I'm so sorry!! I haven't been feeling well but this is one of my latest faves!! So I have a friend, Deb Floros, who got me into this. She's a designer for quite a few places actually but big on Artbeads. She has her own YouTube channel and a repurposing "Found Jewelry" called Crimped. Check out some of her videos, you'll love her!! I've learned from Deb that if you cut the chain, you can make use of even 1/2 inch of it. If it's on string, cut it. I mean you have to connect the two ends when you first create a new one, right? And are you saving what it was strung on? I only saved the memory wire pieces and chain. Lots of chain. You won't hurt your beads, charms or gems doing this. You could do as i am and disassemble them as i rummage through the jars. I will take everything apart, charms here, beads sorted some such way over there, findings in that.