I have found a case stake and know they are used to remove dents, but what is the proper technique for removing dents in the case backs?

Charlie

Charlie,

Is this the wooden block with concave holes and wooden punches?

If so, the block probably doesn't fit a single watch case that you have (if it's like mine). The wooden stakes seem to work okay. I've used them on a couple case backs for small dents.

I set the case back on a smooth hardwood block (covered by a shop towel) and then used the wooden dowel to tap out the dent from the inside of the cover. It worked quite well.

John D. Duvall
Vice President, Education

For removing dents from the edge of a pocket watch case, nothing I've ever tried works better than a "musrhoom" stake. As the name implies, those have wide heads that essentially make them look like steel mushrooms. A variation looks a bit like a hammer, with a broad thin face at one end, and a single offset "prong" at the other. With either tool, the stake is gripped in a vise, while the watch case is held in position so that the dented portion is on the edge of the tool, and the outer perimeter is then gently bumped with a soft mallet until the dented metal again "rises" to the desired level.

For removing dents from case backs (both pocket and wrist), the best thing I've found is an old hand operated crystal press. The one I use is a Borel tool, which has a plethora of aluminum cups with rubber inserts in them. They're intended to "flex" round plastic crystals in order to facilitate installing them in bezels, but they work equally well for applying carefully regulated force to specific parts of the inside of a case back.

I usually use a large rubber insert as my "anvil," and in the "ram" of the tool, I use a small insert that roughly matches the dent I'm trying to remove. For large "bruises," I use a relatively large rubber tipped ram, while for small sharp dents, I use ram points that are correspondingly shaped.

All the original rams for the device had rubber tips, which were intended to flex the inside of plastic crystals without marring them. For my purposes, however, I made several additional rams of my own from solid (3/8") aluminum rod, as well as a few from wood (holly or boxwood). With this particular tool, I've had success in removing dents that I wouldn't have previously thought possible.

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Steve Maddox
President, NAWCC Chapter #62
North Little Rock, Arkansas
IHC Charter Member 49

Thanks for all the information. It is really appreciated.

This is the mushroom stake Steve referenced. I have the wooden block and have found it to be rather useless.

Thanks again, Charlie