Jump to content

Repair of Vostok watches

SteveP

By SteveP
in Watch Repairs Help & Advice

 Share

Recommended Posts

SteveP New Member

SteveP

Posted
Posted

Hi everyone! I have recently acquired a couple of Vostoks which are giving me trouble. I know very little about watch repair, but am told that these ex-military pieces are pretty robust and easily fixable. Any advice appreciated!

1) a Komandirskie (apparently late 70s or early 80s). Worked like a dream when it arrived, then stopped. I took it in for repair, and was told that the mainspring has snapped. The watch has been sent away, but I'm now told that the repairer cannot get the necessary parts. 

2) An Amphibia (same era).  Again, worked when it arrived, but has stopped in the past 24 hours. It winds, but there is no response from the watch. Having spent £65 on it £40 getting a strap cut and fitted, I'm loathe to bin it, but am getting rather embarrassed taking my crazy Soviet watches into the repairers....

what I'd really like is a recommendation of someone who knows these watches and is happy to work on them for a decent price. Either a company or a hobbyist, I don't care. I know that lots of people seem to work on them, so hopefully I will be in luck.....

many thanks,

steve.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 3 months later...
FBPB New Member

FBPB

Posted
Posted

Hi,

The "stopping" is something I've noticed on a couple of my Vostoks. I've purchased a lot of NOS of late 90s Vostoks.

The solution I've found is to open up the back, release all the tension from the mainspring, then run the hands back and forth a  few times, this has temporarily solved my issues. While Vostoks do have a bullet-proof reputation, I'm betting, in your case (and mine)  that the watches are in desperate need of a service/oiling. Something I'm learning how to do.

In your case, if you're attached to the watch, either find a donor movement to take the mainspring out of, or swap the entire movement out.

If you are up to working on the, this Youtube video explains how to service a Vostok 2414a movement :

 

Best of luck!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 2 years later...
yankeedog Distinguished Member

yankeedog

Posted
Posted (edited)

Watches of this vintage  could be of either  2209 or 2409 variety. The 24 series is still being  produced  and new parts are still available  from meranom  in Russia. The  22 series is archaic  .parts must be cannibalized  from  other  movements. These can be purchased  by the bushel online. CHEAP.

Edited by yankeedog
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
 Share
Go to topic listing


  • Similar Content

  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.

  • Topics

  • Posts

    • Neverenoughwatches
      Epilame / Fixodrop

      By Neverenoughwatches · Posted

      I have read some suggestions that it can cause wear , particularly on the fork horns of a fully treated pallet fork. I've had half a kilo of steriac acid powder on a shelf for almost a year now, might have a little play today with a heater and a jar.  I think its because it gets into their cleaning solutions Mike. Theirs or anyone else's that services the watch next time, or if they need to strip back and rebuild. Could preclean but thats all time for a pro.
    • mikepilk
      Epilame / Fixodrop

      By mikepilk · Posted

      As I'm only cleaning watches in small numbers at home, I pre-clean any significant deposits of old grease and oil before using the cleaning solutions. I scrape off deposits with pegwood and Rodico, and if really dirty, wash parts in naphtha with a brush.  So I'm happy using DX, but can understand why it's avoided by the pros.
    • Neverenoughwatches
      Any tips to correct a sloppy error?

      By Neverenoughwatches · Posted

      I think attaching a nut to the lid to pull it off is the least destructive, any damage damage on the outside is going to an easier fix than any created when trying to push it out from the inside. Scratching up the inside of the lid , mainspring or arbor bearing will be risk. Just my opinion.
    • JohnR725
      Epilame / Fixodrop

      By JohnR725 · Posted

      yes the things we read in the universe I did see some where it was either difficult to clean off or it contaminated the cleaning fluid there was some issue with cleaning. I was trying to remember something about grease where as opposed to a substance of a specific consistency they were suggesting it had a base oil with something to thicken it. That conceivably could indicate that the two could separate and that would be an issue. But there is something else going on here that I had remembered so I have a link below and the description of the 9501 notice the word that I highlighted? Notice that word appears quite a bit on this particular page like 9415 has that property all so they 8200 mainspring grease and that definitely has to be mixed up when you go to use it because it definitely separates. just in case you didn't remember that nifty word there is a Wikipedia entry. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thixotropy   https://www.moebius-lubricants.ch/en/products/greases I wonder if what you're seeing is the boron nitride left behind after cleaning. In other words it's the high-pressure part of the grease and it's probably embedding itself into the metal which is why it doesn't clean off and shouldn't be a problem?
    • VWatchie
      Epilame / Fixodrop

      By VWatchie · Posted

      Yes and no. I use Moebius 9501 synthetic grease and it is significantly runnier than the Moebius 9504 synthetic grease (and I assume Molykote DX) that I previously used. I haven't seen 9504 spread and it is in my opinion the best grease money can buy. However, my current method of cleaning doesn't remove it from the parts, so that's why I have decided to use the 9501 instead. I believe I read somewhere that Molykote DX too is difficult to clean off. Thinking about it, I'm pretty sure my 9501 grease which expired in June 2022 is runnier now than it was when it was new, but whether new or old it always needs to be stirred before use. So, that's why I treat the parts of the keyless works, cannon pinion, etc. with epilame. That was very thoughtful of you and something that had completely passed me by. Not sure what the epilame will do when it wears off in a non-oiled hole. Anyone?
×
×
  • Create New...