What is this:
A mandrel is one of the most basic wire-curling tool you can use. It looks like a cone: it has cylindrical shape , gradually becoming thicker, and special ring sizing mark. So you can decide how big the ring will be as these marks indicate the ring size number or the diameter (in cm)

What it is used for

The most common use is to size rings, shaping a ring you are creating to a certain size or telling you the right size of an existing ring.

You can also use it to hold one ring, or many, for display, or to help you while doing jewelry repair.

In a mandrel wire can be manually twisted around it to create loose coils.

 

More:

The bests mandrels are made of metal, as they last longer and can be use when hammering the ring. You will find other materials as wood or plastic.

In the beginning, if you don’t have a mandrel you can use your imagination and use, instead, round pieces you can find around your house, like pens, sticks, etc. Be creative! But a mandrel is, definetly, a handy thing to have in your tool kit.