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Valjoux 7734 stem removal help


easj369

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I've worked on watches where I couldn't get the stem removed before, so I just took them apart in the case till I could remove the stem.   That was my thinking when I started working on this watch but it's not working out.   I've put a drop of lighter fluid on the push release for the stem trying to help but no luck.   Any ideas on getting this stem out?  I can't even get it to pull out to set the time. 

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Edited by easj369
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Does the push release actually depress or is it frozen? If it's frozen then try to force it down, without punching it through the dial of course. If it does depress and the stem still doesn't come out, then you'll have to force the stem out.

I've had problems like this before, struggled for a while before resigning myself to force. It means you'll need to replace the stem and/or the detent, but if rust is causing the freeze you'll have to replace them anyway?

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12 minutes ago, Repivot said:

Does the push release actually depress or is it frozen? If it's frozen then try to force it down, without punching it through the dial of course. If it does depress and the stem still doesn't come out, then you'll have to force the stem out.

 

It does not depress at all. 

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