Trouble Opening Wwii Us Army Bulova 3-Piece Case

[rb0087]

Hi everyone, 

     While helping to clean out my late grandfather's house, I found a US army issued Bulova Type A-11 watch, with center hacking seconds (10AK/CSH), evidently issued in 1946 while he was an army doctor in Japan. It has a number of issues, but none of them seem insurmountable. The seconds hand had come off, the hands were rusty at the center, the crystal was yellow and difficult to see through, there is clearly some rust under the dial between the hour wheel, cannon pinion, and probably minute wheel, and the balance staff is broken. I'm only an amateur, but I have the tools and experience to fix these problems. 

     Unfortunately, despite my confidence that I could fix it, I've been stopped in my tracks by a frustrating problem - I can't get the movement out of the watch. The case is (I believe) a 3-piece case, which is made by the Star Watch Case Co., with a threaded stainless steel coin-edge back, and a matching coin-edge bezel. I took some quick photos with my phone, but they aren't great. I found an identical one on the internet here: http://www.mybulova.com/watches/1946-military-issue-7150, with better pictures than mine. I am fairly sure that the bezel is pressed on, but I can't for the life of me get it off. There is no notch to fit a case opening knife or anything. I've tried my usual case opening knife, a razor blade, a pocket knife, etc, all to no avail. I even spent a while sharpening my cheap case opening knife to a good edge, but the only thing that I managed to open after that was my thumb when I slipped. I tried putting a little bit of penetrating lubricant along the edge, but that didn't help either. Does anyone have any good tips for getting this bezel off / movement removed? Is there any way to be sure that the bezel actually is pressed on?  

     I would appreciate any help. I would really like to fix this watch, but I'm close to giving up here. If anyone would like to see photographs of any details, I'll try to do that.

 

Thanks!

[Irishcain]

I had a similar problem with a rusted caseback. Couldn't figure out how to get it to open. In the end, I superglued a nut to the back, let the glue dry, and used a wrench to open it. Worked like a charm. The glue was removed from the caseback later by letting it sit in acetone overnight.

[Geo]

I certainly would have tried using fine blades to start with. But for really stubborn snap on bezels and backs I use one of these:- https://www.cousinsuk.com/product/bench-top-case-openers?code=C19024

Looking at the knurled edge of the bezel, is there a possibility that the bezel screws on? I wouldn't have thought so myself, but you never know.

[rb0087]

Interesting idea, Irishcain. I can't think of how I'd use it on the bezel, but I'll definitely keep that in mind the next time I have a caseback that won't come off. 

 

Thanks for the tip on the tool, Geo. I think I'll look around and see if I can source one of those in the US. I found a promising looking tool made by Horotec earlier, but it is $315. It looks like Horotec also sells one that looks like the one you referenced for around $85. I also wondered whether the bezel could screw on. It seems unlikely to me, but I had the same thought. I tried a sticky ball twisting it earlier, but that couldn't get it to twist at all. 

[clockboy]

Looks like a screw back to me also does the front screw off.

[rb0087]

Victory at last! Thanks for the replies, everyone. It is a screwback case, but the front bezel is just pressed on. It fought me to the bitter end, but I finally got it. Geo's post on another thread (http://www.watchrepairtalk.com/topic/2138-open-tight-bezel-advice-needed) helped me a lot. I was starting with Stanley utility knife blades (which I was incorrectly referring to as razor blades). Once I went and got some single edged razor blades, with some gentle encouragement (read hitting the back of the blade with a screwdriver handle), I was able to get the razor in, and after working that around the edge, I was able to fit a Stanley blade in, and finally a caseback opening knife. It's worth noting that I took everything that I could off the movement before this (balance, train wheels, etc.), to minimize the chance that I would ruin it with the tapping on the razor blade. I still wouldn't recommend doing that to others.

 

When I finally opened it, there was some good news and bad news. The good news is that there is very little rust underneath the dial; it is mostly just surface rust on the canon pinion and hour wheel. The bad news is that the dial feet are broken off. It was probably my fault, too; I got the movement out onto a casing cushion, and then lifted the cushion to inspect, clumsily dropping the movement and dial to the ground in the process. Arg... the dangers of working while frustrated. 

[rb0087]

Ok, upon further inspection, after removing the bezel by pulling it off, and cleaning the case in my ultrasonic cleaner, it turns out that the bezel does indeed screw on. I have no idea how I was able to pry it off without destroying the threads, but it does actually screw back on now. I also don't know how you would have turned that stuck on brass bezel without destroying it in the process, but oh well. 

[Geo]

I'm glad you managed to remove the bezel, but I'm astounded that it came off that way when it was screwed on.

[rb0087]

By the way, I just finished fixing this watch, and I made a simple band with some Horween leather that I had lying around. It would have come with a green canvas strap, but I like the look of the leather. Anyway, I just thought that I'd share. Thanks again for the replies.

[GeoMontreal]

Hello,

 

Thank you for this posting. I had same issue with the bezel of identical Bulova A-11. I wasn’t sure reading the post if it was pressed on or screwed. I tried razor blade as mentioned, and saw it was screwed. I finally succeed to unscrew the bezel using a method I saw for pocket watch using a glue gun and an old cap. I was a little bit afraid to make a complete disaster, but finally it worked, and I was able to remove the glue without any damage either to the bezel and the glass (made of plastic). For people interested I found a website describing the two Bulova model  : https://mybulova.com/vintage-bulova-catalogs (see section 1945 Navigation watch (Hack) type A-11

The model with ‘coin edged’ back case and bezel is described as ‘Three piece case’ and required bezel to be removed to get the movement out of the case. So I was wondering what tool  should be normally used to unscrew this bezel ?