Proper way to clean a watch

[LittleWatchShop]

For me, eBay is a great source of knowledge.

[gbyleveldt]

Holy hell. He just finished putting up a steel shed, now he's gonna fix his watch. Legend!

[HectorLooi]

You should watch this video. He'll show you the proper way to use the abovementioned tool.

@LittleWatchShop, if you think you are a cowboy, what would you call him?

[LittleWatchShop]

25 minutes ago, HectorLooi said:

You should watch this video. He'll show you the proper way to use the abovementioned tool.

WOW!! But he saved money on those expensive Bergeon movement holders!!

[Neverenoughwatches]

1 hour ago, HectorLooi said:

You should watch this video. He'll show you the proper way to use the abovementioned tool.

@LittleWatchShop, if you think you are a cowboy, what would you call him?

Oh my ffing god !!!  I threw up and then fainted. And when i woke up two paramedics were stood over me packing away a defibrillator . 

[gbyleveldt]

8 minutes ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

Oh my ffing god !!!  I threw up and then fainted. And when i woke up two paramedics were stood over me packing away a defibrillator . 

It’s like driving past a car crash. You know you shouldn’t look but you just can’t help yourself

[Neverenoughwatches]

12 minutes ago, gbyleveldt said:

It’s like driving past a car crash. You know you shouldn’t look but you just can’t help yourself

It was the click and clack coming from the movement everytime he had a tool in there . I wonder if it was a sentimental piece that his grandfather left him .  

[gbyleveldt]

8 minutes ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

It was the click and clack coming from the movement everytime he had a tool in there . I wonder if it was a sentimental piece that his grandfather left him .  

Heh, far be it for me to criticize someone else’s work based on his lack of fancy tools - I mean clearly it’s not his first time taking a movement apart. But would you be comfortable trusting anyone taking your car’s engine apart with pump pliers under the shade of a tree? Maybe we’re just not experienced enough to be so cavalier, but I was cringing through most of that.

[oldhippy]

He should clean his filthy hands first. Dirty bugger what a bloody cowboy  I wouldn't trust him with anything. 

[Neverenoughwatches]

4 minutes ago, gbyleveldt said:

Heh, far be it for me to criticize someone else’s work based on his lack of fancy tools - I mean clearly it’s not his first time taking a movement apart. But would you be comfortable trusting anyone taking your car’s engine apart with pump pliers under the shade of a tree? Maybe we’re just not experienced enough to be so cavalier, but I was cringing through most of that.

He definitely knew what he was doing, problem is did he care how he was doing it. My missus helped me get to my feet and sat me down with a cuppa, I'm starting to feel a little bit better now.

[HectorLooi]

I have real respect for guys like him. He's hitting way above his weight class.

Working with limited resources and training, yet he manages to deliver.

You should watch him repairing a 2000W Peavey amplifier. 

 

 

[oldhippy]

People like him should never be aloud near a watch. This is a good example why there is so much wrong with Youtube. Watching this fool others will have a go and end up damaging watches. I have seen it with idiots and clocks.    

[HectorLooi]

1 hour ago, oldhippy said:

People like him should never be aloud near a watch. This is a good example why there is so much wrong with Youtube. Watching this fool others will have a go and end up damaging watches. I have seen it with idiots and clocks.    

I guess you must have rescued a fair number of butchered clock to harbour such sentiments. Thank goodness I come from a regulated profession where we don't have idiots trying to fix their own teeth.

But I have seen a few patients who had dental work done overseas from countries offering cheaper treatment fees. I've also seen some of my young patients with dental work done under NHS while they were studying in the UK. So I can empathize with you.

But to be fair, I think the cases you've seen were pre-YouTube. I believe YouTube has reduced the number of butchered clocks and watches.

I might be wrong but what do other members think?

[oldhippy]

Next time when I see some fool pulling out a clock mainspring from its barrel with a pair of pliers I'll think of you pulling teeth. 

Edited July 2, 2022 by oldhippy

[VWatchie]

35 minutes ago, HectorLooi said:

I believe YouTube has reduced the number of butchered clocks and watches.

I might be wrong but what do other members think?

I think you could be right about that. Most people will research before diving into what is perceived to be complicated matters. When they see how much work and complexity there is in servicing a watch properly they will refrain from it as long as they're sane.

I'm obviously not sane.

[LittleWatchShop]

44 minutes ago, HectorLooi said:

NHS

What is NHS?

[oldhippy]

National Health Service

[Kalanag]

1 hour ago, HectorLooi said:

…But to be fair, I think the cases you've seen were pre-YouTube. I believe YouTube has reduced the number of butchered clocks and watches.

I might be wrong but what do other members think?

That‘s exactly what I think too.

In my view there are „How To“ and hidden „How not to“ videos on Youtube. People with a basic technical understanding will learn to do it right from both just seeing the difference.

