Bike Chain Bracelet

If you have a spare bike chain or just want to be a cool biker, why not have a tight looking bracelet? This is how you make a breacelet out of a bike chain. It can be as tight or loose as you want (I chose to have it skin tight). I haven't had the time to fit a snap onto the bracelet, so once it is on, it's stuck until you get a chance to use your bike tool again. Have fun!

Step 1 Materials and Tools

Here is a list of all the things you need to make this bracelet:

Materials:
Bicycle chain
Old rag
Degreaser (You can use a professional degreasing product, but rubbing alcohol works just as well. Watered down dish soap also works.)
Cup or tub (for degreaser)

Tools:
Bicycle chain breaker tool

If you don't know how to use the chain breaker, check this out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVYV4WsYuVM

You don't have to watch the whole thing but it will help.

Comments

[akurnik]

i´we just cut the iner link vith a grinder just a litle slice in the size of the pin, to the center, so i just can slip the inner link on the pin that is inserted on the outer link. The ring on the iner link can rotate, so it can actualy lock the pin in the link.

[11ericg]

Find the master link pull it out find out how big you want the chain break it then put the master link back on there you broke it then you can just pull the master link off if you want the bracelet off

[wobbler]

A chain around your wrist that you need to take off the link to remove? Great idea- just don't go near any machinery or when you catch it on that revolving flywheel your wrist will break before the chain, which will then proceed to tear through your wrist. Don't worry though, it will stop just as soon as your hand has been torn off. I'd fit a clasp that's weaker than your wrist just in case. People have lost fingers using machinery just because they've had a ring on. The bracelet looks great though, I'm off to make one.

[sciman1]

 i made one for myself out of motor cycle chain rocking? yes. heavy? heck yeah!!!

[Ingulit]

My girlfriend bought me one of these at a Fair Trade store not to long ago (it has a clasp in between two of the links and is quite easy to take on and off; try putting that in your Instructable). Not-well-to-do people in India have been making these for years because it is the only metal they could find to turn into jewelery and sell. They have amazing craftsmanship when making these.

Here's the link:
http://www.tenthousandvillages.com/bicycle-chain-bracelet

[Ingulit]

On the topic of the clasp, you might be able to tell from the link, but this is how they made it (judging from looking at it on my wrist): They made the bracelet as long as they wanted and then cut off about an inch an a half, leaving only two "inner" links on either end of the chain (with no peg filling the outermost hole). They then fed cut iron rings (like how you make rings for chainmail; I think they are iron). Then they put the clasp (look at the picture; I have no idea how to make one of them, I think you have to buy it) on one of the rings and weld/solder both rings to make them continuous circles. You're done! Then you can just latch the second ring into the clasp to wear it, and vice versa to take it off. It is a very, very sturdy connection and is easy to use. Give it a try maybe :)

[Bandaids]

if u leave the ends open you can make a clasp with a Safty pin instead of having it pera tached to your arm  or make ur own custom latch

[173349]

a SRAM powerlink will also hold it in place, an dbe easy to remove

[diy man101]

how do you get the bracelet off?

[Duke Luke]

just break the chain, but make sure that the pin still stays in a little, otherwise its hell.

[diy man101]

ok thanks

[R4Man18]

without being greased it can rust so be careful.

[sharlston]

cool instead of putting the link fully in just leave a bit poking out when you put it on it will click ps i once saw someone using a bike chain for a bike lock so for the laugh and to teach hiom a lesson we took it off with a chain breaker

[Duke Luke]

that's hillarious! bet that pissed him off lol.

[sharlston]

ye he replaced it with a combination lock afterwards like my version of the bracelet

[sharlston]

heres mine i replaced the pin wth a piece of a bamboo skewer its a gold chain from my bmx:

[NoWaa]

WOAH thats my finger!

[theRIAA]

pretty sweet idea! i like it... hum could you put one of those little "gelly" watches in this somehow?

[Duke Luke]

what's a gelly watch?

[theRIAA]

i dont know the name. like this

[Duke Luke]

to serve as padding?

[theRIAA]

nope, so it's a watch lol

[kighel]

Mine is rusting :(

[KaiserHSoze]

Instead of reinserting the link pin, why not leave it most of the way out? I've made a few of these, and although they tend to rust after awhile, people seem to love 'em. The link pin can hold the bracelet in place with only one side of the pin inserted into the inner link which allows for the bracelet to be removed by bending it. It isn't very easy to get on as you have to find a way to spread the outer links with your thumb and insert the middle link at a slight angle until the link pin catches, but after some practice it gets pretty easy. The outer links start to bend after while which means they need to be replaced, but since I haven't gotten around to clear or powder coating mine yet I am replaceing them after a few weeks when they start rusting.

[wingbatwu]

not so great if you have hairy forearms

[Chicken2209]

This is a cool idea

[BorisSpencer]

You could always use a SRAM powerlink as the join, they're about 99p and with a bit of paractice can be released one handed.