pinky ring.

[GScot]

I'm one of the outliers who didn't get a wedding ring. Told my wife to be no jewelry on me anytime anywhere and it has not been an issue for 20 years. She of course has the full setup. A few laughs when some busy body thinks I'm not her husband simply due to lack of a ring.

If I ever have a change of heart the iron ring would give me dual symbols of marriage and engineering. Or maybe I will make my own from cobalt chrome and EDM a couple of break points for safety.

[csm]

Platinum here also. Matches her engagement ring nicely.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[mg2ride]

Very few things creep me out or cause me instant anxiety. However, over the last few years seeing people wearing rings that are too tight completely freaks me out and causes me to physically feel ill.

I have had to move seats in meetings to function. I couldn't even muster the courage to do an Google image search to provide an example.

Very weird on my part.

[Volant]

Keep this in mind if your ring is ever stuck
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrDROoJAF4I

Been using this method for 30+ yrs. I'm surprised it's not common knowledge by now.

[Louis]

Very few things creep me out or cause me instant anxiety. However, over the last few years seeing people wearing rings that are too tight completely freaks me out and causes me to physically feel ill.

In that case you better not go spend any time with the Kayan people in Burma...

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/03/Kayan_woman_with_neck_rings.jpg/220px-Kayan_woman_with_neck_rings.jpg

[Bob Ross]

I don't know about anyone else here but I simply cannot wear rings, watches or anything like that. It drives me crazy to have something on my arm or finger. I do wear my wedding band on occasion and I find I constantly have to flip it from the left to the right hand to... I don't know.. Balance out or something. OCD to the max. Just can't do it.

You & me both. I have worn (or at least owned) a Ti wedding band for 13 years* but it comes off whenever I ride, whenever I'm playing bass, whenever I'm sleeping...also whenever I'm sitting around in a meeting half-listening, or when I'm watching TV, or...


* oh yeah, all you guys who paid $10 - $45 for your Ti wedding rings: I hate you.