This is an Elgin 0s grade 320 I've been working on. I've gotten it up and running, and am absolutely in love with it, but as you can see it has a bent minute hand. It came this way.
Can I bend it back to shape if I am gentle, or will it snap?
I'd rather not have to search far and wide for a new set of hands if I can fix it.
You guys go ahead and keep on collecting those big 'ole railroad watches...more of the delicate fancy ones left for me!
Posts: 152 | Location: Miami, Florida in the USA | Registered: August 11, 2009
Hi Dale Lovely watches those small Elgins and not too expensive either. Yet. At least not this side of the great water. Not that many collectors I guess. According to Murphy's Law it´s going to snap if you don´t have any replacement hands. If you do, it might work just nicely to bend it back. That said, my suggestion is that you leave it as it is till you have another set of hands. Regards Krister
Posts: 375 | Location: Backaryd, Sweden | Registered: April 19, 2009
I actually bought a second watch with a fancy dial to use the hands because I didn't think it was as pretty, but once it arrived I decided not to cannabalize it because I liked it too. So I'm just going to look for another set of hands in the meantime.
I think only another watch person would notice the hands. My friends don't seem to.
So I think I might not mess with them. I'd be much more upset if I broke it than it just being bent right now.
Posts: 152 | Location: Miami, Florida in the USA | Registered: August 11, 2009
Dale i have quite a few sets of these fancy hands if i knew the length and hole size i might have what you need.I have bent a few of these back with sucess but most of the time they will break very thin hands right at the center post.
On the hour hand Dale showed at the beginning of this topic, I have straightened hands with a slight bend like this one by essentially sliding the jaws of needle-nose pliers along the hand with a light grip. Do not try total straightening the first time, do it little by little bringing it into shape gently. It may be necessary to go ever so slightly beyond where you want it to be but usually the hand will come back into proper alignment. Be careful to not overdo it or leave rough marks, this can usually be accomplished on an hour hand like Dale's with the hand in place.
With a minutes hand, you might want to remove it in order to not cause the hand to pop off and fly across the room. Dale's minute hand may be beyond help and may just snap off but is worth a try.
The key to straightening hands is to do it a little at a time.
That's how I do it, let's see what others might be able to add to this subject.
Posts: 10553 | Location: Northeastern Ohio in the USA | Registered: November 19, 2002
I have them daily, yesterday I just finished putting a new staff on a watch & then before I could even get it near the watch I broke the staff. All you can do is shrug your shoulders & order a new staff or hand.
If Samie doesn't have one of those hands, I will look for the ones I have. I got a bunch of those several years ago & stashed them some where.
Tom
Posts: 5107 | Location: New Mexico in the USA | Registered: January 27, 2007
Let me know if you need one of these Louis XIV hands, I have a few extra. I like these Elgin hands as they will fit 0 size Rockfords, with a little broaching of the minute hand. BTW when these hands are broken off at the hub then they are referred to as "Louis XVI hands". (as in "guillotined").
Posts: 653 | Location: St Paul, Minnesota in the USA | Registered: May 04, 2004
Dale, That's a great looking watch and it's good that you're going to fix it and make it better than you found it. You did the right thing by trying to save a part and although it broke this time in the future you'll have different results if you keep trying. Yesterday I broke a balance staff on a watch I was putting in beat. I ended up replacing the staff and poising the balance. Someone had swithed the the timing screws all around. It took me 8 hours but now the watch runs great. Breaking parts is part of the learning process. RR
Posts: 1413 | Location: Fremont, California in the USA | Registered: February 06, 2010
Thank you to everyone for your support. I'm not feeling too badly about the whole thing now that I understand that these kinds of things are all part of the learning process.
Today was a much better day. I put a watch in beat for the first time. To see the balance start on it's own was a great feeling.
Posts: 152 | Location: Miami, Florida in the USA | Registered: August 11, 2009
Dale i have some elgin parts watches i will try and fit a set of hands too a o szie then send them too you if i can find the right lenth i should have what you need.
Dale here is a couple of sets of hands similar too yours one of the hour hands fit a 0 size movement i have the minute hands are what i call blanks these have a small hole that can be brocahed too the size you need for your watch..I will be glad too mail these too you if you think you can use them.
