DEAR ABBY: You told "Longtime Reader in Norristown, Pa." to see a jeweler for help in removing his wedding ring, which had grown tight over the many years of his marriage (he is now a widower).
Abby, it's not necessary to cut a ring off. My husband was an embalmer for more than 50 years, and he removed many a ring from those who had passed on. He also taught embalming at a local trade school and shared this technique with his students:
Thread one end of a piece of string under the ring and wrap the other, longer end tight around the finger. Then begin unwrapping from the short end of the string. As you unwrap it, the ring will come off! This works when soap and other lubricants have failed, and there's no danger of cutting the finger.
I am 90 years old, and I have known this trick for a long time. If you publish my letter, your readers can try it if they need to, and jewelers can use it as well. -- MAMIE GERACI, METAIRIE, LA.
DEAR MAMIE: It works beautifully! Thanks for a practical solution that was news to me (and I'll bet to many of my readers).