Jump to content

KIF 6-1 Shock spring - help needed


Recommended Posts

Shock spring KIF 6-1 has gone awal after coming loose when servicing Bulova Cal 5BD.  This is the smallest KIF Ultraflex (overall length is 1.60mm) and is indicated as obsolete at Cousins (my normal source), and no luck with web search.

Can anyone help with another supplier name or spare.

At least I now have a very clean workbench and floor :wacko:

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi, Re our PM's, I have attached a pic of the sizes for KIF springs which I have been using.  The smaller sizes you mention relate to the jewel chaton I think, hence the confusion.  I was unable to send pic by PM so have put it here.  It may also help others.

Kif-Springs.pdf

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Thanks to all who helped with this post.  Unfortunately none of the offered solutions were suitable for me.

I eventually ordered a pack of 5 Kif 3-2 (elastor) from Cousins as the Kif6-1 is no longer available and donor movements could not be found or were extremely expensive for just 1 tiny spring.  The Kif3-2 is only very slightly different in design and the overall length is 1.5mm cf 1.6mm (they are unbelievably tiny) but it fits and sits ok.

I did have some fun trying to get it to engage and managed to bend one out of shape, so having 4 spares turned out to fortunate.  I managed to fit using the method suggested by another forum member (cant find who! but thanks for the input), which was to fit the jewel and lay the spring in position on top and then push it into hinge part of the jewel holder. Easier said than done, I failed with tweezers and eventually managed with a 0.5mm screwdriver after about 1.5 hours of trying!!!

The balance seems to be swinging fine so I now need to re-clean and check all is well before final assembly.

Now having a few days winding down rest from this project and doing something a bit easier !!!

Edited by canthus
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites



  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Topics

  • Posts

    • The entry jewel's not as bad but seems still too much lock. I do epilame the escape wheel and pallet jewels, then run dry for about 15 minutes, then put 9415 in exit jewel very little at a time and check with backlight how the oil's distributed.  Another question is about capped escape wheels. Should I somehow wear the epilame off the pivots before installing the wheel? I normally let the escape wheel run dry for that said 15 minutes when there's no cap jewel.
    • Sometimes there's a certain place under the bezel where the case knife is supposed to be placed. In this borrowed pic there's a small crack at 3 o'clock. 
    • Hi my fellow forum addicts, I'm writing this as I seem to have a hole in my knowledge (probably one of many!) I seem to have a horrible time removing bezels from watches. I am talking about the rotating type on sports/diving watches. I see many videos where the guy on screen barely inserts the case knife under the bezel and with no effort it pops off easily, then at the end it clicks back into place by hand with no effort. I am sure that part of this is due to skillful video editing, but I seem to wrestle with them, I have tried case knives and  even when using the tool below, I tighten it up in several positions and nothing happens. On a many occasions I have even warped the bezel in my attempts to remove it. Similarly, I have issues replacing bezels after cleaning etc. and often they have to be replaced using a press tool and inevitably are far too tight and will not rotate or loose to the point where they fall off or loose their click (perhaps due to micro warping when I tried to remove??). It is now to the point where I am actually avoiding watches with bezels as my success rate with them is terrible......please help!! In short I am asking: What am I doing wrong? What is the best method for removing bezels - how do you do it? What is the best method for replacing bezels - how do you do it? Any tips or tricks? Thanks  
    • Amplitude still seems low, but I'm going to let it run in a bit and revisit. Meanwhile, got the first layer of the calendar works together and made sure the date ring snaps to both in quickset and regular setting. The mechanism is pretty cool, so I took a video.  
    • This is the part that need replaced if anyone can point me in the right direction. 
×
×
  • Create New...