Need some help on removing a bezel

[SpringMangler]

Working on this old Squale medium and it has a bidirectional bezel non-click bezel. 

I've been trying to work out for three days now how to remove it. Case knife doesn't work, nor does the 4 blade bezel opener that I have. I can't remove a bezel insert as it is made of paint and acrylic. I've tried from the outside and the inside of the bezel but no joy. I really need to get the bezel off as the case desperately needs a clean and the bezel wouldn't withstand the ultrasonic. 

I've now ordered some dental probes to see if it's possible to hook the spring from inside of the bezel, but fear the gap is so small I'm not going to be able to get in there.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Waggy]

I got a cheap one of these off eBay and it works a treat, and vastly reduces the risk of damage.

[SpringMangler]

12 minutes ago, Waggy said:

I got a cheap one of these off eBay and it works a treat, and vastly reduces the risk of damage.

I've got one and tried it. It looks as though the depth of the bezel mount is too shallow so it's not getting the lift.

[tomh207]

How about 1 or more single sided razor blades and gently tap them into the join with a small brass hammer?

 

Tom

[SpringMangler]

48 minutes ago, tomh207 said:

How about 1 or more single sided razor blades and gently tap them into the join with a small brass hammer?

 

Tom

I'll give it a go. I'm wondering if the bezel has been knocked out of round. 

[RichardHarris123]

Try soaking in hot water to expand it. If you're worried about the bezel don't submerge it. 

[tomh207]

1 hour ago, SpringMangler said:

I'll give it a go. I'm wondering if the bezel has been knocked out of round. 

Always possible and that would make things difficult but I would suspect if it was out of round it would also be difficult to use. If it still works as expected then I would think it’s true. I have had to use a similar technique for a watch that had the wrong caseback fitted, none of my conventional tools would work.

 

Tom

[SpringMangler]

Tried again and it's not budging. My wife is going to bring me a couple of dental probes from work tomorrow, so I'm going to see if I can attack it from the inside by manipulating the spring. 

If all else fails then it's staying on.

[tomh207]

Good luck!

 

Tom

[SpringMangler]

4 minutes ago, tomh207 said:

Good luck!

 

Tom

Thank Tom. I've actually got a blister on my palm from trying to tighten up the bezel tool. This thing is tighter than a duck's backside.

[RichardHarris123]

9 minutes ago, SpringMangler said:

Thank Tom. I've actually got a blister on my palm from trying to tighten up the bezel tool. This thing is tighter than a duck's backside.

I've never tested a duck's backside.  Hehe.  How many atmospheres? 

[RonGross]

Does the ring rotate freely? You might try soaking the entire thing overnight in wd-40 or some other very light lube/solvent. The spring ring could be frozen to the case and the solvent might break it free.  Use the 4 blade remover with the flat side towards the case as that is about as strong as it gets without simply prying (and bending) it off.  Hope it works.

[tomh207]

35 minutes ago, RichardHarris123 said:

I've never tested a duck's backside.  Hehe.  How many atmospheres? 

Pretty much the same as a camels arse in a sandstorm 

 

Tom

[Neverenoughwatches]

3 hours ago, SpringMangler said:

Tried again and it's not budging. My wife is going to bring me a couple of dental probes from work tomorrow, so I'm going to see if I can attack it from the inside by manipulating the spring. 

If all else fails then it's staying on.

I have a Smiths diver with a similar looking bezel. Inside locking the bezel to the case was a faceted spring that went most of the way around. Equally it was a bugger to remove, very tight. I used a single sided razor just to get a start and then worked my way around with a sharp case knife. I remember getting half way around before it popped off. Tbh I kind of wish i hadn't tried so hard as the spring did suffer some slight damage at one end. It now doesn't seem to lock on so tight and has slight side shake .

[SpringMangler]

Thanks all for the advice. It does rotate freely, and quite smoothly.

8 hours ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

I have a Smiths diver with a similar looking bezel. Inside locking the bezel to the case was a faceted spring that went most of the way around. Equally it was a bugger to remove, very tight. I used a single sided razor just to get a start and then worked my way around with a sharp case knife. I remember getting half way around before it popped off. Tbh I kind of wish i hadn't tried so hard as the spring did suffer some slight damage at one end. It now doesn't seem to lock on so tight and has slight side shake .

I don't want to damage either the bezel or the spring. I'll give it one more go today and if it's still giving grief then it's staying on. 

[Neverenoughwatches]

1 hour ago, SpringMangler said:

Thanks all for the advice. It does rotate freely, and quite smoothly.

I don't want to damage either the bezel or the spring. I'll give it one more go today and if it's still giving grief then it's staying on. 

The next one i do if it doesn't come off with little more than a modicum of effort i will be leaving it well alone. I would rather spend more time cleaning around and in between it than risking damage.  A lot of old inserts are plastic and could well crack if the bezel is twisted when attempting to remove. This watch harbors my biggest newbie mistake, when trying to dry the watch from a US clean with a hairdryer . I melted the crystal and partially the bezel insert, i was totally gutted. Undamaged this 60s vintage diver was worth around £500, it still lays dormant waiting for another insert 

[SpringMangler]

39 minutes ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

The next one i do if it doesn't come off with little more than a modicum of effort i will be leaving it well alone. I would rather spend more time cleaning around and in between it than risking damage.  A lot of old inserts are plastic and could well crack if the bezel is twisted when attempting to remove. This watch harbors my biggest newbie mistake, when trying to dry the watch from a US clean with a hairdryer . I melted the crystal and partially the bezel insert, i was totally gutted. Undamaged this 60s vintage diver was worth around £500, it still lays dormant waiting for another insert 

This is probably worth not a lot less so don't watch to mess it up. The bezel has steel inserts, painted with enamel then filled with acrylic. It's not in great condition but looks its age and more importantly works.

I feel your pain on what happened. I'd just finished putting an Eternamatic movement together, went to put it on the timegrapher face up without a movement holder (yep, I know).  Next thing it slipped in the timegrapher holder which went straight into the balance and bent the pivots. You've never seen a swear jar fill quicker.