Removing/Replacing Rings

Removing rings from your Filofax to then use it as a notebook cover seems to be very in vogue at the moment. The reasons for doing so are mixed and you will have your own ideas as to why this is a good idea or not. 

Removing rings using some methods is not a reversible process, if a month or so later you decide that a bound planner isn't for you and you want to go back using rings then you might have to buy a new organiser because the rings you removed are no longer fit to be reused. 

In the case of riveted in rings on say a Filofax Malden, the only way to remove them is to drill out the rivets. The only way to reinsert the rings is to then look for a set that bolt in and you will have to have the blind domed headed bolts on the outside of the spine. Not terrible but certainly not acceptable to some people. 

Krause rings or a similar design of removable rings were not designed originally with the idea of them being put in and taken out of the organiser on a frequent basis. The design originates from over a hundred years ago! 

Alternative designs do exist of course, the rings used in Moterm and Franklin Planners are held in with a small screw fastener, making them much easier to change. 

Unfortunately there are videos on You Tube on how to remove rings that in my opinion, use methods that are fairly destructive and result in the mechanisms being damaged to the point you wouldn't be able to reuse them. That's fine if you never want to use the rings again, or they were damaged beyond repair anyway and you have a new set to go in. 

Before we get too far in to explaining why I don't recommend some methods and how to do it with the minimum of risk in damaging the rings or the organiser, let us recap on the names of the parts of the ring mechanism. 

A picture saves a thousand words! 

The cover plate is not only there for decorative purposes, it actually holds the tabs in when the rings are open. It is only made of thin metal and it is easily damaged. If you bend it too much it will end up with creases in it. 

When pulling the rings apart to remove them, once the cover is off, try to pull evenly with rings 3 and 4, this spreads the load. I've seen some people only pull one pair of rings apart and that might result in the mechanism becoming twisted and therefore having gaps if you try to reassemble them. 

Another flawed method is to prise the rings off the mounting lugs, this can not only damage the leather but it will bend or even break the mounting lugs if extreme force is used. Please don't do it! 

Videos with methods I don't recommend or support:

• How To Remove Krause Rings From Filofax which copies a method started with this next one
• Gillio Planner Firenze - Changing rings 

After seeing that last one from 9 years ago. I devise my own more mechanically sympathetic methods which you will see used in these two videos:

• Changing the ring mechanism - one of my very early videos
• Ring Mechanisms - Removing and Installing Krause Rings - similar method but more hints and tips.

If looked after and not abused a set of rings should last a lifetime. 

If you have any problems with replacing rings just get in touch with me steve at philofaxy dot com and we can arrange to connect to solve the issues.