What is a Kink in a chain?

Chains are just like everything else in life. They Wear Down, Get Old, Erode, Weaken, Break, Bend, Kink and Stretch! And you can't blame them either... We wear our Chains every single day!

What else could you wear daily and not have wear out as quickly? For example: The Rope Chain. Rope Chains are great Chains to own!

They Sparkle and Shine (some have Diamond Cuts) and for the most part are pretty Durable and will last you a lifetime. But, as you wear them, Rope Chains will slowly Stretch and Lengthen. Normally this doesn't affect the Chain much, and most people don't even notice it.

With a Rope Chain, the thicker the Rope, the better. I've owned a Rope Chain for over 20 years and it still looks brand new! Smaller Rope Chains do wear down though.

They wear down by Unraveling. Pieces of the Chain actually come undone and stick out from the rest of the Chain. You'll notice this because the Chain will start snagging your clothing and sweaters, or it will feel rough and scratch your skin.

No matter, Rope Chains are an easy fix. Jewelers usually just tuck the jagged piece back into the Rope (intertwine it), or they just add a drop of Solder onto the spot to keep it from breaking. Rope Chains come highly recommended!

And then we have Box Chains! Box Chains are one of the most popular Chains there are! Box Chains are great for holding Pendants and Charms (they come to a nice V on the neck).

But, they are only great... If they are thick enough! Jewelers sell Box Chains in different thicknesses. The best is a Medium Thickness (around .8mm or bigger) for Durability and Longevity.

Thin Box Chains (around .5mm or less) seem to Pull, Stretch and Snap easy! The interesting thing about Box Chains is that they stretch more than any other type of Chain (because of the way they're made). A 20" Chain in a couple of years could end up being 30".

When Box Chains get stretched (which is caused by hanging heavy Pendants off the Chain, or things getting caught on the Chain and Pulling on it, or having your Kids or Grand Kids grab the Chain and Tug) they tend to get really Thin and Stiff (Not Flexible - It loses its Elasticity). When Box Chains get this Weak and Frail they tend to Snap in half. Once a Box Chain get Stretched and Thin, there is no way to Fix it... It's time for a new Chain!

What are the Worst Chains to buy? Omega Chains, Snake Chains, and Herringbone Chains! These are not great Chains!

Flat Chains like these (or ones that don't have a good bending point), will Kink, Bend and Pull apart! Pieces of the Chain will Bend up and Break off and then there's not much hope for them. Soldering them just makes the Solder Joint stand out and look Globby.

And even if they do Solder it back together again, the Solder Mark will harm the surrounding areas and make them Weaker. Plus, once Flat Chains like this Kink, they will always Kink. Jewelers can Roll or Flatten the Kinks out, but those areas will always be noticeable and end up being Weaker and Kink again.

Usually the best advice is to cut the Chain down into a smaller Chain (Cutting out the bad parts) or turn it into a Bracelet! Next up: Bead Chains! Pretty, Little Chains... But Don't Buy Them!

Bead Chains (Like little Disco Balls) are Pretty and Cute, but they are very Delicate and Break often (the little Links tend to Pop out of their Sockets). Fixing them is a Bear! Once those Holes get Opened up, they just don't hold well and aren't Secure.