Need advice on old ring...

Crispin · Jul 4, 2016

I dug up this old ring in a 70's producing area from dry land. I'm used to pulling things out of the water. It has a copper look to it. Normally I start dumping acid on things to test it but I don't want to ruin it. The marking I can see clearly on the inside is an 8. Which fits the size it is. Any thoughts or ideas? there is no design on the outside? Did they even make copper rings like this 50-60 years ago? Thanks!

creskol · Jul 4, 2016

It looks suspiciously much like a copper crimp ring used in plumbing.

Crispin · Jul 4, 2016

I had that same thought myself. Well, not exactly that same thought. I thought to myself, "Self, I wonder if this is electrical or plumbing or something like that." I don't even know what a crimp ring is. So, now that I think about the only thing similar about our thoughts is that it was not the type of ring that goes on a finger. Hence...I can dump acid on it! MooooHaHa!

AU Seeker · Jul 4, 2016

Crispin said:
I had that same thought myself. Well, not exactly that same thought. I thought to myself, "Self, I wonder if this is electrical or plumbing or something like that." I don't even know what a crimp ring is. So, now that I think about the only thing similar about our thoughts is that it was not the type of ring that goes on a finger. Hence...I can dump acid on it! MooooHaHa!

I suspect the copper ring you have found was used on a type of older plastic plumbing tubing which has been discontinued because of the failure rate of the fittings, the type of tubing used now-a-days is called Pex, which uses a similar type ring that's a bit wider than the older rings used on the old type of plastic tubing.

Pex plumbing tubing crimp rings can be either copper, steel and a few other materials, below is a photo of a copper crimp ring and also a photo of how one is used on the Pex tubing and one showing the ring being crimped on the Pex tubing

PEX Connections

bigfoot1 · Jul 4, 2016

I would use 0000 steelwool on it.if it has an 8 stamped inside,and it is in fact a size 8....bboya...you have a ring.Then you can go all acidy on it..lol...

Crispin · Jul 6, 2016

I took Bigfoot's advice and saw no marks. The 8 was an optical illusion. So I dumped the whole thing in acid. I am thinking it is a pipe crimp thingy...