Question about fragility of hairspring

[Giannifive]

Hi all.  I have a question about the fragility of hairsprings.  I’m completely new to watch repair, and have started by regulating my mechanical watches (Seiko 7S26 and Orient F6922 movements).  While adjusting the rate with a wooden dowel oriented parallel to the balance wheel, I have accidentally lightly grazed the hairspring.  It was enough pressure to stop the balance wheel, but there appear to be no negative consequences.  Both watches keep great time and have good positional accuracy.  And according to my timegrapher the beat error and amplitude were not affected.

So should I just chalk this up to good luck?  Or could there be lurking damage I’m not seeing?

 

[oldhippy]

Hairsprings are very fragile. When you are working with them or around you need to be very careful, one tiny slip and it can be unrepairable. From what you have said I think you have got off lightly as the watch is still going and keeping good time.

[sstakoff]

I think you got rather lucky! If the timegrapher is showing acceptable readings in all positions and visual inspection indicates all ok then I would leave it alone. From what you describe I would check that the spring is still in the flat - look from the side of the balance and see that the spring is not tilted in any way. 

[Giannifive]

Thanks for the replies.  One learns by making mistakes, but in this case I think I’ve been lucky.

[nightwatchman]

I was not as lucky with my F6922, I was moving the balance cock while trying to reduce the beat error. However, the HS got bent badly when the balance cock moved suddenly. I am in the process of trying to reshape the HS, but it is quite bent. 

Does anyone know where (if) I can get a new Balance Assembly for the F6922? I am based in the UK. 

Thanks

[jaycey]

Try Gleaves... https://gleave.london 

[nightwatchman]

Thank you jaycey - will have a look. I am wondering if the NH35/36 balance assembly is interchangeable with the F6922. They look pretty similar in photos. 

[bodymassagewatch]

Just had the same issue last night, although i know beyond a doubt that it was my fumble fingers that screwed up the balance. Now on the hunt for a beater 5606 movement for my poor little Lordmatic. 

[Nucejoe]

Is the watch keeping "great time" ON WRIST ?  

 

 

 

[nightwatchman]

On 6/5/2019 at 6:14 AM, Nucejoe said:

Is the watch keeping "great time" ON WRIST ?  

 

 

 

if you are asking me, no the watch has stopped completely. The hairspring looked like a cat had been at it. 

 

[chrisdt]

As far as I'm concerned the hairspring is the 'Achilles Heel' of the amateur watch repairer. I can manage most things with a varying degree of ability but the hairspring always seems to be a stumbling block for me anyway. I recently ruined a spring from a 2892.2 movement. Whilst removing the balance complete with bridge the spring caught on the teeth of one of the wheels. Spent hours trying to gently 'smooth' out the distortion. In the end gave up and went for a new one. One question I would like to ask is when ordering a 'Balance Complete' presumably it is the balance wheel with spring attached. On this particular movement the spring is attached to the bridge by a wedge shaped pin which appears to be glued on (see photo sorry about quality) What level  of ability is required to attach the spring to the bridge or should I go for balance spring and bridge which of course more expensive?