How to repair a bent hairspring watch repair tutorials

[@88jolzenrocket]

I’ve been repairing clocks for better than 50 years and dabbled in watch repair repairing my own collection from time to time. As watch repairmen are becoming fewer and fewer (a dying profession) I decided to adopt the trade together with my clock repair business. This channel is a Godsend teaching the self-taught in the professional art of watch repair

[@orvilleboutilier381]

This can be a very time consuming job if the hairspring is badly bent. While learning this procedure, I ruined a lot of hairsprings over many hours but now I can revisit the bad hairsprings with the goal of fixing them and actually making them work. For me, the keys are Patience, the right tweezers, more patience, good lighting, more patience and taking a break when the the time is right. UNderstand that I am only a year into learning this craft overall and I decided to focus heavily on hairsprings and the balance because if you are going to get into trouble, it's very helpful to know how to handle this very delicate device and how to fix it if things go wrong. These videos are worth their time in gold. Many thanks to Mark for putting them up.

[@sergiohegner8844]

What tweezers sizes? I only have a Dumont 2 among other cheaper ones . Do I need a 5 one? Thank you!

[@josetjaycastro4778]

⁠​⁠@@sergiohegner8844Hey there! I know this a year old commment, and you may have already got some tweezers to work on hairsprings. But I wanted to contribute a little. At first I used a pair of Dumont #5 and # 3, but I found that the Dumont #7 are great because they are curved and very sharp, so you can use them to work with a loupe or under the microscope, and they don’t get in the way letting you see better the work you are doing. Hope this helps!

[@matabogmbc]

Finally! Hairspring work! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I hope this is part one and others will follow!!! Great technique. Didn't expect you taking the collet of the balance! So in the future videos: How to put back the collet and make sure the assemply is poised; How to center the hairspring between the regulating pins; I can only hope!!! Thank you again!

[@garyjones4446]

The best Video on hairspring work to date, The voice is so crisp and clear, A great teacher! More video's of hairspring work Please!

[@piero27761]

The spiral is the main problem of the watchmakers. Following the trial comparator tells us if the spiral is ok. I thank this channel on YT that teaches us many details.

[@bad74maverick1]

I get home from a long day at work and start to work on my watches. Need hairspring advice and this guys voice lulls me right to sleep...........................

[@darrencady4261]

Hi Mark, Another great instructional video where you make this task appear much easier than it actually is. I use a pair of tweezers and a small sewing needle with the eye stoned away to make a fork held a pin vice which I use to straddle the spring and then with gentle twisting motions bring the spring back to where it should be. I've found this works particularly well with blued steel pocket watch hairsprings. Thank you for a great video.

[@jamesgoins6336]

Few people give so easily and kindly; GREAT JOB!!! This video helped me to a high degree...

[@RaMa-vg7zy]

...Thanks for giving a lesson to a rookie - trying my first Caliber running again - a Bergmann 582 - and yes the hairspring ist obviously bent. Your tips will help bring in order again ... (:-) ...

[@garyjonson1872]

i'll tell you what Mark i have been a mechanic for 40 years and i have done a lot of home-made fixing but i have NEVER done a spring fixing like what you just did.. you are THE SHIT!!!

[@fivestring]

I would just like to thank you for your tutorials... calmly delivered and detailed. Helped me a great deal in sorting out issues that ordinarily i would have bought a new part for instead of repairing. Great stuff.

[@EPaulIII]

I am an absolute novice at this, but this is a great video. Now I need to find the later one which shows how to deal with the hairspring being bent up/down. I have one on my bench which is a real mess. Wish me luck.

[@amezcuaist]

I sorted my carriage clocks after watching these videos. A great teacher .

[@pedroc741]

OMG I can't believe that I fixed my old seiko just watching your videos... I'm just 16 man XD Hahahaa my seiko was so fast that a minute was token in just 48 seconsd, I really dunno how I can I thank you Folk.. YOU'RE AWESOME!! Big thanks from brazil to you!

[@Limou551]

Are you sure did you fixed it? If its not well fixed your making more damage than before. Like a bad oil idrty inside. etccc. And by the way , if a watch dont beat like a quartz, its not fixed, it pass 6 months and my watches keep the same time than a quartz, all i have to do is wind it up, sometimes i even forget they are mechanic....

