Reply With QuoteExcellent results and good mornings work.
Well done that man
picked up a very nice 1 owner 2004 Speedy worn regularly so showing signs of use
so got my kit out and got busy....
you can see difference in old links vs new as 3 new links are in bracelet
A soak 1st
wet work with 2000
then tedious masking
but a decent result for a 15 year old bracelet
Hesalite crystal was pretty marked so needed a flatting before 3 stage polishing
Excellent results and good mornings work.
Well done that man
Cheers,
Ben
..... for I have become the Jedi of flippers
" an extravagance is anything you buy that is of no earthly use to your wife "
How did you polish the bracelet - specifically the brushed parts? Dremel? or by hand somehow?
Nice result, it looks a whole lot better.
The best way to do the bracelet is to remove all the scratches and marks using fine wet and dry paper prior to polishing, I never use polishing alone to do this, I would only use polishing as a final finish after refinishing (by hand) with 5000 grit wet and dry on the polished parts. Any marks in the brushed section can be taken out using 800 grit, with 600 grit, a blue Garryflex, or the right grade of Scotchpad being used for the final finish.
Micron paper can be used for final polishing on edges, this acts like metal polish but can be fastened to a flat surface to avoid loss of sharpness.
There are lots of tricks that can be used to refinish watches and bracelets without needing expensive equipment, but sometimes a quick easy refinish gets 90% of the advantages for 10% of the time, it all depends what you're looking for.
For the record, Dremel is a dirty word in my workroom, they're nigh-on useless for watch work. I started out using one for polishing, but all they do is throw the polish everywhere. If you know what you're doing you can polish by hand, it's slower, but as I`ve already said you shouldn't use polish to remove the damage, it should only be used for final finish if you do it my way. I have a small polishing machine in the garage but it's only ever used for finishing, never for cutting the marks out.
Last edited by walkerwek1958; 19th September 2019 at 12:11.
Excellent work, you've added several hundred pounds to the value I'd have thought.
nearly all by hand have been doing it for about 15 years on and off with watches and 30+ with cars (scratch / hologram correction etc) similar work in many ways prep and right product + lots of practice.Originally Posted by ach5
the trick is knowing what paper to use to remove scratches and not going over the top better to use a finer grit 2000 or above but work at it rather than attack it with anything harsher, once surface scratches removed and you have final brush finish done with pads etc, its a matter of precision taping then polishing the bits that are supposed to be mirror finish.
to do that i do use an excellent little speed variable handheld polisher and tiny felt polishing tips (Amazon) ...as a metal polish the best stuff i find is an automotive metal polish made by Meguiars called NXT metal polish its extremely light cut and more paste that polish so if you know what your doing it does not spin off...if that makes sense..
masking up i use low tack and work one side at a time, patience is key and again not going at it hard just lots of light passes until you have the finish.
if you have a good eye steady hands and patience you can achieve great results..
Last edited by TKH; 19th September 2019 at 12:32.
That looks great. I would LOVE to be able to do that, nothing bugs me more than scratches on bracelets/clasps.
Great work OP. Call me strange but i quite liked the old slightly beaten up watch before the refurb.
me too in many ways but my OCD always wins......to polish or not to polish ??? million dollar question but I think less important with bracelets than cases ...that said a light case clean and sympathetic polish can make a big difference .....whereas a lug thinning polish on a wheel for me is a big no.
Great work, that. Tidying-up the bracelet & crystal makes a marked difference. I've only dabbled in either, but the outcome from a bit of sympathetic effort is very satisfying.
Great job. I only got my Speedmaster few weeks ago and I've hardly worn it as I can't bear to mess it up! Scratched the clasp on the metal gear knob in the car on Saturday and it was physically painful!
Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
Excellent result, well done.
I have a big ‘collection’ of good quality wet and dry paper ranging from 240 grit to 7000. I use a small flat rubber block to wrap the paper around, like a miniature rubbing block. I also use a small hardwood block in the same manner. The key is to always aim to get a ‘flatting’ effect, which removes damage with the absolute minimum removal of metal. It also allows edges to be maintained or even restored if they’ve been softened by previous work, but I can’t work miracles (that’s the next target). I also use flat lolly sticks to make emery boards of the correct grade, using evo stick or thin double- sided adhesive tape.
I’ve recently discovered micron paper, a plastic- backed abrasive which is extremely fine and acts like metal polish. This is excellent for polishing the flat surfaces on lugs and bezels without spoiling/ softening the edges.
I’m self- taught, and if I can learn so can others, the trick is to practice and try different techniques. Excellent results can be achieved with patience, good magnification and a steady hand. It can be very time- consuming, but if you’re doing it for yourself your time costs nothing and it’s nice to enjoy the end results.
Agree re micron paper I use discs made from it very nice to work with, water and just a dab of fairy....
Practice, patience, product, precision oh and not forgetting preparation....
7000 you almost can’t feel.
Last edited by TKH; 19th September 2019 at 17:48.
I just use dual speed bench polisher lol
Sent from my SM-A530F using Tapatalk
Looks great. Enjoy
Sent from my iPhone using TZ-UK mobile app
Excellent work there.
Very good, great result and very instructive. Thanks.
Great result, what a difference. Well done TKH.
Posting Permissions
