A patient presents with a tungsten ring on their injured finger and is unable to remove the ring. Tungsten rings are unique in that ring cutters can’t even make a scratch in them. There are even anecdotes of firefighter equipment not being able to cut off these “unbreakable” rings.
Trick of the Trade: Removing a Tungsten Ring
Use a vise grip wrench
While unscratchable, tungsten rings are very brittle and not malleable. Gently apply firm compression using an adjustable vise grip (borrow from your hospital’s electrical or engineering department). This will fracture the ring. Carefully collect the pieces, which may have sharp edges. The YouTube videos below interestingly were made by tungsten ring retailers. Thanks to Dr. Gregg Miller (San Joaquin Community Hospital in Bakersfield, CA) for this tip.
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