[@jafferali2272]

@@Limou551 please can you advise me which oil can I use

[@ivanfilinoff1076]

Thank You!!! Это замечательно!!! Просто супер! Большой привет из Белоруссии!

[@olivermundy4220]

Thank you so much for your videos. I am faced with the task of rectifying the spring on an 1826 fusee, and this of course has difficulties of its own (don't you love those tiny brass pins?), but it is reassuring to know that a bent spring can be re-shaped and that this can be done with only the simplest of tools.

[@watchandjewelryloft4713]

Excellent video. I do repairs, but have not mastered the hairspring work. Mostly because I didn't fully understand the way it reacts to manipulation. This video really cleared my understanding. Also, what would one charge to the customer for work like this? I find that most customers are not willing to spend the money on a cleaning/service, not to mention hairspring work or replacing parts. But, there are still the customers who will spend the money no matter the cost. Mostly when it is a sentimental item. Thanks again for the great video. Can't wait to work on some of my old junk sitting around!

[@boydsargeant7496]

Thanks Mark, good stuff! I particularly liked the check with the regulator in its extreme positions!

[@Ed-lz4jv]

Excellent work there, I had watched the dutch guy do this, most the same...but you added texting it on the pallet. Thanks

[@stearman]

Very well illustrated. This little task is a mystery to a lot of people and was for me for many years. I always took my hairspring jobs to an older watch maker and he was finished in mere minutes.He would take a hairspring that looked like a boy scout knot and hand it back to me looking perfect again. I thought he was a magician at the time. There are plenty of junk movements with bent springs to practice on for anyone wanting to master this common task. Thanks for posting this.

[@MrRoundel]

Great video, thanks. I was working on a small vintage ladies pendant watch. Everything was going great until I put the balance in. It seemed like there was no endshake, or something what hanging up, as the balance wouldn't move under spring power. I pulled the hairspring and noticed that the hairspring was out of flat and one side was rubbing on the balance arm. I had almost resigned myself to paying an expert watchmaker, when I saw your video. It's pretty much what I figured, but I was afraid to try manipulating it without seeing it being done. With my new confidence, and due caution, I think I'll get her running after all. Thanks again. Great videos you guys put up!

[@Suesses-Einhorn]

Your video is amazing, is there any information on how these parts like the spring and the jewels are made in the factory, would be very interesting, seems like magic.

[@chriswebb3709]

excellent video! your precision and mannerism is very highly respected thank you.

[@amezcuaist]

My carriage clocks only had tiny brass wedges to hold the spring ends. I made a bigger replacement from some brass plating that had peeled off an old rusty window catch . I shaped it with a small diamond file .

[@billhammonds4930]

That was helpful. I look forward to seeing your video about correcting up or down deviations of the hairspring.

[@fairycake12345]

I used to repair watches for a living in the early 70's but changed career and gave up. I used this technique obviously but what it reminds me of is asking the customer "have you had the back off?" no, no and taking the back off and finding the hairspring in a fur ball and repeating are you sure?, no, no. Thinking back, happy days.I am in Scotland and there were a lot of cheap timexes from Dundee around so you could have a laugh at the customers' expense sometimes.

[@charleskwan2005]

Afterall, it's a hairspring, that's just where it belongs, either human's, or animal's 😁

[@RussMeister70]

Very helpful. I have a loop on my hair spring. I'll prob just replace it. My question is how to ID the movement and purchase the proper spring.

[@martinstabb7059]

Very useful video on fixing the hairspring but can if be refined to the balance wheel using a hand pusher? I don't have a staking set.

[@DutchClawz]

Watching this for the 5th time in a row in an attempt to fix my vintage hairspring

[@michaelmmontuori]

thank you. This video helped to realize that I was doing wrong with the hairspring...

[@victordepaula6000]

great video !! Do you know how I can clean my hairspring ?

[@ВалентинВендичанский]

Искренне благодарен Вам за уроки. Спаси Вас Господи за столь полезное дело.

