How to untangle the chain?

Any owner of jewelry has at least once encountered complex knots and weaves on a chain. It is almost impossible to untangle a chain on your own in a matter of seconds, so often a favorite item sits for years while the owner hopes to one day deal with the knot. How to quickly untangle a chain at home without damaging it?

How to untangle a knot on a gold or silver chain?

Chains made of precious metals have to be untangled most often, and Due to the specific nature of the material, care should be taken in choosing the appropriate method. If you try to untangle a thin gold chain incorrectly, you can accidentally damage the material or weaving, so you should approach the choice of method responsibly.

Regardless of which method was chosen, the following rules must be followed:

• the place where all the work is carried out must be well lit and have a flat surface, otherwise the product can become even more tangled;
• it is more convenient to work on a black or other dark surface that would clearly contrast with the color of the metal;
• the product should be unbuttoned and laid out along its entire length on the surface. At the same time, you should not pull too hard on the edges of the product - this will tighten the knot even tighter.

Note! Products made from precious materials - gold or silver - should never be untangled using metal needles. It is very easy for them to damage metal and weaving. As a last resort, you can use wooden toothpicks.

Lubricate the chain with oil and soap

The most common reason why it is difficult to untangle a metal chain is high friction. You can reduce it by using a soap solution or vegetable oil. It's simple: the problematic nodule should be well lubricated with the selected solution and then rolled in your fingers. Oil or soap will allow the links to slip less, friction will decrease and the knot will untangle without problems. After completing the procedure, excess fat or soap is removed with a dry cloth, and then the item is degreased using a mild detergent.

Sprinkle with talcum powder

Talc is completely safe for precious materials and allows you to untangle a complex knot without any problems. The operating principle of this technique is similar to the previous method. Difficult the knot must be generously sprinkled with baby powder or talcum powder, then gently “punch” the plexus so that the powder is well distributed over all problematic links in the chain. After this, you can try to gently pull the plexus of the knot.

After the knot is untangled, you need to wash off the talc with a mild detergent and be sure to dry the product with a paper towel.

We use a sharp object

Sharp objects are used only in the most extreme cases, for example, if all previous methods have failed. It's worth starting with soft wooden needles or toothpicks – carefully pick up the chain links in the knot and pull on them, trying not to make the knot even tighter. To make the procedure easier, you can combine this option with the previous methods: lubricate the chain with oil, strong soapy water, or sprinkle with baby powder. After distributing the additive evenly over the knot, you can use a toothpick.

For the screwdriver method, you will need a dark surface that you don’t mind scratching. The size of the screwdriver is selected depending on the coarseness of the chain weave, and it is advisable to choose a screwdriver with a special softened tip. The sharp edge is carefully inserted into the center of the knot so that the screwdriver seems to pass through it. In this case, the tip should rest against the surface. You need to start gently swinging the screwdriver from side to side, while pulling back the freed links. For this method you can also use any sharp object, such as a needle or even a paper clip., but using a screwdriver is more convenient and safer for precious metal.

Spray window cleaner

Unexpectedly, a glass and window cleaner can be used not only for its intended purpose, but also to untangle the chain. Window cleaner acts similarly to other lubricants, such as soap solution or sunflower oil, but should be used with greater caution due to the composition and dyes in it. After generously sprinkling the complex chain assembly with window cleaner, the product is left on the vibrating surface.

It could be a cell phone or a washing machine.Vibrations will allow you to relax a complex knot. Then you can try to untangle the chain with your fingers - this should be quite simple. As with other methods, the window cleaner should be washed off with a mild detergent, then rinsed with water and dried thoroughly with a towel.

Stretch the knot gradually

Sometimes a knot can be untangled only in a few steps if it is too complex. The eye may get tired, so you should try to untangle a complex knot in several approaches, and put it off until next time, as soon as you get tired of it. In difficult cases, it is recommended to combine the above methods and try to untangle the chain manually first, removing the main intricacies, then using lubricant and a vibrating surface, then again by hand. As a last resort, the product can be taken to a jewelry workshop.

How to untangle multiple chains?

Working with multiple chains involves the following procedure:

• all chains must be unfastened and placed on a dark surface;
• if some knots are simple, then they should be untangled first and the freed object removed from the main knot;
• the remaining problem areas are thoroughly lubricated with vegetable oil and untangled by hand;
• the remaining knots are untangled using a toothpick or screwdriver;
• then the chains are thoroughly washed with detergents, water and dried.

Preventing the appearance of knots on the chain

How to make sure that nodes on the chain do not appear at all? The most common reason for the appearance of complex weaves, which then cannot be untangled, is improper storage of beads and chains. Many people store their jewelry in boxes, but this method does not work with chains. It is best to use special keys or tree-shaped stands – each chain should be in a suspended state and have minimal contact with others.

Unraveling a chain if it gets tangled is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance - you just need to have a little patience and use a few tricks. And storing chains correctly will save the owner from having to untangle them in the future.