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Filthy Watches

chadders1966
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chadders1966 WRT Addict

chadders1966

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OK - hopefully text will appear this time.

 

Title says it all really! I received a few Russian watches yesterday, bought at a good price so I can learn more about them. However nearly all of them are disgustingly dirty, they look like they should be thown in an industrial washing machine and left for a few hours.

I picked one to have a look at, and spent a good while cleaning the crud off the outside so as not to get dirt in - I needn't have bothered, the inside was nearly as bad. I feel like I should take off the dial and hands and leave the whole lot, case and movement, soaking in something. Whatever I clean it with is going to be heavily contaminated and no use for anything else. I have a jar of used watch cleaner, but I don't know if it has any strength left in it. I think bleach and a scrubbing brush may work best ;).

So what is your favourite/preferred method of dealing with horrible dirt? Any special soaks you use? How do you get the ingrained dirt out? What I'd like is something I could just leave it in overninght and it be clean by morning :). Any views/advice welcome. Thanks

 

Stephen

 

PS I am not talking about rust or contamination here, just various kinds of muck.

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Gotwatch WRT Addict

Gotwatch

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Hi Stephen, I can highly recommend this stuff http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CLOCK-CLEANING-CONCENTRATE-NO-1-250MLS-/250475705782?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3a5183f5b6dilute as recommended and use it in an ultrasonic bath at 50 centigrade.

That looks like a real good option that Geo offered.

 

I use L&R cleaners and rinses and they will be about 100$ US for both as they are only per the gallon. You might want to do a Google search for home brew cleaning mixes. They are out there.

 

DO NOT MIX BLEACH WITH AMMONIA. The gas is poison.

 

Off to the cot. It's midnight here. Good night.

Edited by Gotwatch
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chadders1966 WRT Addict

chadders1966

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Gotwatch I also use L&R cleaner and rinse, but I don't want to spoil them by putting such dirty objects in them ;). I tend to be pretty careful with chemicals and was just kidding about the bleach, but thanks for the warning anyway, you never know what people might try!

Geo that's an interesting product, probably the sort of thing I was thinking of, but I thought it best to avoid water if possible on watch parts. I suppose it would be OK if you made sure you dried everything quickly?

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Geo Distinguished Member

Geo

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Geo that's an interesting product, probably the sort of thing I was thinking of, but I thought it best to avoid water if possible on watch parts. I suppose it would be OK if you made sure you dried everything quickly?

For really oily stuff I use lighter fuel before using Priory Polish cleaner. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CLOCK-CLEANING-CONCENTRATE-NO-1-250MLS-/250475705782?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3a5183f5b6 I started using this stuff a few months ago and the results are excellent. Brass and plated movements come up like new. I rinse with hot water, then blow off the excess before dropping them in isopropyl alcohol for the final rinse to make sure all the water is gone. I then dry off th alcohol with a blower.

Have a look at the pictures in this thread, as this is how this one was cleaned.

http://www.watchrepairtalk.com/topic/1538-1913-silver-trench-watch/?hl=%2B1913+%2Btrench+%2Bwatch

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ro63rto Distinguished Member

ro63rto

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I usually remove movement, let the case/bracelet soak in hot water to soften the gunk then go at it with an old electric sonic toothbrush laced with dove soap. Two passes with this is clean enough to go into ultrasonic bath for deep clean.

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Marc Distinguished Member

Marc

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When I change out the old solutions (L&R) in my Elma the old solutions go into a second set of jars. If ever I get a really dirty movement to work on it goes through a complete wash/rinse/second rinse/dry cycle using the old stuff before repeating in the new. The cleaner still seems to remove the dirt fairly well even when you can barely see through it.

For cases and bracelets I use Morrison's own brand general house hold cleaner 1:1 in the ultrasonic. It's pretty powerful stuff at that concentration so a 15 minute cycle is normally all that is needed for even the heaviest wrist cheese deposits. It's cheap too. Then just a rinse in very hot water.

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  • 5 weeks later...
Bill3 Watch Enthusiast

Bill3

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I have learned a lot from reading this post about watch cleaning. I wanted to obtain some of the Priory Polish cleaner mentioned in Geo's post, but it cannot be shipped to the U.S. Is there an equivalent found here on this side of the pond?

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SakibekovRuslanAktauKZ Member

SakibekovRuslanAktauKZ

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Good day.
I'm only an Amateur and repair is my hobby. Cleanse clockworks white gas ( lighter fluid ). But if the mechanisms are many, the best solution:http://www.watchrepairtalk.com/page/watch_repair_videos.html/_/watch-movement-servicing-stripdowns/how-to-clean-watch-parts-and-what-solutions-to-use-r18
it is not oil,using brushes, sticks. 
With Respect.

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Len New Member

Len

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I can remember reading about a time in the past (during WW2?) when there was a shortage of watchmakers and a backlog of jobs to clean watches. This situation led to the solution of offering customers what they called a "Short Cleaning".

A Short Cleaning, was to soak a watch movement in white gas (also known as naphtha) allowing it to air dry, then lubricating it.

I don't know how they took care of the mainspring.

Of course, safety precautions, such as good ventilation, would be a must.

I would imagine the customer would be charged less for such a service, since the story said it was "offered" in lieu of a normal cleaning.

So, I would imagine this method would work well for a preliminary cleaning of filthy watches, before a proper cleaning is done.

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anilv Distinguished Member

anilv

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This is how a watch was typically serviced in the 70s/80s in Malaysia.

 

After removing the hands and dial. the mainspring would be wound and off it went into a jar of lighter fluid...with the wheels spinning crazily. I cannot particularly remember this but knowing what I know now, the balance and pallet fork would need to be removed for this to happen.

 

A second wash similarly with cleaner fluid and a piece of cotton was used to 'wick' any fluid in the jewel holes. I cant remember any pegwood being used but this would have been quite uninteresting for a boy of 8-10 and it may be possible it simply did not register at the time!! The jewels were oiled and everything put back together.

 

Total time actually handling the watches was only about 15 minutes (not counting time in the cleaning solution) and you could have your watch back within half an hour.. good for another year. No regulation ... nothing..and staying at this shop for weeks at a time (school holidays) I did not see anyone coming back with complaints.

 

In the early days it was common to see watch-repair desks in the walkways outside the shops in the town (not watch shops mind). There used to be one in front of a shop belonging to a relative of mine and I used to spend time watching him do his stuff.

 

Anil

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Geo Distinguished Member

Geo

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That's interesting Anil, and it certainly explains what a friend said to me about getting a "great cheap watch service" years ago when on holiday. I used to argue with them that you couldn't possibly service a watch properly within an hour..........now I know.

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