[@alexisdupont6103]

Thank you for taking the time to demonstrate this

[@adrianbirkett594]

Hi Mark, with all these wonderful watch repair tools we have at our disposal , what defines a scrap movement?. I often see you tubers with working scrap movements??. Thanks for the video, great help with tricky hair springs!. Adrian. 🍀

[@trondschjlberg3322]

Thanks a lot for very useful information, I see now that I have distorted many hairsprings when I have been tinkering.......would you please consider making a video of how to dismantle the complete Incabloc system? Best regards from Trond in Norway:-)

[@bonenfant96]

I wish I had half of your craftmanship.

[@TommyTightPants0115]

Fantastic video mark as always its been some time since your last video welcome back !!!! please more work on hairsprings best wishers ady

[@stephenheatherly6254]

I made a mess of the hairspring in a cylindre pocket watch I own. I think I may be able to fix it, but if not, where can I purchase a new one? Any advice on how to size a hairspring so I get the proper one? Thank you

[@gregorymarchenko203]

thank you for your training videos! always look with pleasure!

[@missakhaladjian]

Hello. i have a favre leuba old watch thats missing the hairspring. Any advice where and how can i find one to replace it myself? thank you for your awesome videos, you are truly inspiring us to get into watch servicing.

[@miroslavgeorgiev1001]

Excellent and very helpful video! But I need to ask what kind of camera and lens you are using to make so close video and they are so crisp?

[@crobulari2328]

. Good video`s skilled watch repairer. Never seen anyone spring a watch on here though. Pin the collet, pin the bead. Fit new H/S. and staff to gents wrist watch I am 76 now and did this for the last time 6 months ago. Getting old and a little shaky now.

[@barrywolff4186]

Excellent tutorial - clear and precise.

[@cat637d]

Very interesting and practical instruction, well done!

[@WatchRepairChannel]

cat637d Thanks :)

[@AshraJewels]

Hi Mark, Thank you for uploading another brilliant video! I wonder if you can shed some advice on my hairspring adjustment. I have the hairspring at an angle but it's coming from maybe the first coil from the collet. Any idea on how you would approach this? Once again many thanks for a brilliant channel. Wish I could be your apprentice!! :)

[@lenspaulding]

whenever I buy a watch that is missing it's second hand, or any hand actually....I have to bring it to the jeweler....I always wanted to know how to replace missing second hands or minute and hour hands without going through the hundreds of hands I have in my collection...can you help? (Love all your videos and thanks for doing them)....Len

[@madjanx]

I have been looking for a way to do this for a very long time. Thank you so much for sharing!

[@anderseriksson4812]

Very interesting and useful clip! Thank you Mark!

[@willford8475]

Very interesting. What could cause such damage to the spring?

[@WatchRepairChannel]

Will Ford It can possibly happen by accident, e.g. a watch owner trying to regulate the watch themselves and then slipping and bending the spring.

[@gianni7144]

grande maestro. imparo molto dai tuoi video. molto chiaro. grande.

[@tonismalkov]

this is a great tutorial, thanks.

[@lieven1254]

Do you take request video's? I would love to see how you regulate a watch after service..

[@yuriyvakulenko]

+1

[@TomTom-up1kz]

Very good work keep moving thanks for you from Iraq 👍👍👏👏👏👏

[@TedToth-b9n]

Did you ever make a video showing how to repair a hairspring that is bent upwards/downwards? I looked at you channel but didn't see anything.

[@davidhipperson7548]

Excellent teaching aid. Thanks.

[@brucekessler2531]

Wow thank you that was a great help!

[@Jonas_GD_1234]

what would that kind of repair roughly cost?

[@SwissplWatches]

Exceptional tutorial, thank you

[@jannekaukiainen1471]

That is very useful advice. Thanks!

[@yasyasmarangoz3577]

I love this channel

[@RollingCinemar]

Very useful tutorial

[@robertdoan499]

How flat was the hairspring after your manipulations? Why didn't you show making it perfectly flat?

[@davidwall6020]

excellent video

[@ViMode-t3c]

Great.... godd manuality!

[@nueve7089]

Hello I need your support. I need to know what alternative can I use for a hairspring fits in a omega 26.5SOBT2?

