Help: Open Swiss Army Watch Knurled Case Back
Light
I have a Swiss Army Officer LS Ratchet Watch. The problem is,
I cannot open the knurled case back to replace the battery.
Yes, I have a case wrench and the knive to open most of cheaper
watches in the household. But not for this watch. It seemes
to me that my wrench's 3 bits could not hold the knurled
case back.
Any suggestion?
Light
frank
Yes. Use a watchmaker! You need a large watchmaker's screwdriver (about
2mm) The back is a snap off type and requires a lot of force and some
skill. You must lever against one of the horns. I always worry that I
will break either the screwdriver or the watch but so far the back has
always come off!
Frank
Richard Lanham
<frank...@ntlworldfake.com> wrote:
I have a Swiss Army watch which I have taken to the watchmaker two
times for a battery change. Both times they have commented on how tight
it was, and what a struggle it was to get it back together, using a
press of some sort.
In a recent car accident, that watch stopped, just like in the movies.
So it is now a banged-up souvenir of the accident, and won't need any
more batteries.
Rick
TOMBERGSTR
shrink enough so there is less resistance while opening .
TOM
LDMA
NRA
AMERICAN LEGION
U.S. PARATROOPER
Chuck Harris
to help.
-Chuck
-----
Chuck Harris - WA3UQV
cfha...@erols.com
TOMBERGSTR
>to help.
>
>-Chuck
If the bezel shrinks the hole gets bigger AND the back gets smaller . Simple
physics .The metal takes up a smaller area . Therefore the bezels molecules
become more densely compacted . The molecular structure of the back acts the
same . If the back were 1 inch in diameter cooling it will make that number
smaller . Conversly the bezel will "shrink" in overall size albeit ever so
slightly , and the hole will enlarge due to the reduced mass of the entire
bezel .
Very much like some parts of your body will try to get closer to the mass
when extreme cold presents itself . Consider the alternatives . TODAY: It won't
open . LEFT ALONE: Tomorrow it won't open . TOMORROW AFTER COOLING: It "might"
open . To paraphrase the great tactician Gen. Custer "What do we have to lose"?
NE333RO
>when extreme cold presents itself . Consider the alternatives . TODAY: It
>won't
>open . LEFT ALONE: Tomorrow it won't open . TOMORROW AFTER COOLING: It
>"might"
>open . To paraphrase the great tactician Gen. Custer "What do we have to
>lose"?
Hmmmmmm, possibly the movement or the crystal? What *does* extreme cold do
to other parts of the watch?
TOMBERGSTR
jumped in Alaska with a ground temperature of -54 . After 2 weeks of hanging
off of my rucksack it ran perfectly . If there is that much concern about the
rest of the timepiece then perhaps a piece of plastic could be placed over it
while resting face down on a table . Then a piece of ice placed on that . Only
the back will be affected by the cold . BTW the Timex was a $6.05 pin lever .
The metal might react somewhat but the synthetic rubies seemed to hold it all
together . It finally succumbed to shrapnel just south of Quang Tri but as
Rudyard Kipling would say "That is another story" .
ken
"TOMBERGSTR" <tombe...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20020403204608...@mb-mr.aol.com...
> If the bezel shrinks the hole gets bigger AND the back gets smaller .
Simple
> physics .The metal takes up a smaller area . Therefore the bezels
molecules
> become more densely compacted . The molecular structure of the back acts
the
> same . If the back were 1 inch in diameter cooling it will make that
number
> smaller . Conversly the bezel will "shrink" in overall size albeit ever so
> slightly , and the hole will enlarge due to the reduced mass of the entire
> bezel .
I am not a watchmaker, but my understanding is that a bezel is to all
intents and purposes a metal ring. If that is correct, then the statement,
"Conversly the bezel will "shrink" in overall size albeit ever so slightly ,
and the hole will enlarge due to the reduced mass of the entire bezel ." is
the biggest load of clap-trap I have read in a long time.
When someone talks about the *mass* of something changing when it is cooled
it is obvious that they haven't the foggiest idea what they are talking
about. Perhaps, in such circumstances it would be best to use an example to
illustrate the point rather than to try a higher level of discussion.
Tom, from your sig and the story of your Timex, it would seem you are a
proud American, so let's look at some fine contributors to the development
of America - the wagon and stagecoach.
These vehicles had wheels made of wood, around the cicumference of which
were fitted tyres of iron. The wheelwright, or more likely his blacksmith
buddy, would make the tyre so that its inner diameter exactly matched or
was a fraction of an inch smaller than the outer diameter of the wooden
wheel. This metal band was then heated in a fire. When it had become very
hot, it was removed from the fire and immediately slipped over the wheel.
Once in place it was drenched with water.
Let's look at the physics. Heating the band made the 'hole' *bigger*. That
allowed it to be slipped over the wooden wheel. When the band was cooled
again, the 'hole' got *smaller. That made it a tight fit on the wheel.
So, Tom, if you cool the bezel, the hole will *reduce* not enlarge.
Now, to the specific whatchmaking question of this thread. From the
descriptions, I assume the back is surrounded by the bezel (although I
always thought the bezel was the thing surrounding the crystal of the watch
and therefore was on the face side of the watch ). If this assumption is
correct, then I further assume that the desired changes are to make the
bezel, or more specifically - the hole surrounded by the bezel, larger
and/or the back smaller so that the back can be removed from within the
bezel.
If all those assumptions are correct, then may I respectfully suggest trying
component cooler, obtainable from most electronics stores. This spray gets
extremely cold (-60F / -51C). It can be selectively applied to the back,
and will shrink its diameter very quickly. By preventing the spray from
going onto the bezel, the back will become smaller while the bezel remains
its original size and the back should then be easier to remove from the
bezel. If it is safe to use on delicate electrical components I would
imagine it would be safe to use on the case of a watch.
I hope this helps
Ken Lipworth
Sydney
TOMBERGSTR
Light
> Yes. Use a watchmaker! You need a large watchmaker's screwdriver (about
> 2mm) The back is a snap off type and requires a lot of force and some
> skill. You must lever against one of the horns. I always worry that I
> will break either the screwdriver or the watch but so far the back has
> always come off!
>
> Frank
Frank:
This is an Officer's series watch. I believe this series has a screw
back. You probably are talking about the Original series.
Anyway, I decide to send it to a watchmaker. Will cost me 10 bucks or
so.
Light
Light
BTW, just found out that Swiss Army watches' knurled back is
as difficult to open as in Rolex's Oyster back..... Does this
mean it is as good as a Rolex? :-)
Light
Chuck Harris
Both the back and the hole in the bezel will get smaller.
The physics is simple, you just don't understand it.
As a hint, consider that the hole in the bezel is just a tiny strand
of steel wire formed into a 1 inch circle. When the steel wire gets
cold, it will shrink in length. When it shrinks in length, it gets
SMALLER in diameter.
-Chuck
-----
Chuck Harris - WA3UQV
cfha...@erols.com
ken
the circumference of the wheel. The spelling is controversial - some spell
it 'tire'.
Ken Lipworth
Sydney
"TOMBERGSTR" <tombe...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20020404173845...@mb-mw.aol.com...
Steve
--
Repent! Repent! The end is near! In only 100 trillion years all life will
end, due to proton decay.
Steve Rayner.
"TOMBERGSTR" <tombe...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20020404173845...@mb-mw.aol.com...
TOMBERGSTR
>it 'tire'.
I was just kidding . I fully believe that we MUST cut some slack for those that
spend their lives upside down . LOL
