Hampden vintage pallet fork

[MechanicMike]

Hi all-is there a name for the crescent shape of this fork and its purpose? Vague memory of seeing one like this but can't find where I had seen it.

Thank ya

MM

[KarlvonKoln]

That's interesting. Any idea of the year on that?  I wonder if it's more than decorative.

[MechanicMike]

4 hours ago, KarlvonKoln said:

That's interesting. Any idea of the year on that?  I wonder if it's more than decorative.

1898 grade 2 nickel case with brass movement. 

[watchweasol]

There is a possibility that its to do with the balance and poise of the pallet, as well as being decorative.

[praezis]

38 minutes ago, watchweasol said:

There is a possibility that its to do with the balance and poise of the pallet, as well as being decorative.

Poise is correct 
We can find many similar shaped pallets from that era, also called "moustache" pallet.

But soon they found that the so increased inertia is much worse than some imbalance and these moustaches disappeared.

Frank

[KarlvonKoln]

Thank you Praezis.  That had me a bit stumped.  I have an 1888 Hampden, size 6s, and I was really sure I would have noticed a crescent-shaped projection like that on the lever.  But I got to second guessing and was ready to go peek.  This is what I love about this forum: odds are pretty good that someone on here knows something obscure that I don't, and which I may take forever to find on the internet. So, "Mustache" levers sound like they were a bit of a flash-in-the-pan as it were.

Edited August 4, 2020 by KarlvonKoln
Typo

[MechanicMike]

5 hours ago, watchweasol said:

There is a possibility that its to do with the balance and poise of the pallet, as well as being decorative.

when I opened it up, I thought it looked cool.

[MechanicMike]

4 hours ago, praezis said:

Poise is correct 
We can find many similar shaped pallets from that era, also called "moustache" pallet.

But soon they found that the so increased inertia is much worse than some imbalance and these moustaches disappeared.

Frank

moustache pallet. huh. I like that! 

[MechanicMike]

2 hours ago, KarlvonKoln said:

Thank you Praezis.  That had me a bit stumped.  I have an 1888 Hampden, size 6s, and I was really sure I would have noticed a crescent-shaped projection like that on the lever.  But I got to second guessing and was ready to go peek.  This is what I love about this forum: odds are pretty good that someone on here knows something obscure that I don't, and which I may take forever to find on the internet. So, "Mustache" levers sound like they were a bit of a flash-in-the-pan as it were.

first one I've ever seen in my short time doing this. only other one was in a book somewhere and I'm still searching for it. it is pretty cool though but I can tell you, it makes for an adventure in re-assembly and timing. it bumps into and catches EVERYTHING! 

[KarlvonKoln]

I just checked my own Hampden and, I was right, no mustache lever.  I'm rather glad it doesn't have one now.

As poise goes, I think I like the counterbalanced pseudo-English lever that my old Longines uses.

[MechanicMike]

7 minutes ago, KarlvonKoln said:

I just checked my own Hampden and, I was right, no mustache lever.  I'm rather glad it doesn't have one now.

As poise goes, I think I like the counterbalanced pseudo-English lever that my old Longines uses.

agreed!

 

9 minutes ago, KarlvonKoln said:

I just checked my own Hampden and, I was right, no mustache lever.  I'm rather glad it doesn't have one now.

As poise goes, I think I like the counterbalanced pseudo-English lever that my old Longines uses.

the one with the moustache was a 16s BTW

[KarlvonKoln]

Bumping this post because I am going to add a picture in a while.  While I'd never seen a "moustache lever" before, I just KNEW I'd worked on some form of movement a few years back that had a counterpoised pallet fork before. So this post was in the back of my mind.
Boy does my memory suck sometimes; the watch with the counterpoised pallet fork is my own old Elgin.  It just has a basic, round counterweight projecting out over the forks.  Not cut like a crescent as in the Hampden.  But I do recall it took a bit of finagling to get it back in place after cleaning.  I was poking about online and saw a lot of different varieties of counterpoised pallet forks, some even with decorative crossed hammers or crossed spears.

(That's a tough thing to get a good photograph of; I didn't want to pull it out if I didn't have to though, since it's tricky going in as well as out.  If you know what to look for, you'll see the little dark disc-like projection.)

Edited November 27, 2020 by KarlvonKoln
Edited to add photo.

[MechanicMike]

yep I see it. don't dare pull anything apart for the sake of a picture! I'm just now putting the Hampden all back together, as it had been quite some time finding parts, postal delays, people quarantining, etc etc and now I've run into balance staff problems(see latest post).

funny thing-putting in the moustache seemed to be easier this time around and I didn't get it caught on the rug, curtains or kitchen sink once.  

[KarlvonKoln]

2 hours ago, MechanicMike said:

yep I see it. don't dare pull anything apart for the sake of a picture! I'm just now putting the Hampden all back together, as it had been quite some time finding parts, postal delays, people quarantining, etc etc and now I've run into balance staff problems(see latest post).

funny thing-putting in the moustache seemed to be easier this time around and I didn't get it caught on the rug, curtains or kitchen sink once.  

Yeah, I saw the post about the balance staff behaving like it's too short.  On the surface, it does sound like cutting a new staff is in the future.  Rotten turn of luck there.  I do wish you luck on that balance; here's hoping it turns out perfect.
And I have to say, without the prongs of a "moustache" to snag on things, a round counterpoise is probably easier to deal with.  But even still, it's just *one more thing* to bump against other parts on the way back in.  And I was tired.  And the Elgin is running well, so I didn't want to start from scratch with that.  But I have to say, there is something indescribably *different* about the  sound of the Elgin's  ticking, compared to all my other old pocket watches.  It sounds more...definite somehow.  Just different.  You'd have to hear it.  It's hard to put your finger on.