On various occasions it is required that a ring be removed from the finger of a person when the ring will not slide over the joint and top of the finger in usual fashion. This occurs, for example, when the finger is swollen due to an accident or when the ring is of too small a size and was simply forced on the finger. It is usually necessary to cut and sever the ring so that it can be bent and removed from the finger. Saws and the like tools that have been used to accomplish this create a danger to the finger and are apt to increase the pain at the ring site if it is swollen as a result of injury. One commercially available ring removal device utilizes a circular saw which is manually twisted to saw the ring while bearing toward a lever inserted between the finger and the ring segment to be cut. The sawing pressure is exerted in a direction toward the finger and can create discomfort. If there is an injury at or near the ring site, shavings from the sawed ring can enter and contaminate the wound.