Hello new to everything.

[SonnyBurnett]

Hello, I'm from Ohio and I am very new to pocket watches.  I have collected them for years and always wanted to tinker on them but only until recently have I inherited some old tools.  lol I'm not sure what some are.  In my spare time I am a gunsmith and historian and have a couple of old Walthams who are great candidates for starting out in watch repair.  I am a beginner and any help on how to start is great.  I have over 50 books on repair on my computer and some others on my shelf.

 

Thanks all,  Sonny Burnett!

[watchweasol]

welcome to the forum Sonny as a gunsmith  watches should be an easy transition as you are used to working to fine tolerences. There are many menbers on here with great knowledge so you will never be alone on a project.  again welcome

[SonnyBurnett]

2 hours ago, watchweasol said:

welcome to the forum Sonny as a gunsmith  watches should be an easy transition as you are used to working to fine tolerences. There are many menbers on here with great knowledge so you will never be alone on a project.  again welcome

where can I post all of my tools to get an idea of what I have as opposed to what I need.

[clockboy]

Welcome Sony, Pocket watches are the best for beginners as the parts are more manageable. Post pics of the tools you have for ID. Enjoy the forum. 

[oldhippy]

Thank you for your introduction and welcome to this friendly forum.

[Johnnie]

Hi Sonny and welcome to the house of fun 

[SonnyBurnett]

7 hours ago, clockboy said:

Welcome Sony, Pocket watches are the best for beginners as the parts are more manageable. Post pics of the tools you have for ID. Enjoy the forum. 

Will do I have some out I'll dig them all out.  some are loose some are sets.  I know I have oil pens and a bottle of oil. an almost complete box Invertor #18 K&D Watchmaker's Staking Punch Tool Set, 9 piece and 13 piece screw driver set, 2 sets of glasses with multiple lenses and an ammo can full or assorted stuff plus I think a jewelers lathe, but I doubt that is a beneficial tool for a beginner. 

[watchweasol]

Hi Sonny All the mentioned tools will at sometime be very handy to have as your skill level increases, the best thing to do is to go through the kit list and sort out those which suit your purpose at the moment, those will probably be the staking set, screwdrivers , loupes ( Eye glasses) tweezers usually more than one pair, There are numberd sets which cover most applications the Dumont ones being the best.  The lathe check over and service as it will come into play later on for polishing pivots etc.  As Clockboy said post pics on the site of the ones you are not sure of. There is a section under forums for doing just that  . 

[SonnyBurnett]

2 hours ago, watchweasol said:

Hi Sonny All the mentioned tools will at sometime be very handy to have as your skill level increases, the best thing to do is to go through the kit list and sort out those which suit your purpose at the moment, those will probably be the staking set, screwdrivers , loupes ( Eye glasses) tweezers usually more than one pair, There are numberd sets which cover most applications the Dumont ones being the best.  The lathe check over and service as it will come into play later on for polishing pivots etc.  As Clockboy said post pics on the site of the ones you are not sure of. There is a section under forums for doing just that  . 

Let me get everything out and I will post pics of everything.

[yankeedog]

Gun smithing and watch repair are not unalike.Both involve mechanisms whose principles you have to understand before you mess with them. Biggest difference? watches require less torque.

[SonnyBurnett]

1 hour ago, yankeedog said:

Gun smithing and watch repair are not unalike.Both involve mechanisms whose principles you have to understand before you mess with them. Biggest difference? watches require less torque.

I like that.

[SonnyBurnett]

Here's what I know I have that I didn't mention above.  I hand pressing tool and hand removal tool and a tour jacot lathe in the case somewhere.  inside of the case where this stuff is is a CD marked "55 books on how to repair adjust, clean vintage watches and wristwatches", a book if I remember right was 'the pock watch" restoration and repair or something. plus tweezers and other bits in the ammo crate.  I did find the ammo can of small stuff posting pics here soon.  some I know what it is others I dont.

[SonnyBurnett]

The flintlocks are my restorations (I'm a little proud ).  I think watches are far more challenging but I don't know as of yet because I am so new I don't even know what some of these tools are haha.  Pocket watches, their repair and restoration have always fascinated me.  I have a collection I love.  I just found a local guy who has been doing it for 40 years.  I took him a Waltham Crescent St. that I plan to give my dad for his anniversary and when I saw his shop it sparked me to want to start too.  Plus I have a Waltham or two that isn't going to be hurt by tinkering on them as they already don't work. 

[SonnyBurnett]

Also found a bottle of Anchor watch oil and Pegasus watch oil. 

