Help Me! Beginner Here

[George2905]

To all whom may be able to help!

 

I am a beginner watch repairer, but I have hit a snag straight away! I am having real difficulty getting into screw watch backs basically.

 

I have the right tools, I'm not sure of the name so I will call it...a three prong watch back removal wrench...sounds right to me. I'm lining the sucker up, using the best fitting pegs and applying the best pressure plus anti clockwise movement I can but getting absolutely no where.

 

It literally just does not want to budge, I've scratched the back already :( I do have a watch back removal ball on the way but essentially I was wondering if I was missing some essential piece of advice in regards to using the aforementioned wrench.

 

Any advice would be much, much appreciated!

[Geo]

Welcome to the forum George, from George. :)

As you have found, some screw backs can be so tight you would think they had been welded on. The tool that you are using is fine for the majority of backs, but occasionally you come across one like yours. Before I purchased a heavy duty bench mounted back opener, I would take the strap off and hold the watch very carefully in a vice fitted with soft faced jaws. The lugs of the watch would dig into the soft jaw and give a really tight grip. I would then be able to press down really hard on the tool while unscrewing the back.

Read this thread:-

http://www.watchrepairtalk.com/topic/700-stuckwatch-back/?hl=glue

Edited January 22, 2015 by Geo

[George2905]

Hi George and thank you for getting back to me!

 

Yes I swear to the Almighty it feels like the back has been welded on! I do have a watch vice coming and I am going to purchase a table vice soon so hopefully I can use these to good effect! I was just wondering if there was anything I was missing thats all, such as offering it a sacrifice!

 

What sort of experience do you (and others) have with using the removal balls? Are they actually any good?

[Geo]

What sort of experience do you (and others) have with using the removal balls? Are they actually any good?

Oh I like my stick ball. I use it quite often to spin a back off or on when it has been slackened. I have also opened a couple of odd screw backs with it occasionally.

[George2905]

How are they with welded on screw backs?

[Geo]

How are they with welded on screw backs?

Not a chance!

[bobm12]

Hi George,

 

Welcome to the forum. I hope you can get the back of that watch off. I'm of the same mind as Geo, it is good advise.

 

Cheers,

 

Bob

[DrRock]

Just one point to chip in, from one beginner to another. I had one watch that had a back like that, and no matter what I tried, I could NOT unscrew it.

 

Then I looked at it VERY closely - and it turned out to be a snap-back, that just happened to have the little divots that LOOKED like a screw back. I even have one of those "crab claw" back removers, as well as the Jaxa-style remover that you describe. The crab claw only grips into two opposite divots, but can exert better leverage. I stopped short of (1) scratching the watch back, and (2) adding to my already more than adequate vocabulary!

 

It was only after I twigged that it was, in fact, a snap back, after spotting the tiniest of little "ledges" on it, that I used a Bergeon knife back opener to pry it open and it popped off as easy as pie...!

 

Luckily, nobody was around, but I still felt like an idiot!

 

--
Pete, Brisbane
============
 

[clockboy]

Welcome George, As Dr Rock says make sure it is actually a screw back. I came across one a few years ago it was a fake Raymond Weil watch. It was just a snap back made to look like a better quality watch.

 

There is lots of new & experienced guys on this forum so don,t be slow in coming forwards even with the most basic of questions. 

It,s a never ending but enjoyable learning curve.

Edited January 23, 2015 by clockboy

[DrRock]

I should perhaps have mentioned that the watch I was referring to with the back that looked like a screw back but was actually a snap back was indeed a fake. It was a fake Chopard. It actually looked terrific. But most definitely a fake.

 

--
Pete, Brisbane
============
 

[bobm12]

I've seen those fake screwback fakes too. Some old folexes have those. Wow, how much fake a watch can get! :)

[daz]

Hi George

I agree with Clockboy and Dr Rock

I have also come across these imitation casebacks ( I think Ruhla watches have them) just check the edge for a pry hole. There are also casebacks you will come across that will require a certain type of hexagonal wrench..

Darren

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[mlfloyd1]

The ball is an excellent tool.

One thing you might consider that worked for me is to use two cleats instead of three one directly opposite from the other. Definitely use a holder or you'll scratch up the case when the tool slips; worse yet you can cut your hand.

Always use the right tool for the job, if you don't have one, order it and be patient until it arrives.