Other Watchmaking

[Mcgyver]

The one I was thinking of wasn't a needle file, just a regular flat file. It was I think about $80. The other thing with Perrin is, they have waaaaay more stuff than what is on the web. I guess they are trying, but not hard enough lol....kind of old school, you have to call

 

[Susquatch]

The one I was thinking of wasn't a needle file, just a regular flat file. It was I think about $80. The other thing with Perrin is, they have waaaaay more stuff than what is on the web. I guess they are trying, but not hard enough lol....kind of old school, you have to call

Thanks.

I'll never fiddle with watches. My hands are too big, I shake too much, and I can't see worth shit. Even magnifying doesn't help because I have no depth perception. None of that is ever gunna get better.

So you use the tweezers for #0000000000 screws, and I use them for #6/8. Yours go ping, mine go thunk. But the bride still looks awesome!

 

[architect]

I have a modest collection of Soviet watches (nothing fancy) and thought about getting into repairing/making watch but realize I don't have the patience to work at this scale. The only thing I consider now is maybe making a case and throwing in a mechanism. Lots of dreams and ideas for the future but no time at all

 

[historicalarms]

I aint got enough "life-time" left to even tackle the watch band pins let alone that mechanism LOL.

 

[trevj]

Negative action - https://www.dumonttweezers.com/Tweezer/TweezerStyleList/34

start looking under standard tips on the left see how many different Dumount tweezers there are.

The negative ones however are of little use for watch things imo, its hard to explain, but you are not clamping on to the screw, you're using the tweezers like finger tip extensions. You have to feel, and you vary pressure depending what you are clamping, weight size and geometry, (to much: ping! to little and the part slips out or out of position). You also have to often let up just a tad to push the part into something to position it, rotate it a bit, etc.

I don't mean to make it sound more than it is, but its deceptively difficult at first to pick up, position and place small parts. Things improve with practice, but you are scuppered without good tweezers. High quality screw drivers and tweezers are high on the list of first tools to buy, probably in the top five along with a loupe, case opener and hand removing levers....you need them before you service your first watch

Trev, I believe the biggest in Canada is Perrin. Even if not into horology, they have unique tools that would be hard to find elsewhere....where else are going go to pick up #6 Swiss cut file? (better take along a week's worth of lunch money though lol)

Brain is not hating me so much today!

Page and Wilson, was my go-to when I saw fit to order new parts or new tools. Edit: Waddya know.... https://www.pageandwilson.com/

Have not even looked to see if they are still around.

Two other names fro the past were Timesavers, and S.A. Larose, who had a lot more relating to Clock work, rather than Watch Repair.

Ran a Membership in the NAWCC, as well as the AWI, now AWCI, mainly to get their monthly publications, for many years.

 

[gerritv]

Trev, I believe the biggest in Canada is Perrin. Even if not into horology, they have unique tools that would be hard to find elsewhere....where else are going go to pick up #6 Swiss cut file? (better take along a week's worth of lunch money though lol)

https://europeandesign.ca has Vallorbe cut 8 files, aka escapement files. a good alternative (as in affordable at CA$26) to pivot files at GBP150 they have a lot of other desirable tools as well. Some overlap with Perrin but lots of other stuff as well.

Beyond cut 8 you might as well rub some HSS across 60 grit emery cloth

 

[PeterT]

https://europeandesign.ca has Vallorbe cut 8 files,

I went to site but no prices, says login. Are they a distributer or do you need to create account to browse?

 

[trevj]

https://europeandesign.ca has Vallorbe cut 8 files, aka escapement files. a good alternative (as in affordable at CA$26) to pivot files at GBP150 they have a lot of other desirable tools as well. Some overlap with Perrin but lots of other stuff as well.

Beyond cut 8 you might as well rub some HSS across 60 grit emery cloth

There are a lot of suppliers out there for various grits and hardness of abrasive sticks, rods, blocks, bars, etc., many of which were simply not available back when hand filing an escapement tooth was considered normal practice.

Boride Engineered Abrasives is one such, worth a look. Mainly targeted at the Tool and Die/EDM/Moldmaker trades, originally, but they are expanding their lines every time I look.

 

[gerritv]

I went to site but no prices, says login. Are they a distributer or do you need to create account to browse?

Yes, you have to create an account for pricing. No obligation to buy of course.

 

[eotrfish]

Do they make one with a closer clamp so you can let go and keep the screw (or whatever) in the tweezers?

Here's a handy little gadget that I found in a box of watchmakers tools.

This photo is holding a 0-80 screw.

Pushing the knurled knob on the left opens the jaws.
The domed center pin on the right is spring loaded so it keeps the screw head against the jaws.