[SonnyBurnett]

the list also says the crate has a C and e marshall poising tool.  not sure what that is.

[yankeedog]

Flint locks...oy...it's  hard to believe  so much was done with such a weapon..you are lucky  if they fire! So many things that  can go wrong.

[SonnyBurnett]

2 hours ago, yankeedog said:

Flint locks...oy...it's  hard to believe  so much was done with such a weapon..you are lucky  if they fire! So many things that  can go wrong.

That's actually not the case at all.  Flintlocks are no different than percussion rifles and muskets and other muzzle loaders, only the firing mechanism is different.  The worst to go wrong is the flash pan ignite and the rifle not fire or hang fire.  Other than that it's a pretty simple system that with care and maintenance will last a lifetime, as these two examples have.  The top being made at Harpers Ferry in 1811 and the bottom being made by Henry Derringer in 1841.  And yes they both fire and I compete with them.  I even take them to the friendship Indiana shoot each year.

[yankeedog]

As long as you don't get rained on I agree ! I can say one thing , they make you a better shot ! they enforce upon you a discipline not required by modern arms.You are wrong about one thing though, with care and maintenance they can last for several lifetimes !After all your harper's ferry is more than two centuries old! How many generations have passed since Andrew Jackson beat the British at New Orleans? While I certainly admire them ,and am aware that they were at their time the pinnacle of technology. I would not want to face an enemy with one,and while I would be willing to hunt with one I am not so certain in my abilities as to willingly forgo a quick second shot. I will give you this, You are preserving our history,things that should be remembered,You are putting into practice something that might otherwise be forgotten.This is why you fit in here.

[SonnyBurnett]

Okay I have found a few other things.  pallet and roller jewel setting tool, a pin replacement and hand tool and I went ahead and bought a hand puller and pressing tool.

all this stuff that I have, is there anything else a beginner needs?

[SonnyBurnett]

On 12/3/2019 at 9:03 AM, yankeedog said:

As long as you don't get rained on I agree ! I can say one thing , they make you a better shot ! they enforce upon you a discipline not required by modern arms.You are wrong about one thing though, with care and maintenance they can last for several lifetimes !After all your harper's ferry is more than two centuries old! How many generations have passed since Andrew Jackson beat the British at New Orleans? While I certainly admire them ,and am aware that they were at their time the pinnacle of technology. I would not want to face an enemy with one,and while I would be willing to hunt with one I am not so certain in my abilities as to willingly forgo a quick second shot. I will give you this, You are preserving our history,things that should be remembered,You are putting into practice something that might otherwise be forgotten.This is why you fit in here.

Why thank you, that's very kind.  As a beginner I have no clue what I'm doing yet.  that's where the wisdom of you guys come in lol.  I have a ton of stuff, I know what most is, just don't know how to use it properly.  I have some pics up of some of my stuff and will post more.  hope you guys can help me.

P.S. if you rub beeswax under the frizzen, the gun will fire every time in the rain, a little trick I learned from Daniel Boone's book and Simon Kenton's Journal. 

Edited December 5, 2019 by SonnyBurnett

[yankeedog]

Now I learned  something..and you have way more stuff  than a beginner  needs!

[SonnyBurnett]

51 minutes ago, yankeedog said:

Now I learned  something..and you have way more stuff  than a beginner  needs!

yep.  on the bottom of the frizzen and top of the flash pan, water is sealed out.

well can you explain to me some of the things I have?  I have way more stuff than posted so far.  I know what sleeve wrenches are but don't know how to use them plus a ton of other things.  Here is some stuff I dug out today.

[SonnyBurnett]

I have a ton more on top of this but the rest I know what it is except for a few tools in a box, not sure about.  I'll dig them out.  one I remember had a tag on it that said something like a pallet and roller jewel setting tool, it was brass.

all the tools being said.  can you tell me how to start out on pocket watch repair?  I want to learn how to do it.  I have several non working ones that would be great for starting out on.  they don't work and all came from the same estate so no harm no foul.

[nichod]

Welcome!

You're lucky to be so far from me.  Lathe, staking tools AND flintlocks.  I'd camp out at your place!

[SonnyBurnett]

1 hour ago, nichod said:

Welcome!

You're lucky to be so far from me.  Lathe, staking tools AND flintlocks.  I'd camp out at your place!

lol thanks, you're welcome to camp out.  can you and the others help this beginner with watch repair. I have an old candidate to start out on, a waltham.  and (this is the funny part) what some of these tools are for and when to use them?

I feel like such an idiot asking that.

 

Edited December 5, 2019 by SonnyBurnett