How To Remove Scratches & Polish a Watch Clasp or Bracelet Without Power Tools

Thanks for supporting me on Patreon: www.patreon.co... A practical, straightforward tutorial on removing scratches and refinishing/polishing a stainless steel wristwatch clasp or bracelet without power tools. Significantly improve the beat-up finish on your wristwatch's stainless parts. With some simple supplies and a little patience, I show how a stainless clasp is restored after years of wear. I give advice about the kind of technique which works for me and show my honest results with good lighting. Featuring a Hamilton butterfly clasp, this has worked on Omega and Rolex style bracelets for me as well with great results.
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Supplies used:
3M Wet/Dry Sandpaper 1500 & 2000 grit
Cape Cod Cloth
3M Rubber Block
Clean microfiber cloth
Water
Dish soap if needed
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[@richbrake9910]

I have this same Hamilton watch. Received it on Dec. 25th 1981. Still works.

[@TheJamesicle]

The music makes this sound like the strangest Saturday Night Live closing credits ever.

[@brianhinder3652]

Excellent and useful video. I have no patience at all however I can see many of your subscribers giving this a go.

[@555Gear]

Thanks Brian I appreciate you watching. Cheers, Andrew

[@inventor1v]

A drop of washing up liquid or dish soap in the water used for keeping the wet and dry paper wet will help with lubrication and make a better job of the sanding.

[@patrick2day]

Absolutely beautiful and eye opening. Almost like sharpening a knife with my japanese water stones :D

[@richardbouska1504]

Wow! You did an amazing job! Kudos!

[@555Gear]

Thanks!

[@hypnovike]

Time to book mark the video for the future when my watch gets scratched!

[@555Gear]

Yep this is a reference video :)

[@richard-ru7hj]

555 Gear Hey , i have a stainless steel watch , all of it is stainless steel. It has glass and diamonds around it , do you think i have to remove the part where all the mechanism is at to prevent diamond and glass damage?

[@robertdistefano5106]

excellent method for refinishing silver flat wire.

[@BillKinsman]

Looks a lot better for sure. I can't stand looking at scratches myself

[@carlap3414]

Does this work work on hardware for purses?

[@brandonsmal]

very interesting video thanks for the good advice!

[@555Gear]

Thank you for watching!

[@Tsvetan_Dikov]

Excellent video! The music is also great! Could you please let me know the song in the 5th minute? Thanks

[@PocketUau]

What grit should I get if I want a very fine brushed finish to then use Cape Cod cloths on? I have a steel band that I wanted to turn from mirror covered in scratches to a very very fine brushed finish.

[@davejr24m]

Do you know where I can purchase that Clasp? I have my 42mm KHAKI FIELD AUTO being delivered on Thursday and would love to retrofit it with that

[@bobfrombrisbane1831]

Great video, I will give this a go at some stage. Cheers.

[@555Gear]

Glad you liked it. Cheers!

[@-acebalisong-4346]

Will this work on a stone wash finished stainless steel blade?

[@jassimalhamdan6707]

does this work with copper?

[@MonogoldStars]

Hi there, just wanna know if you can actually help me on where to buy most the item you used. I’m in Malaysia anyway.

[@TheHarjaap]

Did you buy this Hamilton Khaki watch with the shown clasp or did you buy it from elsewhere?

[@andrewpoon6633]

Another great video thank you! Maybe you could do a watch crystal polishing one someday?

[@555Gear]

Will do, thanks for the suggestion!

[@want3622]

sounds like ray romano

[@eddiecrow9133]

does this work on belt buckles?

[@narfwarsalltheway577]

can I use this method for a watch casing?

[@buffalojumper8976]

Where can I get that strap?

[@skiiddy]

is this better with french fries or curly fries?

[@AddieDutskinova]

Anyone knows if it works on gold plated metal?

[@wongcheemun3718]

Could you explain the science behind this? Why use sandpaper and not straight to the cape cod cloth?

