Anyone work in the funeral/cremation business? Have a question about a box of ashes

[WhatALump]

I have my dads ashes in a wooden box.

I need to open it to have some ashes jewellery made but I can’t get the lid off! There’s no screws or any visible closure but I’m wary of trying to pry it open.

What should I do?

Thank you ☺️

Take it back to your funeral director and ask them to open, take out the amount of ash you need for the jewellery then they will reseal the casket for you.

@motherstongue I would do but my dad died in Brazil and was cremated there.

Then just ring your local funeral director and ask them to do it for you?

If your going to the place that makes the ring just take the box as it is and they’ll be able to do it for you. If not could you just call a local funeral director explain what you’ve said here and ask if they could help.

I didn’t even think to ask a funeral director 🙈 thanks I’ll try that x

Just to reassure you op, my local funeral director was happy to transfer some ashes, which came from a different funeral director in another part of the country, into a small keepsake for me. It wasn't sealed but they understood I felt a little uneasy at handling the ashes myself.

If it has a felt base feel around the corners of the felt, there may be screws under it that you can unscrew to get to the ashes.

Or at least my Ddogs did have , I wanted to scatter his ashes but they put them in the kind of container.

They were in a bag in the box so no fear of spilling him

Yes, your local funeral director will probably do this for you. We would do it at no charge. Lots of people feel a bit weird about touching cremated remains so it happens a fair amount (though most are funerals we have conducted) so just give one a phone and see. Hope you get it sorted

Thank you all. I shall feel the base for screws and if not take to a local director