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seiko secret?

gary17

By gary17
in Watch Repairs Help & Advice

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gary17 Super WRT Addict

gary17

Posted
Posted

Hey

Is there a special way of taking the back of a seiko watch.

I am trying to get the back of a seiko kinetic divers 200m watch and it wont budge.

The crown seems solid as well it wont move either.

I have tried turning the back left and right, it wont move i have oiled the area and left it over night and it still wont move..

I don,t want to heat it up if possible.

I have just tried getting the back of another seiko and that wont move either?

Anyone had this problem before?

And they are both screw back watches.

cheers

gary

AndyHull Distinguished Member

AndyHull

Posted
Posted
22 minutes ago, gary17 said:

Hey

Is there a special way of taking the back of a seiko watch.

I am trying to get the back of a seiko kinetic divers 200m watch and it wont budge.

The crown seems solid as well it wont move either.

I have tried turning the back left and right, it wont move i have oiled the area and left it over night and it still wont move..

I don,t want to heat it up if possible.

I have just tried getting the back of another seiko and that wont move either?

Anyone had this problem before?

And they are both screw back watches.

cheers

gary

Pictures.. my metric calibrated eye only works with pictures. Oh.. and what is the model number of the watch?

  • Like 1
AndyHull Distinguished Member

AndyHull

Posted
Posted (edited)

Even without seeing the watch, is it a screw on back?

If so.. don't tell anybody I told you to do this, and don't blame me if it all goes horribly wrong, but my go to trick for screw on case backs that wont budge is to superglue a large metric nut (imperial would do, assuming you have a matching spanner or wrench) on to the back, carefully centered, wait for the glue to set (about one coffee break's worth of wait should do it), then place the watch in my vice, with lots of cloth and cardboard to protect it from the jaws, and... turn the nut with a suitable (or in some cases unsuitable, your choice) spanner or wrench.

I haven't met one yet that didn't yield.

However, all that being said, there is a chance that the back of your watch might not come off at all, as some  watches are designed to allow the movement to be extracted from the front, hence the need for pictures, so we can figure out if it is a "front loader".

Oh.. and removing the nut can be done with acetone, or more usually a carefully arranged tap with the edge of my case back opening knife on the interface between the nut and the case back, being extra careful not to mar the case back in the process. Any excess superglue is then removed with nail polish remover (acetone).
 

Edited by AndyHull
AndyHull Distinguished Member

AndyHull

Posted
Posted

I have encountered one or two watches that appeared to have screw on case backs that were either prize off types or just there for decoration, and designed to confuse the unwary traveler.

DavidMasters Watch Enthusiast

DavidMasters

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, gary17 said:

Hey

Is there a special way of taking the back of a seiko watch.

I am trying to get the back of a seiko kinetic divers 200m watch and it wont budge.

The crown seems solid as well it wont move either.

I have tried turning the back left and right, it wont move i have oiled the area and left it over night and it still wont move..

I don,t want to heat it up if possible.

I have just tried getting the back of another seiko and that wont move either?

Anyone had this problem before?

And they are both screw back watches.

cheers

gary

Are you using a watch case tool to remove the back? Trying to remove a case back by pushing on one slot may cause it to bind elsewhere and it is difficult to remove. I would NOT heat it. Don't try that. You may try a pair of needle-nose pliers opened to match two slots and try twisting it open but be careful.

DavidMasters Watch Enthusiast

DavidMasters

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, AndyHull said:

Even without seeing the watch, is it a screw on back?

If so.. don't tell anybody I told you to do this, and don't blame me if it all goes horribly wrong, but my go to trick for screw on case backs that wont budge is to superglue a large metric nut (imperial would do, assuming you have a matching spanner or wrench) on to the back, carefully centered, wait for the glue to set (about one coffee break's worth of wait should do it), then place the watch in my vice, with lots of cloth and cardboard to protect it from the jaws, and... turn the nut with a suitable (or in some cases unsuitable, your choice) spanner or wrench.

I haven't met one yet that didn't yield.

However, all that being said, there is a chance that the back of your watch might not come off at all, as some  watches are designed to allow the movement to be extracted from the front, hence the need for pictures, so we can figure out if it is a "front loader".

Oh.. and removing the nut can be done with acetone, or more usually a carefully arranged tap with the edge of my case back opening knife on the interface between the nut and the case back, being extra careful not to mar the case back in the process. Any excess superglue is then removed with nail polish remover (acetone).
 

An old pawnshop Rolex trick. I use to glue a flat butter knife or a nail file to the backs of Rolex's and it worked great. Drop the back into acetone and you're set.

yankeedog Distinguished Member

yankeedog

Posted
Posted

Lefty loosey righty  tighty  as far as I know. It will  come off.perhaps a previous  owner put some sort of sealant  on the threads.or to might be corroded. "STAINLESS " steel  is still  steel. It will corrode.

jdm Distinguished Member

jdm

Posted
Posted
21 hours ago, gary17 said:

 

 

I am trying to get the back of a seiko kinetic divers 200m watch and it wont budge

 

Which tools are you using? For really tight caseback you need either a 5700Z bench opener, or a wooden case holder in a vice and a two handles Jaxa opener. Get either one and you will be fine. 

  • Like 1
jdm Distinguished Member

jdm

Posted
Posted
20 hours ago, AndyHull said:

I have encountered one or two watches that appeared to have screw on case backs that were either prize off types or just there for decoration, and designed to confuse the unwary traveler.

Not on Seiko Kinetics as the OP mentioned, which are. quality watches retailing $250 and more. 

AndyHull Distinguished Member

AndyHull

Posted
Posted
4 hours ago, jdm said:

Not on Seiko Kinetics as the OP mentioned, which are. quality watches retailing $250 and more. 

Indeed, perhaps I should have been clearer, the watches I referred to were not Seikos, but the fact remains that you should not assume things are as they appear.

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