[@555Gear]

Mostly because I wanted both a brushed and a polished finish, with the polished finish on the beveled edges. You could use the Cape Cod cloth for like clean up even on a brushed surface though. Good question!

[@MrJSkillz7]

Will this work on a Hermes belt buckle?

[@MrJoeakd]

junior jskillz absolutely not. The buckle is plated brass and you will destroy it.

[@alienware409]

Unless ofcourse, its fake

[@davidskeeterskeeter1835]

junior jskillz ,,Aghhhhh, NO, , seriously,,no,,👍

[@bradyspears1843]

... Steel wool pad ...

[@bravobear1844]

What that strap??!

[@nikhilmathur6042]

If it is a expensive watch don’t do this because watches specifically vintage watches loose value when they are polished

[@nearlyretired7005]

I agree you should not polish a watch case,it can reduce its value. You can lightly polish a bracelet to make it look better, or if it's bad replace the bracelet. If I were buying a vintage watch,I would expect it to have dents or scratches to some extent to prove its originality.It it were immaculate,I would not buy it!

[@thegodtae8584]

Can I do this with my Gucci belt? The buckle is hella scratched.

[@paulstevenson200]

Muzak - for what?

[@KRBY555]

this is very aggressive. try just a metal polish and microfibre

[@markgonzalez1165]

I ended up using the song to strip on my girl for her bday thanks

[@KaHoJakeLeung]

How do you remove scratches on zinc alloy? Can I use this technique on Zinc Alloy? Please help me out. Jake #WWETitle #WWETitlePlate #ZincAlloy #TitleBelt #WWEBelt #WWEBeltPlate

[@mheditzzz7654]

This is not working👎

[@syedabbas2333]

Some times not avilable this powder.please find easyer method

[@user-DeDub]

60 mins on one link, lucky this is a leather strap

[@Fransamsterdam]

Only cleaning thoroughly with liquid soap made my watches look as reborn. Brilliant tip! I think about opening a 'Watch-Wash'. 😊

[@mitchm331]

Awesome DIY Andrew! I swear by the Cape Cod polishing clothes for such jobs. They are inexpensive, and like you say, they work great and last FOREVER!

[@555Gear]

Thanks, glad you liked it. Cape Cod cloths were a revelation to me when I heard about them a few years ago!

[@brucekaralash5054]

Cool!!! Gonna try this on my Swiss military clasp...thanks

[@555Gear]

I hope it works for you!

[@wheelch0ck]

Just make sure to go in the same direction as the metal grains...

[@carlomagnotm]

nice nice,i would have used the 5k sand paper then use the polish cloths haha i like to polish many metal stuff i also can tell you that car paint polisher no2 or no1 helps ALOT in the final product it will make ur surface shine like a glass, cheers i liked your video :D

[@ralpherizonie1785]

Crazy as fuck to use wet and dry lol 😂

[@brandonmendoza7209]

I dont think its overkill to tape up the areas that dont need buffing. I'd say its a necessary step

[@alj.granda8252]

98%, very good. I've used dry Scotch brite in green for brushed stainless only. Gentle even strokes, then I use a dab of car polish.

[@melodychest9020]

By far the best polished music I have heard .. soothing .. awesome tips man! Genius!

[@uhwhatuhdexter3165]

thanks kermit the frog

[@TheGregWallace]

I use my dremel with stainless steel polish and I'm done in one minute..... If I want the satin finish after I'm done with my dremel I would use the fine sand paper.

[@Dunkaroos248]

I always go for a scotch brite green scrubby for quick touch ups

[@thesmartbudgetchannel2940]

To: 555 Gear: Thumbs up. Sharing this video. Thanks for posting this tutorial.

[@555Gear]

Thanks for watching & sharing it!

[@michaelmudge3080]

Hello, I have a question. My watch I want to remove some scratches from also has stainless steal on almost half the face of the watch. Do you think I can apply the same method you used to clean your stainless steal band to the face of my watch? I feel that logically it should work because its the same material, however I dont want to mess up the face of my watch either. Any imput or help you might have would be great! Thanks!