Edited July 2, 2022 by Kalanag

[nickelsilver]

1 hour ago, HectorLooi said:

But to be fair, I think the cases you've seen were pre-YouTube. I believe YouTube has reduced the number of butchered clocks and watches.

I might be wrong but what do other members think?

I don't think so. Prior to the explosion of folks (of vastly differing ability, but often generally being perceived as competent to expert) posting videos of watch repair I don't think it occurred to very many people- i.e. next to none- to try repairing watches. When I see some of the videos, which are very popular, and the horrifying "technique" and the ooohing and ahhhing in the comment sections, I think the average affordable vintage watch is at much greater risk now. Just the comment section of the above video is primarily folks who are utterly impressed and making comments about the outlandish cost of professional repair.

 

Then there's one YT channel, from pros who know what they're doing, that has half it's viewers believing that ultrasonics will hurt watch components. So...

 

I've seen plenty of clock repair vids too, also from "professionals" (but far from expert), showing absolute rubbish technique. But if it's Joe from Joe's TicTocShop and he learned it from his father, and the viewer is a rank amateur, it probably looks like a great idea to punch around holes and fill things up with soft solder and use transmission fluid in the barrel etc. etc. etc.

 

Probably going to sound like a grumpy old man here, but when I got into watchmaking I went to the library and read every book they had on it. Yes, DeCarle and Fried are a bit dated now (and were 25 years ago too), but when I finally made contact with some local watchmakers I could speak intelligently about different aspects and components, and I'm sure if I had been transported to 2022 to watch a bunch of the YT vids I would have a similar opinion as my future self. Also having read those books and yes, indeed, having worked on some flea market watches (with proper screwdrivers and tweezers, and they were also expensive then) I was way ahead in school when I made it there.

Edited July 2, 2022 by nickelsilver

[RichardHarris123]

11 minutes ago, nickelsilver said:

I don't think so. Prior to the explosion of folks (of vastly differing ability, but often generally being perceived as competent to expert) posting videos of watch repair I don't think it occurred to very many people- i.e. next to none- to try repairing watches. When I see some of the videos, which are very popular, and the horrifying "technique" and the ooohing and ahhhing in the comment sections, I think the average affordable vintage watch is at much greater risk now. Just the comment section of the above video is primarily folks who are utterly impressed and making comments about the outlandish cost of professional repair.

 

Then there's one YT channel, from pros who know what they're doing, that has half it's viewers believing that ultrasonics will hurt watch components. So...

 

I've seen plenty of clock repair vids too, also from "professionals" (but far from expert), showing absolute rubbish technique. But if it's Joe from Joe's TicTocShop and he learned it from his father, and the viewer is a rank amateur, it probably looks like a great idea to punch around holes and fill things up with soft solder and use transmission fluid in the barrel etc. etc. etc.

 

Probably going to sound like a grumpy old man here, but when I got into watchmaking I went to the library and read every book they had on it. Yes, DeCarle and Fried are a bit dated now (and were 25 years ago too), but when I finally made contact with some local watchmakers I could speak intelligently about different aspects and components, and I'm sure if I had been transported to 2022 to watch a bunch of the YT vids I would have a similar opinion as my future self. Also having read those books and yes, indeed, having worked on some flea market watches (with proper screwdrivers and tweezers, and they were also expensive then) I was way ahead in school when I made it there.

How many years of experience someone has is irrelevant if they have been doing it wrong for all of those years. 

[Neverenoughwatches]

7 hours ago, HectorLooi said:

I have real respect for guys like him. He's hitting way above his weight class.

Working with limited resources and training, yet he manages to deliver.

You should watch him repairing a 2000W Peavey amplifier. 

 

 

I sorta see what you are saying. But deliver what exactly ?

[LittleWatchShop]

7 hours ago, HectorLooi said:

You should watch him repairing a 2000W Peavey amplifier.

Impressive.  Not too fond of his method of desoldering, but it works...like you say...limited resources.

[VWatchie]

On 7/1/2022 at 6:55 PM, gbyleveldt said:

I mean clearly it’s not his first time taking a movement apart

Still, he tried to remove the centre wheel without having removed the cannon pinion. Maybe he thought he'd be lucky this time around, or maybe that was his way to assess whether the cannon pinion needed a bit of tightening or not (I'm sure he'd use his fingernails for that).

16 hours ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

I sorta see what you are saying. But deliver what exactly ?

A ticking watch. I remember years ago waiting in my seat to get off a plane in Asia while people were passing by in the aisle. Having nothing else to entertain myself with I noticed two things. Everyone was wearing and flaunting a wristwatch. None of them was on time (all were totally off without exception). Now I know which watchmaker they hired.

[Plato]

It was his watch too, he's wearing it in this video:

 

[RichardHarris123]

29 minutes ago, Plato said:

It was his watch too, he's wearing it in this video:

 

He's wearing gloves, obviously didn't want to get his hands dirty.  Hehe.