[@johncunningham5435]

What causes the hairspring to twist and kink?

[@patientzero0003]

Thank you. First time seeing that.

[@josmo506]

awesome tutorial! thank you!

[@WatchRepairChannel]

josmo506 Cheers Josmo! :)

[@adik9441]

Thank you sir

[@bonenfant96]

What a usefull video. Thanks.

[@mapron21]

Excellent thanks.

[@denmark4511]

Хорошая работа

[@nuevohermes]

Thanks

[@Foxrock321]

Just buy a new spring! Ha ha…no really thank you for this tutorial, very informative, better than reading a book..

[@JimboJones2022]

What are symptoms of a bent hairspring?

[@MauricioRamosdaSilva]

What can I do if the hairspring endlink is broken next to regulator?

[@Limou551]

buy a new one

[@jaypeeRaptormotovlog]

wel done.. its helpfull

[@nigelsandeman2642]

Your scrap watches are better than my good ones...

[@weerobot]

Great Video...Now I have my Lockdown Tasks...lol

[@magnum44402]

very nice

[@dysanmf2h]

WoW a 9 year old video how to fix a bent coil . Areal treasure this lesson is. I have a couple that are round only half who can help me on how ro fixed them will be very much appreciated I have 4 watches to fix. Please help me, thank you.

[@nitinparmar5365]

Hare spring bananeka outometic machine dekhao

[@7amny]

I have a watch which fullly winded but not working at all. What could be the issue here? Thank you!

[@jafferali2272]

It needs full service

[@MrGilesbrittain]

Trying to straighten a 4205 hairspring, but it's so damn tiny am doing more harm than good. Very frustrating :(

[@anilsakat9797]

Awesome

[@aparetix]

Fabulous

[@suj1945]

Awesome.

[@angusyoung5862]

Great

[@asmobrat]

Hi Mark... There's easier way to do that i am using... Or just i felt easier i am not sure. I never remove the hairspring from the cock. Just remove the wheel and work actually on the cock, and of course putting a stick on the jewel hole for keeping the hairspring disk centered, just moveable up and down... i just rub the spring gently, so i can repair the bent points and align the coils well... I don't know if there's anyone to work with this method but i feel easier and less risk on it...

[@SimonPollock1]

Hi Asmobrat - how do you remove the wheel?

[@marcelouhlig3475]

I wish i had watched this earlier. Ive just destroyed the hairspring of my watch beyond repair just now

[@gtb81.]

i didn't think that the hair spring had to be that perfect, i have a watch that the hair spring is bent a little and it runs perfectly, and the adjustment is almost in the middle of its travel

[@danmasaj]

Hello, i need help with a vostok europe, i want to ask you something..please.

[@fairycake12345]

oooh the love/hate of "OVERWOUND"

[@seikibrian8641]

This is a hairspring/balance spring, not a mainspring/drive spring.

[@sbenjapong]

👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@ranjitkumarsaha1302]

I am aware that nowadays it's a bit difficult to obtain hairspring of different strengths. Previously it was available in small packs of 1-4, 4-7 and so on. I made many hairspring for other watchmaker from 1960, even Breguet hairspring to fit wrist watches as well as pocket watches by counting and determining its bits first. There are many companies making hairspring in India, France and other countries as well. Thanks

[@سعيدالاسد-ك1خ]

💖💖💖💖👍

[@heklik]

my hair spring is much worse..

[@allancrotch2953]

fantastic .thank you

[@binkyboobosh1]

This is a nasty job which seems so common a problem, nowadays. It's much easier to work on a pocket watch, as shown here. Clearly, filming needs required a bigger spring to work on. The smaller the movement and the shorter the hairspring, the more difficult it gets. Tiny hairsprings, as on the Omega 625 are horrible and very time consuming. Very soft metal, easy to make worse, very, very small and short and difficult to remove from the balance staff. The shortage of spares has meant that things have to be worked on rather than being replaced. With fewer people about who can do the work, it has meant a huge number of 'needs a service' watches on ebay. Spares, both NOS and from scrapped watches have become extremely expensive.

[@angusyoung5862]

Great