×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

Rubbing iron on gold

Rubbing iron on gold

Rubbing iron on gold

(OP)
All engineers from Canada receive an iron ring when they graduate, to wear on their pinky finger. I recently received mine for a degree in mechanical engineering (hence I'm not so hot with my materials!), but I am curious as to its effect on a gold ring. Many chose to get a stainless steel ring, as the iron will stain your finger. Opting to stay traditional, I chose iron. However I am hesitant to wear the ring next to my gold ring as they tend to rub together from time to time and I would hate to destroy my band. Are my worries reasonable or am I fretting over nothing? Please advise.

RE: Rubbing iron on gold

Sweat = moisture & salt and iron in contact is anodic to gold.
Beware of rust stains!

RE: Rubbing iron on gold

Susan,
Gold?  Didn't "da bum" buy you a big diamond?<g>

RE: Rubbing iron on gold

Do ALL canadian engineers join the Order? Over here in the states only those that want to join.

Any way about your problem. on my hand (which may be a different shape than yours) my SS ring would not really rub on anything but a really wide banded ring on my ring finger. Have you tried them both on at the same time? Hom much are they gonna rub? You could try it for a while and see how bad the witness mark is on the gold. Since the gold is significantly softer I would expect it to show any severe wear immediately.

If they wear quickly you just may have to make the decision wich is more important to you, Teh Big Fat Gold w/ a Big Fat Diamond (refering to metalguy's post) or The Order! Tough choice I know, but I feel that you will be just fine either/or.

 

Nick
I love materials science!

RE: Rubbing iron on gold

One of the professors at the University where I graduated is one of the people that came up with the "iron ring" chemistry.  Some time ago, those rings used to be made of iron, but since they would rust on a regular basis, the engineers had to change them all the time.  So the professor (and his team, I suppose) came up with the new chemistry.  He didn't want to give his secret away, but he simply told me that the ring is made of a "stainless" iron!  So all the iron rings given to Canadian Engineers are in fact made of the "stainless" iron.

Hope this helps

Coka

RE: Rubbing iron on gold

(OP)
Nope, they're not all stainless. At least they're not if you go to a REAL engineering school:) And yes, all graduates of a canadian engineering school are welcome to be "ringed", but some chose not too if they are not planning to practice engineering, or for other reasons.

The majority of the Canadian rings are made of stainless, but some Universities (mine included) still give away real iron ones. I think the rust ring around my finger, and all the rust on the inside of my ring will speak for itself:) Also you can't pick up the new stainless ones with a magnet but you can pick up the iron ones. In fact many of the real iron rings are the same rings they started giving out 80 years ago that have been returned by people who are no longer practicing.

Thanks for all the help everyone, I figured I was in for some problems if I stayed with iron, but didn't want to exchange my ring needlessly. It's worth switching to stainless though to preserve my gold band. (Although the $28,000 I spent on my university education easily tops the price of replacing the band for my diamonds!!:)

RE: Rubbing iron on gold

The stainless may still cause wear marks on your gold ring so check carefully.

We supplied someone in Canada with a length of 430 stainless tubing that I belive was going to be used for this purpose.  But I can't remember where they were...

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Corrosion never sleeps, but it can be managed.
http://www.trenttube.com/Trent/tech_form.htm

RE: Rubbing iron on gold

Is this a trick question, or do you spend a lot of time wringing your hands ? (Lady Macbeth)
Iron ring ; right hand pinky
Gold ring (I presume matrimonial type ) left hand "ring" finger.
No problem.
mac P.Eng.  ( no rings )

RE: Rubbing iron on gold

(OP)
Ever heard of teh 1/9 of the world that are left handed? Your iron ring goes on the pinkie finger of your working hand, not your right hand:)

RE: Rubbing iron on gold

or if your religion is Orthodox, you wear your wedding ring on your right hand...

Coka

RE: Rubbing iron on gold

Susan has brought up a good question where corrosion, wear and social/religious issues are involved.

Is it true that the iron rings worn by Canadian engineers were made from the same steel used in the construction of a bridge that collapsed and killed many workers many years ago? And, this is a reminder to all engineers that the responsibilities of the engineering profession?

RE: Rubbing iron on gold

The legend says that the same iron, from that bridge, was used until there was no more.  It was not steel...  And today, we don't really have steel rings either, but something like stainless iron!  I am just quoting my professor who was involved in finding the modern "iron ring" chemistry.  Hence the "IRON RING" - from the iron bridge.
At the ceremony where i got my iron ring, we were told to wear it on our working hand.  And the idea behind that is that every time you sign a document, your ring would drag accross that important paper, which would remind you of the tragedy that happened....  and it works... it makes me think a couple of times before I sign anything....

Coka

RE: Rubbing iron on gold

For us right handers that wear the ring, when we shake hands with another wearer our rings click together.

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources