and pulled his hand in. He lost three fingers....” The tile setters on this thread had a number of suggestions to avoid this situation – including quips about not getting married alto- gether. Here are their suggestions. Metal or silicone? Libner initially pondered a plati- num wedding band with a single diamond in the center. Response was swift and varied. Many recom- mended rings that would be non- reactive and impervious to chemi- cal and messy mortars and grout such as a titanium or tungsten band. However, some contrac- tors experienced titanium marking tiles, and NTCA member Robert Davis, Davis Solutions in Lebanon, Ore., broke two tungsten bands while working. Michelle Blomquist Hamilton of Tile Maryland in Conowingo, Md., suggested rings from Manly Bands that feature stunning designs in durable met- als. Andrew Lindner of StoneWood Construction in Franklin, Wis., opted for Damascus Rings, made from a small business craftsman and his unique designs. But Travis Carter, an independent tile installer from Crawfordville, Fla., cautioned against any kind of stone, and NTCA member Marco Morello of The Professionals in Amelia Court House, Va., said, “I bought a $5 sterling silver one after 10 years of wrecking my $250 nice gold one.” Dana Lavy, a self-employed tile setter in Z a n e s v i l l e , Ohio, took a philosophical approach to ring maintenance. His tungsten ring with decorative grooves does col- lect mortar, but he had an epiph- any about clean- ing it. “Every once and a while you have to take a break from the grind,” he said. “You have to take care of your fam- ily and your marriage. It’s time to stop and clean out the grooves and get rid of the old dust and grime. As my job wore harder on our mar- HOT TOPICS –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Tungsten rings from Manly Bands come in simple designs or inset with other metals or stones. Ealy Knives/ Damascus Rings are designed by a small business craftsman. Travis Carter opted for a simple unadorned wed- ding band. Cleaning the mortar out of the grooves of his wedding band gives Dana Lavy a chance to reflect on his family and what’s needed to take care of it. 68 TileLetter | June 2019