Right Hand Ring From a Silver Fork (or Spoon) Handle

I was given an odd lot of forks and spoons after my first husband’s parents died.  They have been sitting in a drawer for a very long time.  Recently I brought them out and contemplated turning them into jewelry, specifically a ring for my right hand and a bracelet (that’s another Instructable).  This silverware has silver in it, but it isn’t sterling silver, because real sterling silver is soft enough that a ring could be made with hands alone.  No such luck with this stuff.   It is much harder than that.  So this Instructable is about how I took the handle off a fork and turned that handle into a right hand ring.  Here we go.

Supplies:
Vice
Hack saw
Silver fork (or spoon)
Tooth paste (not gel)
Old rags
Grinder with polishing wheel
Iron or brass pipe (diameter of the size ring you want)
Scrap wood
Hammer
Brass rod or iron pipe
Scissors and scrap paper
Marker
(Ignore the heat gun it was useless on this project.)

First I gathered all my “silver” ware and polished it using some old rags and toothpaste.  It did a very good job without the expense of silver polish.   I chose one to use for my ring.

Next, I took a piece of paper and wrapped it around the finger I wanted to wear the ring upon.  This will tell me how large (small) to make the ring. 

I laid the fork on the paper and marked where I wanted to cut. 

I wrapped the handle in rag and stuck it in the vice for a firm grip.  Then I took the hack saw and cut the tines of the fork off, following the mark.

Next I took the handle over to the polishing wheel of our grinder and polished down the cut end of the handle until it was all smooth.  Making sure there are not snags or rough spots.

Now comes the hard part, bending it into a circle.  This will take anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour, depending on how perfectly round you want this ring to be.  I am of the philosophy that my finger isn’t perfectly rounded so why should my ring be perfectly round. Just as long as it is comfortable, it's okay with me. Using the paper I measured my finger with, I found my husband has a brass rod that would work. I took the handle and wedged it under a hard surface and over the brass rod.

Then using all my strength, I pushed the handle over the rod creating the initial bend. Next I started using the hammer to get to to bend as much as possible.

Then using the vice and some scrap wood, it bent the ring even move. 

Next, using the vice as an anvil, I started hammering on the ring until bit by bit it became more and more rounded, becoming more and more like a ring. Just keep moving the ring around the rod or pipe and keep pounding. Periodically I would try on the ring to see how it felt.

Pretty soon I called it quits.  The ring fit and it was smooth and comfortable on the inside. 

Not perfectly round, but his could be seen as a sign that it isn’t a mass produced ring.

I did a final polish on the polishing wheel and put it on.  I really like this ring and I wear it every day.  My Hubby needed a new wedding band, so he created one from a fork handle, using the grinder and polisher to make it just the way he wanted it.  Not bad and we are both happy.  Enjoy