Jump to content

Tweezers sticking to small parts

levic900rr
 Share

Recommended Posts

levic900rr Member

levic900rr

Posted
Posted

Hi There, this is my first post here. I did some searching around and I apologize if this has already been covered and I was unable to uncover it 🙂 

As I said in my into, I've just gotten into the hobby and I have an ST36 movement I'm practicing on. One issue I keep running in to is my tweezers are sticking to the smallest parts. Stuff like the setting level spring screw and / or the pallet fork and pallet fork bridge screws. It doesn't seem to effect the larger stuff. I dont know how to tell if there is a static charge and Im getting some magnetic action? I've wiped my tools down with IPA several times but I dont know how else to proceed. 

Thanks ahead of time for any suggestions. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Neverenoughwatches Distinguished Member

Neverenoughwatches

Posted
Posted
18 hours ago, levic900rr said:

Hi There, this is my first post where. I did some searching around and I apologize if this has already been covered and I was unable to uncover it 🙂 

As I said in my into, I've just gotten into the hobby and I have an ST36 movement I'm practicing on. One issue I keep running in to is my tweezers are sticking to the smallest parts. Stuff like the setting level spring screw and / or the pallet fork and pallet fork bridge screws. It doesn't seem to effect the larger stuff. I dont know how to tell if there is a static charge and Im getting some magnetic action? I've wiped my tools down with IPA several times but I dont know how else to proceed. 

Thanks ahead of time for any suggestions. 

Do you know what steel your tweezers are made of ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
levic900rr Member

levic900rr

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Great question. They're "stainless" which I know doesn't really tell the whole story. The product details say "Premium Stainless", but I'm embarrassed  to say they're 9 dollar amazon specials ( https://a.co/d/d555t6f ). Perhaps I should have spent more... I just assumed they would wear out quicker than the real premium brands, I never considered that they would be harder to use. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
rossjackson01 Super WRT Addict

rossjackson01

Posted
Posted

I have cheap ebay tweezers from my first set. I do two things often. Demagnetise and keep them 'dressed', sharpened. The demagnetiser cost me £10. A honing stone cost me £3. that's it. 

Press the red button on the magnetiser, Demagnetise the tweezers by lifting them off the base ad going up. Release the red button. Repeat twice. 

Dressing. Using my magnifying glasses to confirm what I think I see. Shape and form the points. Dress all four edges and then gently removes burs. Job done.

I use a pair of curved brass tweezers when  working on an expensive watch that might show scratches. These were a massive £3 also. And, I do keep them dressed.

Would I like high end tools. Of course, but to what end would it make my work better and this stage of my learning curve I ask myself?

My standards are getting better by practice, not by high end tools. 

This is a great hobby

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites
levic900rr Member

levic900rr

Posted
  • Author
Posted
1 hour ago, rossjackson01 said:

I have cheap ebay tweezers from my first set. I do two things often. Demagnetise and keep them 'dressed', sharpened. The demagnetiser cost me £10. A honing stone cost me £3. that's it. 

Press the red button on the magnetiser, Demagnetise the tweezers by lifting them off the base ad going up. Release the red button. Repeat twice. 

Dressing. Using my magnifying glasses to confirm what I think I see. Shape and form the points. Dress all four edges and then gently removes burs. Job done.

I use a pair of curved brass tweezers when  working on an expensive watch that might show scratches. These were a massive £3 also. And, I do keep them dressed.

Would I like high end tools. Of course, but to what end would it make my work better and this stage of my learning curve I ask myself?

My standards are getting better by practice, not by high end tools. 

This is a great hobby

Awesome advice, I ordered an inexpensive demagnetiser today. Hoping that does the trick. Otherwise I've been happy with the performance of the set I have. The fit nicely in my hand and I can manipulate the parts well. 

 

Thanks everyone! 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...
CYCLOPS WRT Addict

CYCLOPS

Posted
Posted

well, make sure the inside of the tweezer is clean, goes without saying, I have two types of demagnetizers, one is a coil type that you hold/put inside and push a button to energize then pull it away to remove the magnetism, the other you lay/hold the item on top and push a button and hear a pop, both work as they should but do not put a hairspring in the coil type......

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...
Cupcakus New Member

Cupcakus

Posted
Posted

Make sure to demagnetize it several times in several orientations if you are using the cheap little blue one.

When working on a dirty movement, even my bronze tweezers get really sticky after each part it seems. I just stick them in a blob of rodico between parts to get the dirt and old oil off.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing


  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.

  • Topics

  • Posts

    • DDean
      First Project Already A Bit "Sideways"

      By DDean · Posted

      I will try this weekend.  I've tried several times with my cell phone and it's just too small and recessed to get a good picture.  I need to get my macro lens and tripod out and then figure out how to get enough light down the hole in the side of the man plate to  actually show the top of the broken screw. I appreciate the effort and will try and get that pic this weekend.
    • RichardHarris123
      Simeon from Down Under

      By RichardHarris123 · Posted

      Hello and welcome from Leeds, England. 
    • Simeon
      Simeon from Down Under

      By Simeon · Posted

      Hi,   My name is Simeon I am based in Sydney, Australia and have recently got into watch repair / watch making.  I am very much a learner having serviced multiple forgotten watches, some of which were actually successful!   I have a slowly growing collection of watches, mainly old Soviet, a few Japanese and (not pictured) some Raketas, a Poljot Alarm, an Omega Speedmaster Reduced and a vintage (1972) Tissot Seastar.  I like unloved vintage watches, with quirky faces and enjoy bringing them back to life through the simple(!) act of disassembly, clearing and reassembly. I am an Electrical Engineer who also undertook a trade apprenticeship so I am reasonably handy - It's fair to say, I know just enough to get myself in trouble. 
    • Waggy
      Chinese clone demagnetizers

      By Waggy · Posted

      ha ha looks like a WMD.....you know I want one now  
    • Simeon
      Citizen Cosmotron X8 04-4800 Fault finding

      By Simeon · Posted

      I took a chance on a non running Cosmotron X8 ("perhaps just needs a new battery" said the advert). Sure enough, I open it up and it has the wrong battery installed (a Renata 344 rather than the correct Renata 386) and the screws holding the battery contact had been sheared off to half a head on both ends. Ho ho, I thought - there's the problem. I got the broken screws out easily enough and as soon as I placed the correct battery in place the balance started. This picked up speed when I reinstalled one side of the battery contact and looked like it was a runner. As I was trying to get the replacement screws in, I did one side but the second was a bit of struggle (hold down the battery contact against its spring while dropping the screw in with tweezers) the balance stopped again. This time it wouldn't start again. 98 percent sure that I didn't stick anything, anywhere important or break it in a mechanical way. The battery was in place for most of the struggling with the contact, so it might have had an intermittent connection which could have upset the electronics. I tried giving it a puff with the blower but the balance doesn't seem to rotate in the normal way, it seems to be held in a static position by magnet. It can be pulled out of this position but spins back and stops dead. This may well be correct for all I know. Anyway, does anyone know anything about these watches and can tell me how I would go about and fault find this? I will be servicing it at some point so should be able to rule out mechanical issues from an old watch but not sure where to start with the electrical part of it.
×
×
  • Create New...