# Toolkit Reccomendations For A Newbie



## fastmongrel (Aug 12, 2013)

I am a newbie to the collecting world and I was hoping you guys could point me in the right direction for a simple tool kit. Basically I want to be able to remove spring pins, links from metal straps, a range of back removing tools and some screwdrivers. I have an old non working wind up watch I picked up from a charity shop for 60 pence and I want to practice on it see if I can get it working. If I muck up it wont have cost me anything and I will at least have learnt something.

I have seen kits on ebay that seem to have everything in them but not sure if they are worth the money http://www.ebay.co.u...=item565262282f


----------



## Thomasr (Oct 11, 2011)

depends on the sort of watch you are working on and if you intend to do this as a long term hobby, can have a go on cheapies with these kits but they are not much cop,


----------



## vw1978 (Nov 2, 2012)

I'm quite new to watch repair (about a year), I bought all my tools from a certain auction site that you mentioned, I bought all the cheaper tools, everything I would need to fully strip down and service a watch, I bought all the tools at once which came to quite an amount, but after using them for a short time i soon realised they just weren't up to the job, especially screwdrivers, so I soon had to fork out more money to replace those tools with higher quality ones, looking back I wish I had just purchased the decent ones in the first place, have you had a look at cousinsuk, they sell everything you could possibly need for watch repair, maybe a little more expensive but if you think it's something you'll continue to do then I recommend spending a little more on quality tools. Good luck with the repairing, a good book on repairing watches also helps if you haven't done this already.


----------



## fastmongrel (Aug 12, 2013)

Thanks vw1978 I will look at cousinsuk


----------



## sodamonkey (Aug 7, 2013)

New to it myself too, (although I am working with quartz mainly and just cleaning all the bits, new battery in & re-sell). Your idea of a cheapy from a charity shop sounds a damn good way to go for having a look at a wind up though!

Anyway onto the kit. I have that exact kit you're looking at and have to agree with the other comments, that's why I just ordered a set of AF swiss screwdrivers! Those drivers in that set are rubbbish, all 3 of mine have chipped off corners already after about two weeks! I think they're made of very cheap steel & not hardened at all. Some bits in there are fine like the tweezers, (can't go wrong really), the spring pin tool next to them & the pin tools next to the screwdrivers. The orange case remover is fine, haven't used the tool for screw down cases. I wouldn't recommend really, but it depends on how much you're wanting to do I guess. Maybe it's good for a "try out" set?

Anyway, hope my newbie advice is helpful, good luck!


----------



## fastmongrel (Aug 12, 2013)

Thanks sodamonkey I had a feeling the kit wouldnt be up to much, I have looked on cousinsuk and seen some decent looking but not expensive screwdrivers I already have tweezers so might just buy a back removing tool and screwdrivers and have a play. Just need a box to put the leftover parts in and I am good to go


----------



## vw1978 (Nov 2, 2012)

Watch out for the slippery screws jumping out of your tweezers, lost a couple of tiny screws this way in the beginning.


----------



## fastmongrel (Aug 12, 2013)

vw1978 said:


> Watch out for the slippery screws jumping out of your tweezers, lost a couple of tiny screws this way in the beginning.


I have plenty of experience of small ball bearings, washers and screws going for a walk. They usually end up under the fridge or under my bare foot at 6 in the morning.


----------



## sodamonkey (Aug 7, 2013)

fastmongrel said:


> vw1978 said:
> 
> 
> > Watch out for the slippery screws jumping out of your tweezers, lost a couple of tiny screws this way in the beginning.
> ...


On that note - are there any tips for picking up tiny screws & keeping them gripped? Are there such things as rubber tipped tweezers for example?

BTW - The AF screwdrivers I got are really good, I guess they wouldn't be up to the Bergeon well over Â£100 ones, but soooo much better than the awful cheap ones I had!!


----------



## Yunsung (Aug 12, 2012)

Just remember, you pay for what you get. I thought of buying some cheaper toolkits before and they broke after one use.


