IT
The strength of a wooden ring
One of the most frequently asked questions from those who contact me for information on wooden rings is: how resistant is the ring?
It would be very difficult to give a really accurate answer to this question as many variables should be considered: the hardness of wood, which is a heterogeneous material, is influenced, for example, by environmental factors, such as the humidity it contains, its origin, the type of seasoning it has undergone, etc.
It is possible, however, to state that: wood does NOT have the strength of metal, but it is much more beautiful, at least as far as I’m concerned.
Types of wood
The types of wood available for the rings have different characteristics in terms of strength.
Some essences are very hard and compact by nature (ebony, snake wood, ziricote), others, although belonging to the macro family of hard woods, are more fragile due to their density of fibers (oaks for example).
Among the customization possibilities of the rings there is a measure that cannot be chosen by the customer: the thickness.
This parameter is in fact established, for each single ring, in the production phase: the type of wood, its seasoning are taken into account, and, as far as possible, also the person to whom the ring is intended: men, in general, require a few tenths of a millimeter more.
The importance of a correct size
Since a wooden ring is more delicate than a metal ring, my advice is to choose a comfortable size, to allow the ring to be pulled off without effort.
Closing the hand “into a fist” swells the finger considerably and this could cause considerable strain on the ring.
The applied finish, always made with natural products, is subject to wear and to preserve its integrity for as long as possible, it is advisable to remove the ring whenever possible.
The consolidating treatment
To significantly increase the strength of the wood it is possible to apply a consolidating treatment, made with dissolved acrylic resin, completely transparent and very hard in the solid state.
The percentage of moisture contained in the wood is calculated, then, if necessary, we try to dehydrate it as much as possible.
In a special vacuum chamber, the ring is then immersed in resin, previously dissolved in specific solutions for each type of wood available: through the generation of a negative pressure, the air contained in the wood is forced out and replaced with the resin.
Once hardened, the resin will have deeply impregnated the wood and will make it much more resistant.
For which types of wood is the treatment recommended?
Definitely for woods with high porosity, that is, those with very open pores.
However, the process indicated above is carried out according to the wood to be treated and specific precautions are applied for each of them.
In case of doubts you can always contact me.
Why is this treatment optional?
I leave it to the customer to be able to make an informed decision.
Generally, those who choose wood know and appreciate its characteristics and may prefer a product in its most total naturalness.
Furthermore, this treatment requires time and additional costs, which is why freedom of choice is left.
Resin as an alternative
Epoxy resin, used as a material for rings, is very strong by nature.
It has many similarities with wood and with it unique and very original pieces can be created.
Furthermore, raw materials of the highest quality are chosen, completely non-toxic and safe.
RESIN RINGS
