Regulating a Vostok

[@charl1em0uze89]

Its pretty careless to poke a freshly broken toothpick into the internals of any watch and then to make matters worse use a pin tool. The broken pieces of wood from the toothpick could fall into the movement. The pin tool could slip and scratch something. The toothpick is an OK tool to use but please cut with a shape blade and finish so that there are no splinters that can fall out.

[@jetaddict420]

The movement costs like 20 euro to replace and are made by the thousands lmao

[@chasekemp4982]

Considering all the shavings of metal I found inside my new amphibia I wouldn’t be worried about the toothpick aside from hitting the spring.

[@kimballwiggins3976]

thinking the same thing

[@BaddaBigBoom]

@@jetaddict420 I have to ask: I know it was two years ago and you might not remember but were you literally laughing your arse off when you typed this?

[@LesterLovesWatches]

If you regulate it while it’s on a timegrapher you can see instantly what difference your regulation has made. They’re really cheap and useful.

[@RyanKentBarnhart]

Watching you break that toothpick over the open watch back gave me anxiety! Lol. I'm always paranoid about dust or hair getting in there while I'm working, much less tiny wood particles. :D

[@watchsymposium]

Ya, I really need to up my game when it comes to tinkering with watches!

[@seanpollard4844]

I got mine down to +5 and it has stayed that way for a few years now. It was originally -30 and I prefer it running fast to running slow. It only takes a fraction of a millimeter of moving the regulating arm to see a difference in timekeeping. You can change out the bezel pretty easy too. These are fun to modify, customize, learn and experiment with.

[@pacocandano]

The best watch for the price and really can be regulated with a toothpick...good video!

[@watchsymposium]

Thanks Paco!

[@BaddaBigBoom]

After a few years ownership of about ten Vostoks, I find that they can be decidedly schizophrenic on a timegrapher. Even after a couple of minutes left absolutely untouched to stabilise, they can drift from +10 seconds to -70 then +25, then -50 etc etc. Almost impossible to find a starting point for regulation. I have one of mine (fully wound) on the timegrapher right now and at the moment it's reading -9 sec (crown down) will report back after a minute... Ok, it went to +16. I just accept that they are going to be about 30 sec out no matter what. The thing is, they're cheap, full of character, rough and ready and phenomenally watertight, they claim 200m but a real time test had the watch fail at over 800m!! I have Swiss luxury watches in my collection but my Vostoks will always sit side by side with them and be used with pride.

[@shawnwright5332]

👍🇨🇦

[@sliderulelover]

You made a serious error in using a metal device to regulate your watch. If it was magnetized, it could have transferred some magnetism to the sensitive watch components. You should always use a non-magnetizable tool like a toothpick.

[@watchsymposium]

Great advice - thanks!

[@alexrandom1292]

Thanks for sharing Austin, i have the mechanical `Vostok (Komandirskye) and i opened it up about 5 years ago to play with regulating it, it's a fun watch as you say to practice on and being cheaper than other watches you are more inclined to open and play with it. i love it and love your Amphibia!

[@watchsymposium]

Thanks Alex - they are fun watches, for sure!

[@billcox2990]

Hi Austin, Thats the way to start learning. You certainly seem to have a deft touch. I have found difficult jobs become more easy with the right tools. You can see how your adjustment works without a timegrapher by checking performance over a fixed period with an accurate source. A timegrapher will also give you other information though which can be valuable in seeing how close to service your watch is. The offer still stands if you find yourself down this way so don't forget your two seikos. I reckon you can do one with some guidance and I'll do the other. I enjoyed your blogs from Amsterdam and seeing some cool watches. Bill

[@watchsymposium]

Cheers Bill!

[@mikesmith5389]

It took 2 days of trial and a lot of error to regulate mine to within +3 seconds a day. It was +30 seconds which was too much. I found that small gentle taps on the regulating lever was more reliable than pushing it as that tends to result in over shooting the point where you want it. A timegrapher would have saved a lot of time and energy but as all my other automatics are running just fine it seemed a bit stupid to spend 5 times the price of the watch on an instrument to regulate it.

[@pmimagery1295]

Thanks for this. I'm thinking of adjusting one of my Vostoks and now I know what lever to move.

[@glenh4971]

That is really cool to see you working on that watch. Great job.

[@jaakkooksa5374]

The idiosyncratic structure of the back cover is a Soviet/Russian specialty. The actual back cover does not turn, only the ring that secures it in place does.

[@gallodemedianoche8138]

Excellent video camera choosed! The watch movement is clearly seen!

[@juanpedro19840914]

40-dollar Vostok, you said at 4:15?! Where and how? Mine was about $100 in Poland.

[@gregrepac6654]

Mine was $85 CAD in Canada.

[@juanpedro19840914]

@@gregrepac6654. Still impressive.

[@Junior-rw3jm]

Just paid $125 for a K-35 🤭

[@stewartrood3633]

This was very long winded to get to the point of regulating the watch. I was surprised by the use of a wooden tooth pick considering you had a reasonable quality rear plate removal tool and then you re-assembled without leaving it for 24 hours to see if you had actually adjusted it to the accuracy you wanted. I have 14 of such watches both self wind and mechanical they are great watches for the money.

