Hoop earrings are a classic earring design. There’s an abundance of hoop earrings in every size and shape you can imagine and in a variety of metals. You can even make your own or customize the ones you already have!
But, what do you do when your favorite pair gets a dent or bent all out of shape? Do you take them to the jewelers and pay more for the repair than the cost of the earrings in the first place? Or do you fix the bent hoop earrings yourself?
You should fix it yourself, of course!
But how do you fix bent hoop earrings? The first thing to consider before trying to fix a bent hoop earring is the type of metal and the style of the earring. The type of metal matters because some metals are more malleable than others, which will change your approach to fixing your earring.
Curious how to fix any type of bent hoop earring? Keep reading for the detailed instructions, no matter what kind of earring you’re dealing with.
What Type of Metal Is Your Earring Made Of?
Many gold earrings are hollow inside. Why? To make them weigh less, which makes them more comfortable to wear. Plus, it saves the manufacturer, then, in turn, you, a lot of money. Think about how expensive solid gold earrings would be!
Thin gold wire earrings are not usually hollow and quite easy to fix. The hollow ones can be very tricky.
As I mentioned before, some metals are more malleable than others.
- Gold and silver are quite easy to bend back into shape.
- Alloy is also quite malleable.
- Titanium is hardened and therefore much more difficult to bend. On the bright side, this also means it will not bend out of shape as easily, so you won’t have to worry about getting it fixed.
Fixing a Solid Hoop Earring
If you don’t have a mallet or a mandrel, check out this kit on Amazon. It has everything you need for this project PLUS ring sizers, which could be useful for future projects (but we won’t need it for this one).
A simple hoop or a hoop with a charm can be fixed by even the most novice jewelry repair person.
- If your earring has a charm, remove the charm before you start. You can do this by gently opening the jump loop and taking the jump loop and charm right off. Set it in a safe place so that you don’t lose it before it’s time to put it back on.
- Slip the earring onto a mandrel. This is a long steel or wood bar that tampers from one end to the other. It is commonly used in jewelry making and repairs. A hoop earring is very similar to a ring, so this is a good tool for the job. Slide the earring as far as it will go easily – do not force it down.
- Take your mallet and gently tap the dent. The mandrel should provide enough resistance to bend the earring back into shape while you tap. Turn the earring around to make sure it is perfectly round on all the way around. Be careful not to tap too hard and accidentally put new dents into the jewelry.
- Once the dent is completely removed, take the earring off the mandrel, replace the charm (if you have one) and your earring is as good as new!
Fixing a Hollow Hoop Earring
There are two types of hollow earrings:
- The ones with no back and the ones that look solid from the outside but are actually hollow inside.
- The second type is generally finer and much more difficult to fix.
Fixing an Open Hoop Earring
To remove a dent from a hollow earring with no back, you will need some type of metal wire that is harder than the metal of the earring. This is for support. The wire should fit snugly inside the back of the earring.
- Cut the wire to fit the earring.
- Place the earring with the wire inside over the mandrel and tap the dent out gently with your mallet.
- The wire and mandrel should provide enough resistance for the dent to be completely removed.
- With pressure coming from both sides – the wire inside and the mallet outside – the dent will come out.
Fixing a Closed Hoop Earring
Fixing the second type of hollow hoop earring follows the same principle. You need a wire to provide support from the inside. Since this type can be very fine, you need a very fine wire that you can thread through the hoop.
In most cases, the hoop is open at one end. Thread the wire through the hoop from the open end. If your earring is closed all around, things get very complicated. You will have to cut the earring open.
- Since the clasp can easily be replaced, cut the earring at the clasp or closure with a fine jewelry saw.
- For a better grip, clamp the earring in a small vise and cut very carefully.
- Make the cut perfectly straight. If you didn’t get it quite straight, sand it a bit to make it straight.
- This step is very sensitive. You want the edge straight for when you reattach the clasp, but if you take off too much, your earring will be too short. You can’t have one hoop earring shorter than the other.
- Thread your thin wire through the hoop.
- Place the earring on the mandrel.
- Gently tap out the dent.
- Remove the wire from inside the hoop.
- Re-solder the clasp.
- Securely clamp the earring into the small vise again.
- Carefully solder the clasp back the way it was.
- Be sure not to use too much solder wire. You want to be very gentle so that the repair will not be noticeable. You can sand away or melt away any excess solder.
When done properly, your hoop earring will be as good as new! You may want to practice on a pair you don’t care about too much rather than potentially ruining your favorite pair of earrings.
If your problem isn’t necessarily a bend, but the fact that your earring closure won’t close, then watch this video by WJD Exclusives on YouTube.
Fixing a Bent Hoop Earring by Buffing
Another way to fix a dent in a hoop earring is by buffing. Some stubborn dents are actually easier to fix with a buffer. The friction from the buffer makes the metal more malleable and therefore the dent will come out easier.
Unfortunately, this is an expensive option. Even the simplest lathe buffers come with a hefty price tag.
To buff out a dent, here’s what to do:
- Slip the earring onto a mandrel. This will help you hold and guide the earring. You might be able to just hold it in your hand, but the mandrel will give you more stability.
- Plus, it provides resistance so you won’t just make the dent bigger. You will actually be able to buff or polish the dent right out.
- For hollow hooped earrings, use the wire method above to give the earring back support. Without this support, the dent will definitely get deeper.
- Make sure the earring is snug on the mandrel. You can not have the earring slip and slide while you buff.
- Keep the buffer at the lowest setting and gently move the dent to the polishing pad or brushes. Do not apply any pressure. You want the brushes to gently caress the earring, not beat it to death.
- Inspect the earring frequently as this should not take more than a few seconds. Once you are happy with the results and the dent is completely gone, you’re done!
- If you like, you can then polish all of both earrings to make the metal sparkle and shine like new!
Also, if you did have to do some soldering, the buffing will take off any excess solder for a cleaner, more polished finish.
A buffer might be a big investment if you don’t repair a lot of jewelry, but if you do, you will find it well worth the money. And it is one of the fastest and easiest ways to fix a bent hoop earring.
