[Morsul the Dark]

He also had the palantir do not forget and this would give him imformation and of course corrupt him slightly

I do hoowever have another theory elven smiths are a bit magical perhaps they fixed the chain while it was still upon the ring...highly doubtful but noone needed hold it if this were the case...or as movie gandalf did theyd hold it with those...(forgot the word) tongs! thats it they may have held it with tongs..