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Fixed bezel removal

M'Bob
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There are many videos out there, and stories from watchmakers, about at least starting the removal of a fixed bezel, on any watch, by inserting a razor. But my question is, why is adding a bit of lubrication to the blade never mentioned. Wouldn’t this decrease the friction coefficient? What would be the harm? Thanks for any insights.
 
STANDY
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What lubricant would you use…
Is there a prying lube…

Wouldn’t adding lube to a thin gap cause friction…
 
M'Bob
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I was under the impression that oil would decrease friction between contacting metal surfaces.
 
dapellegrini
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There are specialized tools for removing external bezels. A caseback opener would be the simplest I would go. There are also more elaborate tools to do the job - easy to find on cousinsuk.com or esslinger.com - just search "bezel removal". I wouldn't use a razor blade or kitchen knife, even on a really cheap watch.

And I've never heard of anyone using lubrication to remove a bezel. Unless you were twisting the bezel off, or trying to release old crud / DNA that has the bezel sealed to the case, I can't see how a lubrication would help.

Of course, I am no expert! I have removed many external bezels, mainly with a good quality case knife.
 
Archer
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I've never heard of anyone using a lubricant for this application...
 
M'Bob
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Archer Archer
I've never heard of anyone using a lubricant for this application...

Would you speculate that it’s unneeded, or somehow detrimental?
 
Archer
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M'Bob M'Bob
Would you speculate that it’s unneeded, or somehow detrimental?
It has never ever occurred to me to add any. It's not something I've ever heard any watchmaker say was something they did.

So in my view it's not needed. In terms of it being detrimental, if you are going to fully and thoroughly clean the case after, then I would say not.
 
M'Bob
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Archer Archer
It has never ever occurred to me to add any. It's not something I've ever heard any watchmaker say was something they did.

So in my view it's not needed. In terms of it being detrimental, if you are going to fully and thoroughly clean the case after, then I would say not.

Thanks. I know in the past you’ve posted pictures of your high-quality, four-blade bezel remover. Before you use that device on a fixed bezel, do you first open a small gap with a razor or knife, or are the blades on the prongs sharp enough to allow you to proceed without any prior gap opening?

One of the complaints I consistently read about the four-blade, cheap copies that are available on Amazon and eBay, is that the blades are not honed fine enough to use without buggering up the case. So, for the occasional hobbyist who doesn’t want to shell out $$$ for the Horotec, it seems that if you use one of these, you must start the process with the razor to create a gap first.
 
Archer
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M'Bob M'Bob
Thanks. I know in the past you’ve posted pictures of your high-quality, four-blade bezel remover. Before you use that device on a fixed bezel, do you first open a small gap with a razor or knife, or are the blades on the prongs sharp enough to allow you to proceed without any prior gap opening?
I don’t think I’ve ever opened up any gap before using the bezel remover.
 
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