Cartel rivet bracelet surgery?

[Serafino]

I thought I read somewhere that the cartel rivet bracelets aren't too awful to take apart.  Any hints on the process?  If it's doable I'd like to take one apart and mod it a bit.  Any hints, tool suggestions, or full on tutorials much appreciated.  What do I want to do--switch some side plates around, maybe reprofile the links a bit, and if it proves possible, maybe replace the rivets.

[automatico]

If you can get replacement rivets it is fairly easy to take them apart and put them back together.  Many supply houses now have 'big head' rivets that would probably work in the bracelet.

I usually grind the rivet head down thin as I can without getting into the side plate, then punch the pin through the link...the thin rivet head will collapse and allow the pin to be punched through the link.

 

edit:  Prying the rivet heads off with a blade can result in bent or damaged side plates if the rivet is very tight in the rivet tube.

 

http://www.startimesupply.com/merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY-30&Store_Code=1&Category_Code=1H-Parts-Band-Pins-w_Tubes&Product_Code

 

Edited April 14, 2017 by automatico

[Serafino]

Great, thanks.  Very helpful.

[Serafino]

Does one use a special tool for setting the new rivet head?  In other fields there would be a concave headed punch or something but I haven't managed to track one down at the watchmaker supply places.

[automatico]

"Does one use a special tool for setting the new rivet head?"

 

The heads are not a tight fit in the tube so no special press or punch is usually needed.  I use Craftsman (Sears) 'Robo Grip' parallel jaw pliers with the jaws ground smooth to press the rivet heads into the tubes...flat jaw type, not pipe jaw type.  It was fairly easy to grind the serrations off the jaws and smooth them out.

 

Cut the rivet tube to the correct length so the rivet head bottoms out on the tube at the exact point when the tube is even with the outside surface of the side plate and the links are correctly spaced (for bracelets made so the tubes pass through the side plates).  I just now looked at a genuine swiss made stretch rivet oyster bracelet (hollow rivet heads) and the side plates are drilled to allow for the rivet tube to come all the way through the side plates.  I have seen aftmkt rivet bracelets made where the tube passes all the way through the side plates and have also seen a few that were made so the rivet head clamped the tube to the side plate because the hole in the side plate was smaller than the rivet tube.  The type where the tubes pass through the side plates are easier to work with imho.  The advantage to bracelets made so the rivets clamp the side plates is they are a little bit stiffer and not as flexible after the links begin to wear.  The type made where the rivet tube passes through the side plate depends on a precise fit between the outer and inner links to keep it from being too flexible.   

After you take one of these bracelets apart you will quickly see what's what.

 

The hollow head rivets are near impossible for a hobby guy to duplicate so all the above pertains to rivets with removable rivet heads unless noted.

 

Cut the tube too long and there will be a space between the rivet heads/plates and the links will be loose with spaces between the center link and outer links.

Cut the tube too short and the links will bind.

 

Good luck!

[Serafino]

I really appreciate the info!  Many thanks.

[Serafino]

I have acquired a set of rivets, but am a bit distracted by the difficulty of sizing this thing.  Dual screwdrivers, many days soaking in Liquid Wrench (nasty stuff!), applied heat with a soldering iron before that, not a budge.  I've found a few threads about it, some say heat wasn't effective.  I could further refine the fit of the screwdrivers I suppose, or break down and try some Kroil.  Some of these are a little polished down and I wonder if the slots will need to be scraped deeper.  At some point people just pry open the center links right?

[Nanuq]

I've always pried open my center links to size these things. I've wound up on two occasions with center links that were mildly deformed but they actually looked better than pristine center links. Think about it... old rivet bands are made from thin tinny metal and dents should be expected from daily use. The deformed (re-bent) center links come out looking, believe it or not, authentic.

Go for it. You may be pleasantly surprised.

[Serafino]

Thanks Nanuq!   I have managed to find the M. Young tutorial so will proceed accordingly then get on with my rebuild.