Slinky, the so-called "spring that goes down the stairs by itself", promises hours of fun but, usually, after a few minutes it becomes a ball of knots impossible to untie. You can unravel this skein with the right technique and a lot of patience, but your spring won't always return to its original shape. After several similar incidents, it will have permanent blemishes and creases, so you will have to resort to more drastic measures to fix it - or buy another one.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Unraveling a Very Tangled Spring
Step 1. Hold one end of the spring with your fingers
Find the least tangled end and place 4 fingers in the center of the spring. Place your thumb outside the ring to grab the end and hold it steady.
Super long springs may be easier to untangle by holding the "good" part over your arm or over a cardboard tube for blotting paper
Step 2. Move your finger and thumb along the edge of the spring
Run your index finger and thumb along the spring, approaching the first tangle near the end you are holding. The "good" end of the spring will stay in order around your fingers.
Step 3. Locate the continuation of the spring beyond the knot
Slow down as you approach the tangle and look closely, so you can see exactly where the spring continues. Separate the tangle, in case it helps you get a better view.
Step 4. Gently push the end of the spring through the tangle
Remove the spring from your fingers to pass the "good" part through an opening in the tangle to untie the first knot. Once the knot is untied, put the spring back over your fingers to keep it tidy.
Sometimes it is easier to hold the good part in place and lift the ring after the tangle by passing it over and around the spring
Step 5. Rotate the spring where it doesn't curve right
If you notice that it bends in a completely wrong direction, or is even on the verge of breaking, try to rotate the two tangled areas in contact. Once the pressure on the area is reduced, you can fearlessly break through and pass the "healthy" end of the spring through the hole, as described above.
Step 6. Repeat until each node is removed
Continue to follow the spring and hold the unraveled part in your hand. When you see a knot, use the techniques described above to untie it.
Step 7. Switch to the other end if necessary
If you are untangling a long or very tangled spring, at some point it may be too long to comfortably pass through the knots. At this point, you can gently lay down the already unraveled part and move on to the other end. Repeat the previous steps until all the spring is unraveled.
Part 2 of 4: Getting rid of a Medium Sized Node
Step 1. Put your finger on or under the knot
It doesn't matter which finger in particular
Step 2. Rotate the spring by sliding your finger through the tangled part
This forces the nodes to return to their normal position
Step 3. Run your finger through the entire knot
This step is important, because stopping halfway would not be ideal for resolving the situation
Step 4. Finished, that's all you need to do
If this method doesn't work, try the other remedies listed in this article
Part 3 of 4: Getting Rid of a Little Knot
Step 1. Separate the two ends of the spring
Hold one in each hand. Pull them in opposite directions, just enough so that you can see exactly the knot. Keep holding them in that position.
This method is useful for springs that have only a few knotted rings. If your spring is too tangled to form a straight line when you stretch it, you can try this method or go straight to the desperate case method
Step 2. Rotate one end of the spring
Keep the other end still as you rotate. If turning in one direction will push the rings apart from each other, continue to do so; this is the desired direction to untie the knot. If you start to rotate and the rings tighten further, stop and reverse the direction of rotation.
Step 3. Lift the tangled rings to fix them
Once the tangled rings are separated, look carefully to see which ones are out of place. Lift that ring off the straight line of the spring. Keeping the spring extended, the ring should snap into place as soon as you let it go. If not, take it back and gently guide it through the correct rings, twisting as needed.
This step is easier by asking a friend to hold one end of the spring to help you
Part 4 of 4: Fixing Imperfections in a Spring
Step 1. Evaluate if it is possible to adjust the springs, also taking into account the material they are made of (plastic or metal)
This method is for springs that are not tangled, but with folds or "imperfections" that prevent alignment with the other coils. Some imperfections in plastic springs can be fixed by heating them, but they won't always work and you may even melt the toy if you are distracted. Metal springs are much more difficult to return to their original position, so only try them if you have some free time and just don't want to buy a new one.
Step 2. Heat a pot of water
Fill a pot with enough water to submerge the spring. Heat it by itself on the stove, with no spring inside. Do not boil the water, but keep heating it until it begins to evaporate.
You could also put a bowl of water in the microwave, or heat it in a teapot and then pour it into a pot
Step 3. Turn off the heat
Turn off the stove when the water is hot. Never continue to heat the water once the spring has been inserted, or it risks melting and also ruining the container.
Step 4. Wearing gloves, put the spring in the hot water
Put on rubber gloves to protect your hands, and dip the spring in hot water. Leave it there for a few minutes.
Step 5. Remove the spring and return it to its original position
After a few minutes of soaking, take the spring with gloves. If the spring is hot enough, you should be able to fix it by pressing on the imperfect coils.
If you have a cardboard tube or other cylinder that is slightly smaller than the spring, you can insert it between the coils to get the correct position
Step 6. Retry with warmer water if unsuccessful
If the spring is still stiff and you can't bend it, heat the water more and try again. By heating the spring too much you risk damaging it irreparably, so increase the temperature gradually and keep an eye on the water. Never heat the spring directly.
Step 7. Flatten the spring with a book
Immediately after aligning it, put the spring under a heavy book. Leave it there for several hours, or even overnight, to force it to return to its original position.
- If the book keeps falling off, try a thick, thin children's book. Place a small heavy object in the center of the children's book, right above the spring.
- Do not use a book that is heavy or large enough to flip the spring over and squeeze it.
Step 8. Heat the spring in the oven
If the hot water doesn't work, you could line a pan with aluminum foil, put the imperfect spring on the pan and heat the oven to 120 degrees, for about 10 minutes. Use oven mitts to pull it out and return it to its original position in case it hasn't settled on its own. It is risky, as certain plastic springs could melt.
Step 9. Cut the spring
If none of these methods work, use a wire cutter to cut the spring at one end of the blemish. You can try to reattach the healthy parts with super glue, but it will be difficult to reattach them at the right angle. More likely, you will end up with two smaller springs, separated forever.
The new cut ends may be sharp. Try covering them with several pieces of duct tape to protect your fingers
Advice
Metal springs are less prone to blemishes than plastic ones, but they are impossible to get back like new with household tools. They are also more expensive
Warnings
- Be careful when using super glues. Always wear gloves so they don't stick to your fingers. Keep the glue away from any part of the body, especially the face.
- Children should seek adult supervision before heating a spring or using wire cutters.