[@Claus-L.Mueller]

Perfect result! Thanks for this video. I'm going to polish my clasps as well.

[@555Gear]

I hope it works well for you!

[@Bartsimpsons0n]

hey i did this to my sub bracelet and it came out a bit too shiny.. You did say start 1500 grit then go to 2000.. i did that then the 2000 made it shiny i think. am i pressing to hard on the 2000 grit?

[@pickles632]

how do you get the cape cod cloth smell off, ive used alcohol and its driving me crazy. the smell is horible

[@11202]

Love the presentation and vibe to the video. Checked out your channel and love the content there as well. Considér me subscribed!

[@uguree]

Bro nice video but did you have to chooce that fcking erotic music behind really?

[@OliverLanza]

Awesome video! Cool music, who is the artist.

[@heima053]

Great vid, exactly what i was looking for! I was thinking about doing some polishing myself! I'd love to see more videos like that, maybe you could test out other similar polishing tools and do a video about removing scratches from a glass surface. Keep up the good work!

[@555Gear]

Great suggestion I'll keep that in mind!

[@azizulzulzaha]

you should try using nail polisher/shiny stick for the edges for mirror finish

[@TaMeuBem]

i read thru and was wondering, can i do this with brass? great technique and video!

[@Audittr2108]

I use scotchbrite pads for the brushed finished and polishing wheels on a Dremel for the polished areas finished with Cape Cod. I can get the bracelets 99% perfect.

[@julioseviltwin2304]

Try whitening toothpaste ;)

[@nerychristian]

You use the scotch brite the same ones as for washing dishes?

[@Audittr2108]

80's Nostalgia Guy - no, Scotchbrite fine pads (usually grey) as used in the automotive industry. They’re on eBay.

[@jacc88888]

Wow great video and great result! You would need the patience of a saint to do that on an entire watch bracelet though!

[@u.u.u9969]

That table tho...yuck

[@TheSFMCreators]

Is it safe to do to get rid of minor scratches on the case? It's brushed stainless steel but has some painted markings on it.

[@MrGolddenboy]

Excellent job mate .the little bugger looks clean as a whistle

[@555Gear]

+MrGolddenboy thanks!

[@GustavoHernandez1]

Was going to try it on a G-shock, but the scuff marks make it kinda better :)

[@555Gear]

That's the spirit :D

[@ktgage]

I scrapped off the fake metal on my watch. I though it was real metal oh boy 😮 it's okay it's just a casio

[@akinji3075]

ktgage a gold Casio digital?

[@LouisWinthorpe622]

I'm a great believer in your hand finishing method, over using power tools that some people say are better because 'it would take 5 minutes'. Your way ensures you never take off too much material by accident, leaving a gouge, say, maybe, on the angle where the brushed surface transitions on to the polished, angled edge because then, you'll have screwed up the straight line in to a squinty, wavy, line along the edge of the brushed rectangle. 'Just use a dremel', when you don't need to, is either being unaware of the potential risks, or being over-confident in your own abilities ('famous last words', as they say). Plus, as you demonstrated here, if you take your time, do it right, you get very good results. I would only go to the bother doing it if I was going to be selling the watch, though. Which is what I'm thinking of doing. Which is why I'm watching. A Longines Hydroconquest. 2 years into the 'hobby' and that's me getting bored of too many divers. Have an Oceanus on the way, anyway. 'Diver burn-out' or 'diver fatigue'. It is probably a thing.

[@joelacey4804]

mcguires compound for cars works amazingly

[@alexcordova2351]

220 people dont know what stainless steal vs coated steal is lol oops

[@michelleasistente8812]

Would this work on a Hermes belt buckle?

[@phototristan]

Bergeon actually makes polishing blocks specifically for this. They work better than sandpaper.

