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Caseback stuck - cannot open


danielv2000

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I have a watch that I sent off for some work. I was told the caseback could not be opened - the case seized, I was told. He used 3 different cases. I had opened this case myself a few days before I sent it off and closed it not too tightly.

I just got the watch back and cannot open the damn thing! I used a Bergeon opener. I'm actually a little paranoid... did something happen in transit? Humidity? WHat the hell!

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If Ziggy was unable to do it you may have a problem. But it is always possible that Zig's socket is worn & slipping, so I would take it to a local watchmaker to give it another try.

Another option would be to try some WD40 or similar type of penetrating lubricant overnight & try again with a proper bench case opener.

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If The Zigmeister was unable to do it you may have a problem. But it is always possible that Zig's socket is worn & slipping, so I would take it to a local watchmaker to give it another try.

Another option would be to try some WD40 or similar type of penetrating lubricant overnight & try again with a proper bench case opener.

I might try the WD40 option and let it sit overnight then try a local watchmaker who has a proper bench case opener. But, as you said if The Zigmeister could not... well...

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heat it up a bit. same thing happened to me, held a lighter to the caseback for about 10 seconds and it worked. im not sure what effect this may have on the movement as my case was empty, but what choice do you have at this point.

HH, i might try a heat gun on the caseback and then my Bergeon 5537 set.

Unless someone epoxied it together, I would be very surprised if a bench caseback remover with a clean, proper-sized socket was unable to remove the caseback.

YOu're right. It's happened to me before and a bench caseback remover did the trick. But, geez! The Zigmeister couldn't do it. I hope his tools were the problem.

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probably want to take a real close look at the threads on the caseback before you put it back together, make sure it doesn't have any burrs or a boogered up thread section where someone may have started it cross threaded. Once the movement is out, I suppose you could play around with it and get it smoothed up before reassembling it. glad you got it off, and the movement wasn't hurt in the process.

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