Wedding Bands & GRM-level abuse

I started out with a platinum band. it was very easily scratched, bent, it was expensive, then after 9 years I lost it kayaking, so I got a tungsten for like 40 bucks. Looks pretty good and holds up great.

When it happens, I want mokume gane.

good sampling: http://www.mokume-gane-metals.com/mokume_gane_rings.html

I like this one a lot.

(previously engaged so spent some time thinking about it)

My first two rings were from Zales (wife's decision) and I cam honestly say we'll never go there again because whatever brands they hold there are complete crap hence the bad experience with Ti and Tungsten Carbide. I purchased for said reasons of being durable and I didn't say impossible to get off finger, just difficult.

As far as wearing one while doing any kind of electrical work. Homer Simpson Doh! If you do that. I've seen someones finger looking like a hot dog that exploded from a desktop computer.

I got a Ti ring from a local jewelry shop. So far 6 months in it has held up get. I remove it for serious fabricating or wrenching though.

I just have a regular yellow gold (don't remember the 'k' number) and never take it off. It's duller than it used to be after 11 years and I'm OK with that.

Shortly after I got married someone said "I can tell you're a newlywed because your ring's still all nice and shiny." So I see a dulled ring as a sign that we've been at this married thing for a while now.

Wow you guys went all out. I was going to have my jeweler to get my wife's ring made I tried on some of his display rings made out of SS.

One fit like a glove and 25$ later instant wedding ring. He was astonished that it fit at all, they make the display rings in big sizes. I think mine is a 13.5 but that's from memory.

Tattoo'd mine. I don't want E36 M3 on my hands when i'm working.

Tungsten. Figure out your ring size and get one from amazon. My last one was $17, and it's awesome. You lose it, not the end of the world.

Basil Exposition wrote: Mine stays in a drawer 100% of the time. I hate wearing jewelry-- I don't even wear a watch. Besides being irritated by jewelry, I hate trying to keep track of what I'm doing and whether I should wear a ring during it. I just know I'd only remember I was wearing a ring AFTER my drill press removed my finger or I welded myself to a battery.... My wife is OK with me not wearing mine, but not every woman would be.

x2. i can't remember the last time i wore mine.

My first was 8mm wide white gold, and it looked terrible after not long. It was replaced by a titanium one that was super light and also easily scratched. Also, in general, anodized titanium is going to not be anodized in just a few weeks.

Current ring is a 10mm tungsten carbide. It has one small scratch after 5 years.

Now my three rings were worn over a total so far of about 15 years and a pair of wives, but the fact that I am not alone in having more than one brings up a topic for discussion with your girl. If you do the kind of things most of us do eventually you will loose, destroy or have to cut or break off your ring. Perhaps you don't want to destroy a $800 one when a $30 one will scare off or attract other women the same? If she insists on an expensive one then wear it to church or when you go out but if you want to wear one every day get a cheapo or several as a place keeper.

The other day, I shocked the E36 M3 out of my left arm. (insert epilepsy joke here) If I was wearing a ring, that would have burned.

Take the ring off when you work on the car.

As tough as I am on things, I have had no problem with gold. I do have a tungsten ring as well, though. It is pretty tough. I never wear it.

boonerings.com won't break the bank, will survive the lifestyle

DirtyBird222 wrote: My first two rings were from Zales (wife's decision) and I cam honestly say we'll never go there again because whatever brands they hold there are complete crap hence the bad experience with Ti and Tungsten Carbide. I purchased for said reasons of being durable and I didn't say impossible to get off finger, just difficult. As far as wearing one while doing any kind of electrical work. Homer Simpson Doh! If you do that. I've seen someones finger looking like a hot dog that exploded from a desktop computer.

That's no good!

My wife's ring from Zales has been holding up great (the antique style with lots of small diamonds, and she does hair so hands are constantly banging around in the sink, in water and chemicals, etc.)

It was the ring from one of the "fancy" places in town that had to be replaced three times (because diamonds kept falling out), before I asked for my money back.

JoeyM wrote: boonerings.com won't break the bank, will survive the lifestyle

i had to read that twice. i thought it said bonerrings

Ashyukun wrote: I'm 90% certain there was a similar thread about this around before, but since the search is berked I haven't had any luck in finding it so will just start a new one.

3 pages of chatter from 3 years ago:
https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/off-topic-discussion/finding-a-grm-approved-wedding-ring/30111/page1/

I have a Ti ring that I had made by Mike Augspurger, the Ti bike guy. Actually, I've had 2 - I was cleaning my hands w/ lanolin GoJo in the (grass) paddock at Monrovia Raceway kart track in the dark...So I bought another. I used to take it off for park and slalom skateboarding, but seldom otherwise. I hit it on the buffer every year or so and it looks like new for a month.

MIG weld spatter sticks to Ti. You knock the tiny steel balls off w/ a square edged piece of tool steel - I use a lathe cut-off blade.

Mine is made from a 100+ year old 12 ga. Damascus shotgun barrel.

I have a cheap TI ring. Yup it got scratched, but it's tough as nails.

If I had to do it all over againid buy from this guy. http://www.etsy.com/shop/Triggeron He is a good friend and makes a bad ass ring. I lived with him in college and vouch for his work 150%. He has been employed by Deka and helped build mythbusters sets.

Search triggeron on YouTube and find his making the ring video.

bluej wrote: When it happens, I want mokume gane. good sampling: http://www.mokume-gane-metals.com/mokume_gane_rings.html I like this one a lot. (previously engaged so spent some time thinking about it)

The Damascus stainless rings at the top of my list at the moment are kind of similar to that except without the brass-ish tone in it.

patgizz wrote:

JoeyM wrote: boonerings.com won't break the bank, will survive the lifestyle

i had to read that twice. i thought it said bonerrings

You can get those kinds of rings too, but if you're worried about damaging them while working on the car, well… you're doing it wrong. :)

Simple 14k gold band here, I take it off when I'm doing anything more significant than swapping on the Hoosiers.

Gold is better than people give it credit. It's strength IS in it's softness and malleability.

Mine has been on my finger for 28 years. Never been off. My finger has since grown over it, and it can no longer be removed.

I've worn it through auto wrenching, construction work, masonry, demolition, electrical, and every other possible form of abuse.

There have been a couple of times it got a little squashed, and I had to hammer it round again (on my finger). It is scratched, and worn, and a little beaten up. Just like me.

I understand the risks. I'd rather loose a finger than take it off.

I actually have two rings- a "dress" ring and a "work" ring. Both Titanium, made by the same shop on Etsy. The dress ring has an inlaid ring of copper, brass, and aluminum machine turnings. I used to wear it all the time, but the turnings came loose after a year of being covered in grease, brake cleaner, etc. Luckily the shop fixed it for a $10 fee. We ordered a simple hammered ring for those times when I'm working with my hands.

Here's the "dress" ring:

Here's the "work" ring:

This particular shop has lots of different, cool styles of rings, wood inlays, etc. And prices are reasonable.

Funny... My tungsten ring had a carbon weave inlay similar to your machine turnings and the resin has never done bad for me Lucky?

Mine is 100% stainless steel and it wears like...well stainless steel. It has a permanent scuff pattern, but who cares? What am I, a male model? I never take it off and I mean NEVER. (I had to sign waivers to leave it on during surgery, and they taped it to my hand.) It takes a lot of abuse and still looks fine. If it ever gets damaged beyond repair, I'll get another identical one. 8 years so far and still going strong.

My "work" ring.