Jump to content

1905 Elgin grade #241


Recommended Posts

Finally, see below the fifth of five watches my brother sent me to be serviced. As usual, the details first:
Elgin Hunter = Grade 241, Model 6, Class 33.  (<<< Thanks guys for the tips on the correct grade)
- Circa 1905, Size 16s, Jewels 17, adjusted.
- Crown wind-crown set, 3-finger straight bridge.
- Breguet hairspeing compensating balance, Moseley regulator, counterpoised anchor lever.
- Straight-line escapement, quick train, going barrel.
- Nickel-finish movement with damaskeening, gold jewel settings.
- Fahys Montauk gold-filled case guaranteed 20 years.
- Movement serial #11709941
The pics below are mostly what my brother sent. I have not cleaned it yet or begun repairs. I am waiting for parts. I can tell that it will be a beauty again when done. It's an extremely nice watch. The Montauk case is likely at least 14k gold-filled.
But the real beauty is inside. Mirror polished parts. Damaskeened nickel-finish parts. Gold plated gear train. Solid gold bearing seats for the rubies. Mosely micrometric regulator on the balance index. And a mirror-polished counterpoised lever. This is about as far away from a Yankee Dollar Watch as San Francisco is from Bangor. I was feeling quite privileged as I opened the cuvette for initial inspection...until I smelled it:

More Cosmoline.

*sigh* Okay, I have already ranted about Cosmoline in the earlier post where I encountered the Gott verdammt stuff inside the Elgin #92. So I won't rant more about it here. But cleaning will be a chore again. I thought I was done with that stuff.  Oh well, like before with the #92, the fork gets cleaned separately, due to the shellac.  The balance is broken and being replaced, so the new one gets a separate cleaning, but all other parts get alcohol and/or acetone.  Naphtha seems to take too long on Cosmoline for some reason.
Pic 1 - Face is filthy, case needs polishing
Pic 2 - Movement is just spectacular to look at.  I never get tired of seeing this kind of thing.
Pic 3 - The coating of Cosmoline is thinner back here, but in the right light you can see a goldish cast to the parts.
Pic 4 - Under the dial it was crammed full of Cosmoline.
Pic 5 - Even the protective band arount the movement was doused with that sticky stuff.
Pic 6 - Moseley micrometric regulator!  I like these even better than the Illinois whipspring & screw type.
Pic 7 - And a mirror polished counterpoised anchor lever into the bargain.

131096655_226000135570825_4592440389083754952_n.jpg

130803442_2706089909640642_8772794375672802591_n.jpg

20210103_143920.jpg

20210103_141551.jpg

20210103_141755.jpg

20210103_164950.jpg

20210103_165711.jpg

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, Poljot said:

This is a good candidate for side-by-side photos Before and After cleaning ?

Good luck!

It is at that.  I will have to whip some up when it's done.
Addition: and I really need to get a better picture of the escape lever when it's clean.  It's kinda pretty.

Edited by KarlvonKoln
added info.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is how much I love my brother:

Removing Cosmoline from a pocket watch is no joke.  The alcohol softens it up well enough, but even agitation does not lift it from the metallic surface.  One must take pegwood and swipe the stuff along a coated surface until you form a clump and then scoop it off.  Wipe the clump off on a lint-free cloth.  Repeat as necessary.  For each individual, separate part and piece and screw and wheel and so on.  I thought Chuck's Elgin grade 92 was bad.  This 241, on the dial side and deep within the bridges and along the baseplate, was painful to see.  There was so much, hiding in every little dark region.  And it was a daunting task to face.  My brother fell in love with this Elgin, and he turned to me, so I can't mess this up.  (Which, given the Cosmoline, broken balance, somewhat worn parts in the keyless works that will need attention, and at least one stripped screw hole, may mean I literally cannot mess this up worse than it was in the beginning.)
I have been soldiering on, by using the strategy of sharpening the wood to a tiny screwdriver shape. And then just scraping and scooping as I go.  Soaking in alcohol once more overnight.  Swirling it when I get home from work. Scraping and scooping some more.  I've about finished every piece, and am most of the way done with the baseplate now.  At the end I'm going to peg all the holes.  Am I wrong to want to hurt the fellow who did this?  I'm used to being the most pacifistic fellow people know, but this kind of pressed my buttons.  It's heartbreaking.  I gave my word I would clean it, and I will.  You'll be able to eat off of it.  But I'm having no fun with this part of the overall process.  I find I'm getting quite grouchy.
A question to any of you folks who've cleaned many watches, and/or the toughest watches to clean: aside from an ultrasonic cleaner which I cannot afford yet, do any of you have any tips for a situation like this?
Heaven forbid I ever encounter such a slimed movement again.  Hopefully by then, I will have bought an ultrasonic cleaner, which hopefully will tackle such things in a way that agitation alone cannot.

Edited by KarlvonKoln
Link to comment
Share on other sites

IT'S CLEAN!  Oh thank the maker.  Okay, I'm saving up for an ultrasonic cleaner.  That was brutal. 
Now I'm working on getting the replacement balance-complete all set up.  Once that's in, and in beat, I'm going to check the tracking on the crystals I ordered.  Then we'll have a nice, happy Elgin.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.



  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Topics

  • Posts

    • I missed this earlier. The dial isn't going into the holder, it should sit proud of it. This is what I am currently using which I print for each different movement.    
    • I didn't think pulling to set position would work harden the spring, in that position it is stressed where the arm starts. By work hardening i meant rapid polishing at that point, a bit like polishing a pivot work hardens as it compresses the steel. I doubt polishing by hand would achieve much in that respect though. Its finished, arm polished up mostly at the join to the bridge's main body. I'm ok with it, the screw holes aren't great as i had to open them up by redrilling and positioning it was difficult, I'm not much use with a loupe, opening up with a file might be a better option for me or i could just use the correct drill size 😅. And the detent is way too deep, i had to guess that with the stem release out of position and sat on top, but i only took one measure and went for it, no slowly slowly catch your monkey 😅. First go I'm happy , well sort of, it works and thats a big thing for me, next one will have a bit more finesse.  Anyone thats interested, after filing, i used a 2000 grade home made diamond  micro file and then 20 micron film, the film is much better than wet and dry, more stable to use and doesn't shed cheap grade grit everywhere , then auto polish on a sponge pad.
    • I'm assuming that every time you set the watch you are work hardening the detent spring, maximum hardening is  where it meets the plate due to maximum deflection.   That's why it snaps there.  The Young's modulus may be the same but after it's reached its maximum yeid strength it breaks.  My mechanic engineering is very rusty, correct me if I'm wrong. 
    • Ah ok yes that makes sense to polish it where the arm starts to form from the body of the bridge, i thought you meant the underneath of all the arm.
    • this is something I've never quite understood about the some of the Swiss companies. In 1957 Omega was using 9010 for the keyless parts with epilam. there's been a slow migration towards using heavier lubrication's but still typically oils and epilam to keep them in place. When it seems like 9504 works so much better.  
×
×
  • Create New...