[@555Gear]

+PHOTOTRISTAN Meh, their polishing blocks are just silicone carbide high-grit rubberized blocks exactly like those used for automotive applications. Wouldn't be surprised if their OEM produced similar products across industries. Or do you have information otherwise? Anyway, I prefer paper to blocks because you can feel what you're doing more. At any rate, Bergeon wheels would certainly produce faster and more consistent results than any of the above.

[@istudyyou2130]

Can you do this also on a Louis Vuitton belt buckle?

[@chrisulfen8775]

how do you remove light scratches on your watch's bezel?

[@555Gear]

Same technique, just tape the crystal and the edges carefully

[@socialmediabangers6482]

Would this work on mcm belt buckle?

[@Badassblacksmith]

Try polishing high luster edges with abrasive paper, then work up to liquid metal polishes like Mother’s polish. Once you get the desired finish, you then apply the mat finish. Mask off all polished surfaces with thin clear scotch tape to keep the edges of the tape from peeling. Always wash surfaces before going up in grit to remove coarse grains to keep the finish looking consistent. You will always see streaks if you do not wash the piece and your hands in between grits. And never use the same cloth.

[@markivanenriquez5460]

Can it be use to a gold coloured stainless?

[@Stevanovic...]

Plot twist: the video is going backwards

[@dunkeljoanito]

Fastest way I know is polish te entire clasp with a dremel tool and polish compound, once all is shiny use an abrasive block (120 grit or finer) of Garryflex for the brushed finish, covering with tape the parts that are mirror polish.

[@50hellkat2]

Get dry disposable jewellery wipes from your local jewellery store.

Very impressive! Sandpaper is not what I would intuitively use for removing scratches, but your video is testimony to its effectiveness.

[@555Gear]

I must submit it's a little scary at first but the results show about halfway!

[@lalagirl211]

this method is safe for my rose gold and gold jewelry or it only works on silver ?

[@turbocharged9526]

lalagirl211 It only works for brushed or polished stainless steel, not for precious metals such as gold. Also doesn't work on watches that are plated or have a pvd coating

[@davidsonviray1403]

hi, may i ask because the caseback of my seiko 5 have a single deep scratch though it's not noticeable since it is on the caseback, do you think it can be repaired? and how much do you think it will cost? just wondering if you have any idea :)

[@skateboardist1686]

what kind of "polishing compounds and cleaners" did you use with your cape cod cloths? What polishings compounds and cleaners would you recommend to do the best job?

[@TheDuracka]

how about removing scratches from sterling silver? Shall I skip or add any steps?

[@555Gear]

+TheDuracka personally I'd take it to a jeweler!

[@PuffDiddy6969]

I need to polish my 007 omega. thanks

[@555Gear]

Nice watch hope you can clean it up nicely!

[@TheMensch]

where is the buckle from i need that butterfly clasp that can fit a thick leather strap!

[@graphguy]

what do you do? get over yourself.

[@eusupporter8438]

very useful, thank you

[@SighsInternally]

the jazz, my ears

[@atlas5919]

thanks, great video.

[@rahoffman123]

mother mag wheel cleaner done nothing more nothing less I did my citizen eco drive and now it looks better than the one in show case

[@cherylharris2895]

You've done well; well done o need to order those fine metal polishing cloths as well as the sanding paper for jewellery

[@PhuTube714]

did u polish ur finger too? the before and after of ur finger looks drastic

[@555Gear]

My whole body

[@MarcAntomattei]

I'm the 500th like. Given for the porn music.

[@vashitva26]

Sir please tell me what grit should i use to shine my belt buckle Please

[@highdesignfool]

I'd be willing to bet $50 bucks that you're an engineer

[@SuperScottie3000]

highdesignfool engineers aren’t usually good with their hands, they’re good with math. He’s a craftsman.

[@minneso5424]

No, engineers good with their hands because they are not good with women.

[@victordupont1515]

Hello, usually Hermes does only paladium, isn't that the materials you are trying to clean?