^^^^ Yes.

I put the bracelet in a small plastic bag and dunk it in hot water (after washing the dishes).

Warm it up, remove bracelet from bag and work on dry bracelet.

Guy

Bahnstormer_vRS wrote: ↑Fri Jan 20, 2023 7:35 pm ^^^^ Yes.

I put the bracelet in a small plastic bag and dunk it in hot water (after washing the dishes).

Warm it up, remove bracelet from bag and work on dry bracelet.

Guy

If you have one a heat gun will also work. Be careful as you can really heat it up. You need to watch the temp settings. I have a nice narrow tip for mine that really directs the heat flow right where I want it.

^^^^ A hair dryer ought to work?

Guy

^^^^ If it gets hot enough it should. It is a little tough to control where the heat goes unless you have one with fancy attachments.

If CW is using 242 you definitely need to heat it. 221 and 222 might not need heat but heat will make it easier.

The Rolex Bracelet Sizing kit suggests applying some acetone (nail polish remover) to loosen the Loctite.

JAFO wrote: ↑Fri Jan 13, 2023 1:40 pm

Has wrote: ↑Fri Jan 13, 2023 12:51 pm
If you have the new screwed pins then you better have a second screwdriver … and a third hand !
Unscrewing them isn’t as simple as it sounds..
You have to lock the screw on one side with of the bracelet with one screwdriver while unscrewing with the second one on the other side! And the screws are tiny! TINY!

I am not a fan of this new system!

I think they have now moved to single crew systems, probably as a result of reaction to the two screw driver, three hand requirement that you pointed out.

Sinn certainly used to make a big deal out of the twin screw system, even supplying two screwdrivers but holding opposing teensy screwdrivers onto teensy slot-headed screws, applying contra-opposing force to each screwdriver and supporting the bracelet is best entrusted to an octopus!
With no more than 2mm of thread working on each screw it's not a great system.

And if we're recommending kit for pins and collars I've settled on this over and in preference to the little thumbscrew types: the pins are a straight push through an interference fit collar and trying to apply a winding force makes no sense to me. Work on a bread board or other smooth surface, maybe put a white cloth underneath to help see the pins and collars. DO NOT work close to the edge of a table or on a tray on your knee anywhere near shagpile rugs, floorboards with grooves or in the garden!

^^^
I prefer the pin pusher tool to the hammer to get pins out, for pin and collars and for split pins.

I find it even harder to get the pin back in to a pin and collar system. CW pins seems to fit very tightly. Marc from long island watches did a look and learn video with a Seiko pin and collar and you could push the pin into the collar by hand with no tool. I don't have a Seiko, and I never managed that with any other watch brand.

It is much easier with Seiko but the collars on Seiko are miniscule and as a result unbelievably easy to lose.

On Seiko I can adjust the pins by hand using just the 6767 but on CW this isn't possible and needs a tool or zero OCD.

Great tips and techniques. Thanks for sharing all!

Hi all -

I used the tip provided by Bahnstormer_vRS and resized my first CW bracelet. After the experience I can 100% recommend everyone use that technique to make it a thousand times easier to remove the screws. I learned the hard way that even as you work removing one link, you need to heat the bracelet up again if it gets too cold before removing the next one.

Thanks, Bahnstormer_vRS.

Now the next hurdle... I was happy to resize the bracelet but completely forgot about Loctite, so did not use. My question: Will I be okay so long as I always check the screws before each wearing, or do I really need to undo all the screws to apply Loctite? Any tips on using Loctite (and which one?) would be appreciated.

Thanks.

The double screws are hideous,.. we already now that… and CW wasn’t the only brand going that rabbit hole…
Anyway.. to tell your customers: „here I come with a solution for you, you now can resize the new bracelet by yourself! Just order: one hand, two screwdrivers and loctite… !“

Who came up with this??

Didn't this only affect the 36mm Sealanders and was quickly rectified in the introduction of Trident Pro 300 ?

asqwerth wrote: ↑Mon Feb 06, 2023 7:07 am Didn't this only affect the 36mm Sealanders and was quickly rectified in the introduction of Trident Pro 300 ?

The Aquitaine was the first model with the double screws and then the 36mm Sealander I believe.

jcnassoc wrote: ↑Sun Feb 05, 2023 11:28 pm Any tips on using Loctite (and which one?) would be appreciated.

I use blue loctite and just add a small dab to the screw using a pin to apply it to the thread. If you use too much it will ooze out as you tighten the screw but don’t worry it can be wiped away.

Whatever you do don’t use red, that’s pretty permanent. Here’s a link to the loctite site with some further info.

https://www.loctiteproducts.com/en/know ... r-you.html

I don't think I would bother with loctite. If screws do work lose it won't be instant.

^^^^ True, but they will probably work loose at the most inappropriate time. On the two occasions I’ve had things work loose, once a screw, once a pin, it was while I was on holiday away from my tools. With the screw I had two watches with me so I stopped wearing the other until I got home. For the pin, I called in to a local jeweller who fixed it for me.

However loctite wouldn’t have stopped the pin coming loose.