# First Tear Down, First Mistake



## Narla (Sep 1, 2011)

Have an old but working pocket watch that has seen better days. It worked to a fashion when some of the strain was taken off the winder, so nothing really to lose.

Winder out, movement out, hands off, face off and going nicely (easier when you have the right tools). Then the first screw ... bit stiff and snap :-(

It's the screw holding in the ratchet wheel - here is the after, just a square hole:










Completed the tear down, cleaned and oiled and all back together. If I hold the ratchet wheel in then it ticks along quite happily, so I'm quite chuffed I got it back together ok.

Do I put this down to experience, or is there an option for fixing it? There are no marks on the movement so I can't identify it very easily.

Narla


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## ketiljo (Apr 22, 2009)

That's a tricky one. That screw is normally left threaded, so that's why it snapped. Try to scratch a mark in the screw with a screwdriver so you can turn it.


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## tixntox (Jul 17, 2009)

As ketiljo says. I usually try these both ways if they don't come out easy but it's a gamble! If you have to use a lot of force with a watch, you've probably got it wrong is my theory! Once the heads off you can sometimes get them out OK as there is less grip on the thread. It may mean removing the barrell to get at it.

Mike


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## Dusty (Feb 3, 2010)

Sometimes but* NOT*â€‹ always left handed screws have extra notches cut into them a bit like the picture below


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## Narla (Sep 1, 2011)

Thanks all, you live and learn, I hadn't read of the left threaded possibility.

There is only one notch in the screw head, and a small section is still notched in the remaining part so I'll have a go in the opposite direction. If it isn't deep enough may have try to cut it deeper (after removal) with the dremel it a sharp screwdriver doesn;t work.

Cheers

N


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