----------



## Lampoc (Oct 31, 2010)

My tip: buy one of those long kitchen magnets used for holding knives. You can get them on ebay for about Â£5. Brilliant for finding and picking up little screws, springs etc from carpets. Also spend another Â£5ish on a demagnetiser for after you've found them


----------



## vw1978 (Nov 2, 2012)

I have on a couple of occasions used a tiny piece of blu-tac on the end of my tweezers if I'm really struggling with the tiny screw, I think the trick is to be gentle with your tweezers and don't squeeze them too hard, that and plenty of practice and your screws should remain firmly in your grip. Good luck


----------



## wrenny1969 (Jun 24, 2008)

fastmongrel said:


> I am a newbie to the collecting world and I was hoping you guys could point me in the right direction for a simple tool kit. Basically I want to be able to remove spring pins, links from metal straps, a range of back removing tools and some screwdrivers. I have an old non working wind up watch I picked up from a charity shop for 60 pence and I want to practice on it see if I can get it working. If I muck up it wont have cost me anything and I will at least have learnt something.
> 
> I have seen kits on ebay that seem to have everything in them but not sure if they are worth the money http://www.ebay.co.u...=item565262282f


 My wife bought me a kit similar to that. It's fine for taking links out of straps, battery changing that kind of thing. I see it also comes with a 3 pronged case back remover - should be a firmer purchase than the two prong one I have. I have been looking at glass removing tools and case back/ glass presses. I suppose these things are okay if you have a successful outcome. You might also want a cheap vice/ clamp aswell for holding the watch or getting additional leverage when removing case backs etc. But hey what do I know :lol: at least the stuff is cheap and you will use it at least once.


----------



## scottswatches (Sep 22, 2009)

that set looks okay to start, but you don't have a movement holder so it is worth buying one of these seperately. Seems fine to get to learn the game - i did something similar and then upgraded the screwdrivers and tweezers later, once i knew what was the tools fault and what was mine!


----------



## luckywatch (Feb 2, 2013)

No matter what you spend you will need to see what youâ€™re doing. This is a nice bit of kit from red rooster on the bay. Having used it I wonder how I managed without it.


----------



## wrenny1969 (Jun 24, 2008)

luckywatch said:


> No matter what you spend you will need to see what youâ€™re doing. This is a nice bit of kit from red rooster on the bay. Having used it I wonder how I managed without it.


 any chance of a picture with you wearing it?


----------



## chris.ph (Dec 29, 2011)

go on scott you know you want to :thumbup:


----------



## fastmongrel (Aug 12, 2013)

I bought a magnifying glass on a stand from our local poundshop, good idea but the lense is so bad it gave me a headache looking through it for 60 secs. I feel robbed it was only worth 99p.


----------



## luckywatch (Feb 2, 2013)

No problem.


----------



## luckywatch (Feb 2, 2013)

wrenny1969 said:


> luckywatch said:
> 
> 
> > No matter what you spend you will need to see what youâ€™re doing. This is a nice bit of kit from red rooster on the bay. Having used it I wonder how I managed without it.
> ...





chris.ph said:


> go on scott you know you want to :thumbup:


As you can see itâ€™s an excellent bit of kit..


----------



## wrenny1969 (Jun 24, 2008)

Well not what I was expecting you look nothing like your profile image.


----------



## clockworkorange (Jan 9, 2012)

i use the A F swiss ones but mine have chipped also ,i was thinkinf just replacing the tips with bergeon ones it might work out cheaper than replacing the whole set


----------



## clockworkorange (Jan 9, 2012)

i'm struggling to find decents loupes i have a cheap 20X one and you have to be so close to the movement you struggle to get a tool in ,and 10X is not strong enough for some jobs

any suggestions ?


----------



## SSTEEL (Aug 6, 2013)

vw1978 said:


> I'm quite new to watch repair (about a year), I bought all my tools from a certain auction site that you mentioned, I bought all the cheaper tools, everything I would need to fully strip down and service a watch, I bought all the tools at once which came to quite an amount, but after using them for a short time i soon realised they just weren't up to the job, especially screwdrivers, so I soon had to fork out more money to replace those tools with higher quality ones, looking back I wish I had just purchased the decent ones in the first place, have you had a look at cousinsuk, they sell everything you could possibly need for watch repair, maybe a little more expensive but if you think it's something you'll continue to do then I recommend spending a little more on quality tools. Good luck with the repairing, a good book on repairing watches also helps if you haven't done this already.


Very good advice, and I agree, if you are someone who is in this hobby for the foreseeable future, you are best off investing in the better quality tools. I at first thought Bergeon tools were really expensive, and just an expensive brand name, but oh boy was I wrong, they make some of the finest tools you can use in our hobby, and I find many of their tools irreplaceable now.


----------

