Gee...that only took TWO POINT FIFE [2.5] HOURS to do...and I feel better now.

Archer · Mar 30, 2018

Mad Dog
Allow me to explain...one of my railroad grade pocket watches, a 23j Waltham Vanguard 1908, has a pair of color mismatched balance jewel setting screws...one has a normal polished finish and the other has a blue polished finish.

Blue screw from pic previously posted today in WRUW Today thread...

Hey MD...I'm a little confused...

You say the watch had "mismatched screws" and then used a photo to show that, but looking closer at said area of the photo you posted both screws appear blued:

So basically my question is...WTF?

Cheers, Al

TOTIZ · Mar 30, 2018

I admire your perseverance Mad Dog and doff my cap to you, however I have a sneaky feeling that some members are going to “wind” you up just for the hell of it 😗

Mad Dog · Mar 30, 2018

Archer
Hey MD...I'm a little confused...

You say the watch had "mismatched screws" and then used a photo to show that, but looking closer at said area of the photo you posted both screws appear blued:

So basically my question is...WTF?

Cheers, Al

@cicindela has been dorrking with my pics that I posted here. 😲

He’s so crafty! 😁

Here are pics [of pics] of the originals...

Not matchy-matchy [or correct] due to the existing blued screw...

Blue screw was removed, blueing was carefully removed, screw was cleaned and then screw was re-installed...now matchy-matchy...

Archer · Mar 30, 2018

Mad Dog
@cicindela has been dorrking with my pics that I posted here. 😲

😁👍

Waltesefalcon · Mar 30, 2018

Blueing should easily come off with vinegar if you soak it overnight.

Mad Dog · Mar 30, 2018

Waltesefalcon
Blueing should easily come off with vinegar if you soak it overnight.

Mad Dog · Mar 30, 2018

Toishome
Come on Dog, why did you do that? I like blue 🙁

Blue is good, sir...especially on the front side. 👍

Toishome · Mar 30, 2018

Mad Dog
Blue is good, sir...especially on the front side. 👍

This one looks VERY goody goody 👍

Deafboy · Mar 30, 2018

I like the single-piece-preloaded-lever-spring-regulator on your watch.

Mad Dog · Mar 30, 2018

Toishome
This one looks VERY goody goody 👍

Thanks, sir. 👍

Too bad the pic below doesn’t look bluey-bluey...looks blacky-blacky. 🙁

Mad Dog · Mar 30, 2018

So here's a question for y'all...when I re-installed the de-blued balance jewel setting screw, how tight should that screw be? At the AWCI introduction to watchmaking course that our daughter and I recently attended, screw tightness was addressed...tighten screws down until they stop and then continue to tighten the screws another screw slot's width. We didn't have balance jewel setting screws on the balances of our ETA 6497-1s at the AWCI course...so are the balance jewel setting screws that are on my Waltham Vanguard 1908 [in this thread] tightened in the same manner as the AWCI addressed during our watchmaking course?

LATE ENTRY: @Archer , @Canuck , @ChrisN , @Deafboy , @JimInOz .

voere · Mar 30, 2018

Mad Dog
So here's a question for y'all...when I re-installed the de-blued balance jewel setting screw, how tight should that screw be? At the AWCI introduction to watchmaking course that our daughter and I recently attended, screw tightness was addressed...tighten screws down until they stop and then continue to tighten the screws another screw slot's width. We didn't have balance jewel setting screws on the balances of our ETA 6497-1s at the AWCI course...so are the balance jewel setting screws that are on my Waltham Vanguard 1908 [in this thread] tightened in the same manner as the AWCI addressed during our watchmaking course?

You can always use German torque specs Goodentight.

voere · Mar 30, 2018

Mad Dog
So here's a question for y'all...when I re-installed the de-blued balance jewel setting screw, how tight should that screw be? At the AWCI introduction to watchmaking course that our daughter and I recently attended, screw tightness was addressed...tighten screws down until they stop and then continue to tighten the screws another screw slot's width. We didn't have balance jewel setting screws on the balances of our ETA 6497-1s at the AWCI course...so are the balance jewel setting screws that are on my Waltham Vanguard 1908 [in this thread] tightened in the same manner as the AWCI addressed during our watchmaking course?

Mad Dog
On a serious note. You did a great job. KUDOS on a task well done. Nice watch!

Huus · Mar 31, 2018

Well done sir, done some nice work there.👍
But TWO POINT FIFVE (2.5) HOURS and not a cup of DD coffee in sight? How did you manage that?😕

gostang9 · Mar 31, 2018

Mad Dog
...one of my railroad grade pocket watches, a 23j Waltham Vanguard 1908...

Mad Dog
Blue is good, sir...especially on the front side. 👍

Honest question: do these come up for sale, where, and what would they normally sell for?

I’ve always thought pocket watches were cool, and this one is particularly attractive with the blue hands!

Archer · Mar 31, 2018

Waltesefalcon
Blueing should easily come off with vinegar if you soak it overnight.

Not sure what your experience is with using vinegar, but this would likely leave a dull black finish. Soaking overnight may result in a lot less screw being there in the morning also, so I would proceed with caution on that one...

eugeneandresson · Mar 31, 2018

Hey MD

Awesome stuff. But despite political correctness, wouldn't it have looked totally much wickeder if you rather blued the non blue screw? I think however, despite the outcome, that screw will be forever blue...

👍

E

Mad Dog · Mar 31, 2018

gostang9
Honest question: do these come up for sale, where, and what would they normally sell for?

I’ve always thought pocket watches were cool, and this one is particularly attractive with the blue hands!

Thanks, sir...the watch addressed and pictured in this thread is my railroad grade Waltham Vanguard 1908 with winding indicator which was manufactured around 1929. Many if not most vintage railroad grade pocket watches have blued steel hands.

Like other watches, there are many vintage pocket watches for sale on eBay as well as at forums that appeal to pocket watch enthusiasts/collectors such as the NAWCC and IHC185 forums...and like other watches, the prices can vary greatly based on rarity, correctness and condition, condition, condition...as well as the presence of boxes and/or papers. For example, a basic vintage railroad grade pocket watch such as a Hamilton 992 could range in price from about $100 to $300...hundreds of thousands of these were produced. Somewhat more rare and more complicated railroad grade pocket watches [such as my Waltham Vanguard 1908 with winding indicator addressed in this thread] can range in price from about $600 to $1200...and for even more rare and highly sought after pieces, the prices can climb to several thousands of dollars.

Waltesefalcon · Apr 1, 2018

Archer
Not sure what your experience is with using vinegar, but this would likely leave a dull black finish. Soaking overnight may result in a lot less screw being there in the morning also, so I would proceed with caution on that one...

It leaves more of a dull grey finish that is pretty easy to polish up. I have used it on pocket watch hands that I've reblued with good results.

Archer · Apr 1, 2018

Waltesefalcon
It leaves more of a dull grey finish that is pretty easy to polish up. I have used it on pocket watch hands that I've reblued with good results.

The point I was making is that simply soaking it in vinegar doesn't replicate what Mad Dog has done. Bluing is so easy to polish off there's really no point in soaking it beforehand, because you will have to polish it anyway...