4 JEWELRY REPAIRS YOU CAN DO YOURSELF
Posted by CHIKA MOGHALU
Has your clasp broken, chain knotted, or earwires damaged? If any of these have happened to you, here's a handy list of jewelry repairs that you can do yourself.
I don't recommend repairing fine jewelry by yourself, but these quick fixes will have you wearing your favorite fashion jewelry again.
Replace a Broken Clasp
Many necklaces break at the clasp because it sees the most use. There are two typical problems, a jump ring opens and part of the clasp gets lost or the spring clasp gets broken and no longer closes correctly.
For both problems, the solution is the same. You need to replace the broken clasp with a new one. When purchasing a new clasp, the safest bet is to buy one that is similar in size and shape to the old one. This will ensure your jewelry will fit and wear the same way.
Fix or Replace Earwires
One of the most practical jewelry repairs or changes is updating the earwires on earrings. It can be a necessity for people who don't have pierced ears, are allergic to certain metals or are uncomfortable with dangle styles. Knowing how to change the earwire will give you more flexibility in which styles you can purchase–as well as being able to make a repair if an earwire or earring post become bent or broken.
To change the earring finding, your earring component needs to be attached to the earwire by a loop or jumpring. Open the loop of the earwire using the same technique you use to open jump ring to attach a clasp. Remove the old earwire and attach the new one by opening and closing the ring the same way.
Elastic bracelets, no matter how well made, will eventually break. There is no way to repair the old elastic. You will need to re-string the bracelet on new elastic. The first step is finding the right elastic cord for your bracelet. One key to successful results is to use a surgeon's knot to tie the elastic.
Removing Tangles and Knots From Chains
The easiest way to prevent tangled chains and knots from happening is to hang your chain jewelry instead of piling the links on top of one another in a box or on your dressing table. But once the knot or tangle is there–what do you do?
Tangles happen when more than one chain gets wound up together and may also involve knots. Untangling and unknotting chains takes patience, a couple of sewing pins, good lighting, a hard surface, cotton swabs and some baby oil. Did I mention patience?
Starting at a loose end, begin to untangle one or two pieces of chain. Use the cotton swab to apply baby oil at stubborn knots to help make the chain glide apart easily.
The same technique works well for knots in chains.
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