[@BaddaBigBoom]

It was a good choice ...no magnetism and gentle on precision areas ...they were very splintery though :-O

[@wabbitpoop]

I was hoping you would show adjusting beat error

[@speedingpenguin]

0:24 “it’s great that I have this strap on…” 😳

[@pokie6087]

My new Amfibia is running about 60 seconds fast a day. I approached a watch maker who told me I need to wear it for a week or two before making any adjustments to allow the components to bed in. He says it may well settle down.

[@hb9145]

Mine is also very fast. How did it work out?

[@pokie6087]

@@hb9145 In the end I regulated it myself. I would only advise doing this if you are 100% confident. I did it over a few days and the best I can get it running is +8-10 seconds per 24 hours, which is quite respectable.

[@hb9145]

@@pokie6087 That's not bad. Mine is *minutes* off. I'll try demagnetizing it and see if it helps. This is my second Vostok, and they have unfortunately both been horribly inaccurate. Edit: It was magnetized, so it runs much better now.

[@blueshirtbuddah1665]

Very interesting. Thanks Austin

[@baladinbaladin2549]

Bonsoir faut til changer les joints d une vostok Amphibia et ou trouver les joint?MERCI Cr j avais mal refeme mon remontoir et elle a pris l humiditee

[@zillsburyy1]

the best is their vostok panerai

[@danijelkruselj1855]

I am totally disappointed with my Amfibia 07680 newer model. At the beginning it started ca +20sec per day now after 2 year is 60 sec per day too much.

[@oscarosullivan4513]

Regulate it yourself

[@yogeshkhorwal8065]

Great Bro one quick question did you make slower or faster the watch ?

[@wyattreynolds5193]

I overwound my recently purchased Amphibia. How do I release tension on the mainspring with the caseback removed?

[@theopinion9452]

Are the Vostoks a great watch or what's your humble opinion?

[@watchsymposium]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/oWWQhnSmqa5rmbc

[@masdatube]

I did a régulation of my VA using the app watch accuracy meter and the results are optimal cos in the the day use loss 5 sec an at night with the watch in 12 up win second to compensate the loss.!!!! Is not easy but you need tu calibrate every possition of the watch.

[@BaddaBigBoom]

Most important part ...DID IT WORK!?

[@BaddaBigBoom]

...I guess we'll never know.

[@bri13wvu1]

if I were you, I'd pull the crown to stop the movement, might reduce your chances of doing damage if you touch the balance spring, right? Like others I got nervous at that chipped and splintered toothpick near the balance. Some strips of peg wood maybe, or perhaps using a sharp knife to get a clean cut if you need to remove a broken part of the toothpick. Just my thoughts, I'm not a swiss watchmaker, just another guy who has done some work on my watches... some good, some bad...

[@oscarosullivan4513]

The movement doesn’t hack

[@jesper99]

What kind of screwdriver should I use for tightening the rotor

[@Marc-yj6gn]

Regulating a watch without a timegrapher is like sending an e-mail to the Watch maker god… By the way you’ve set it upside down….

[@13Hangfire]

Amazing! Take a five second job and stretch it into an eight minute video!

[@jalmagro36]

Great, thanks. Near the lever you moved there's a wider one (same axis). What is thatt for?

[@watchsymposium]

Beat rate, I think.

[@fabiosilvestre5096]

Half of video trying to remove caseback...😂 try Bergeon tools...

[@GeckoCkCkCk]

Best to use wood, but not drop splinters in the watch. ;) Metal tools risk being magnetic and magnetizing the hairspring.

[@terryschmidt8259]

very useful video . would like to see more vostok videos .

[@MrBrosan989]

You have money for rolexes and yet the tools are "too expensive"... Something sounds wrong...

[@jonathanm877]

My vostok 211783, gains about 2 minutes in a week, but never looses time. I'm ok if it stays like this.

[@t-55am2b5]

Maybe it's magnetized? You should take it for demagnetizing.

[@PaulGPhotography]

Hi there,great vid. How often do you wind your Vostok?

[@watchsymposium]

Hi Paul, I'd give it a wind once a day. The automatic rotor probably works alright, but I've had the watch stop when relying just on it winding automatically. Maybe it was running down because the rotor wasn't winding it enough. I've never had any problems when hand-winding it daily.

[@derrickmurad307]

What’s the model number for that watch?

[@Junior-rw3jm]

Not $40 anymore 😬

[@nickkendall3764]

Download clock tuner app its free hold headset mic onto crystal with bluetac and bam free timegrapher .you can find video's on youtube proving the apps accurate enough for the job compaired against a legit whitchi timegrapher .hope this helps ya .good luck have fun

[@jennyomalley7634]

Wonder when he's used up that tooth-pick will he revert to a claw-hammer 🤣

[@Singl_036]

Зачем любителю залезать своими руками в часы не имея приборов,выставлять градусник на глазок,какой то зубочисткой??Ответьте мне кто может понимает смысл этих движений!))