Straightening a bent seconds pivot

[mrkrsl]

I have an Omega 601 that’s serviced and running well other than its centre seconds pivot which is noticeably bent at the top end (where the seconds hand is fitted). The bend marginally interferes with the cannon pinion. (Pre-cleaning pic shows it to some degree.)

I did straighten it slightly but I’m very cautious about breaking it. I’ve looked for a replacement, but I’d rather avoid having to get one.

Is there any safe method or trick of coaxing it back to its rightful straightness which carries only a low risk of breaking the part?

[SwissSeiko]

unfortunately the risk of breaking is high. I have had luck with heating them up, but I've done that while it is chucked in a lathe and then rotated slowly against a slip stone. 

[Neverenoughwatches]

1 hour ago, mrkrsl said:

I have an Omega 601 that’s serviced and running well other than its centre seconds pivot which is noticeably bent at the top end (where the seconds hand is fitted). The bend marginally interferes with the cannon pinion. (Pre-cleaning pic shows it to some degree.)

I did straighten it slightly but I’m very cautious about breaking it. I’ve looked for a replacement, but I’d rather avoid having to get one.

Is there any safe method or trick of coaxing it back to its rightful straightness which carries only a low risk of breaking the part?

 

Getting the second hand to sit and track level wont be easy. I've straightened parts like this better by rolling them on a good flat steel block and tweezers

Tweezer handle.

[praezis]

Slight bends like this I find on almost every chronograph that comes for service (I test every arbor and pivot of chrono and minute runner - not tested most would seem ok ).

I would clamp the tip in a collet (bend outside). The pinion will wobble severely, compared to the tailstock runner tip. Then tap the arbor with a tweezers back until any wobbling disappears. The bend must be much more for breaking.

Frank

 

[Neverenoughwatches]

53 minutes ago, praezis said:

Slight bends like this I find on almost every chronograph that comes for service (I test every arbor and pivot of chrono and minute runner - not tested most would seem ok ).

I would clamp the tip in a collet (bend outside). The pinion will wobble severely, compared to the tailstock runner tip. Then tap the arbor with a tweezers back until any wobbling disappears. The bend must be much more for breaking.

Frank

 

Thats a good way of visually amplifying deformity.

[mrkrsl]

Ok, thanks all. I don't have a lathe, unfortunately, but I'll take a deep breath and roll it on my steel block.