This is for the novice,or beginner,so maybe they won't learn the hard way(like I did). There was recent discussion about regulators,and how much a watch can be adjusted,and I thought one more subject ought to be mentioned. When adjusting the regulator,pay attention,and be sure that the regulator pins are not actually pinching the hairspring. If the pins are tight,when the regulator is moved,the pins will hold,and bend the hairspring. So make sure when moving the regulator,that the hairspring is slipping through the pins,and not binding. A bent hairspring is no fun to straighten. Don't ask me how I know.

Cecil, Thank you for the heads up. I hadn't thought of it but I can certainly see how the regulator pins would cause a problem if they were too tight. I've been told that if they're too loose, they can cause unpredictable results when the regulator is adjusted (big jumps in timing with a very slight adjustment).

Is there an easy way to check the pins without taking the watch apart?

Thanks Cecil, One word of caution to any novice that may attempt to mess with the pins. Beware they may be very brittle and easily snap off.

Dont ask me how I know

I notice that these pins are bent forward or backwards more often on Elgins. Probably because most Elgins do not have mean time screws and are a little harder to "tweak". The pins are brass a can tak bending a couple times before they work harden and break (for sure).