My first balance staff!

[gmoodyii]

Finally got around to cutting my first successful balance staff. It is for a 201 caliber Jaeger-LeCoultre 8-Day aircraft clock. In fact this is the same clock that got me interested in watch repair as a hobby.

The first attempt resulted in a pivot being cut off while I was finishing it up, it was complete except for the finishing on the last pivot and it just disappeared. That was with wire rod. Second attempt was with blued wire rod, which I should have been using to begin with. Took my time and ended up with a usable staff.

Installed on the balance assembly and it worked!!

 

[jnash]

well done, if only i could figure out how to sharpen my gravers i would be attempting this myself!

[oldhippy]

Finishing the pivot and breaking and flying into no man’s land is common when you start out making staffs. You have achieved what many watch repairs can’t undertake. Congratulations in repairing your aircraft clock.

Jnash there are videos on Youtube about sharpening gravers. It takes practice. When you have achieved that, practice on some brass rod first before steel, as you know brass is softer. I always used a block arkansas stone with a little oil to sharpen my old gravers. Tungsten steel gravers are what I used.

[Tmuir]

Nicely done.

I'm in the process of setting myself up to attempt making balance staffs, I hope I have as good success as you have.

[gmoodyii]

Thanks for the nice words, cutting a balance staff was one of the things that I really wanted to do successfully. I hope this one is not a fluke because I have another 8 day aircraft clock that needs a balance staff also.

I started using HSS gravers but a local watchmaker let me borrow a set of Barkus carbide gravers. I noticed a big difference in cutting, the Barkus cut the blue steel easily.

He told me I could use them as long as I wanted but they were not for sale, now I know why. They were a pleasure to use.

Cannot wait till I have enough time off work to give it another try. Yep, this is addicting!

 

[tonystime]

Looks great, great work. 

[jdrichard]

I use 4 carbide gravers, two are 4 mm flat and round and two are 2mm flat and round. Found them on a speciality site and they are around 15 US each but worth it. I also have a few 5mm triangle gravers for the initial cuts.


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