The Pusher, Pallet, and Pallet Bridge...

Amazingly, the pallet - an essential part to the timekeeping of the watch - was almost pristine when I took it out for the first time. The pivot needed cleaning with Rodico and the whole thing, as well as the bridge, went through the Ultrasonic, but it was an easy job.

After cleaning the Pallet Bridge, I straight grained it and cleaned it again - it came-up a treat!

The pusher - the gnurled tip of which protrudes from the case and must be held in as the crown is wound to set the hands - needed only a quick whiz through the Ultrasonic tank. It is not lubricated and has avoided any major signs of wear so is good to go now the muck's been cleaned off it.


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The Sliding Pinion, Pendant Tube and Winding Pinion...

These three parts may seem pretty innocuous, but the correct lubrication of both pinions (the silver bits) is essential for the smooth functioning of the watch.

I have cleaned the large bits of dirt (mostly congeled grease) from the parts and cleaned them in an ultrasonic tank. I'm going to do the same again a couple of times, before I oil the back of the winding pinion (the bigger of the two silver parts) with MR4 grease - it's thicker and easier to manipulate than the commonly used HP1300 oil, and it's translucency means it is more asthetically pleasing than the thicker Molicote, as prefered by some companies such as Breitling.

The pendant tube needed only a quick clean. I'm not going to lubricate the visible surfaces, but it will be hidden from view entirely so it shouldn't interupt the appearance of the finished product.

Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.

E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.

The Bridge...

Here are a couple of photos of the 3/4 bridge. Aside from a minor deformation, some nasty tarnishing, and a few rust spots on the underside (as shown), I was heartened to find it in prime condition for refinishing. My plan is the straight grain the plate using 600 paper, and then perlage the whole piece.

I'm no expert with perlaging (the process of decorating a metal surface with lots of overlapping circles to give a reflective effect), but I will give it a go. It's likely to go a little askew in the centre as it takes quite some time to become a proficient enough perlager to do a piece this size and get it bang-on. Fortunately, there is another bridge that sits over the rough centre of the piece, holding in place the ratchet and crown wheels. I'm going to straight grain that (probably to 600+)in the hope it draws the eye away from any imperfections in the perlaging.




Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.

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Time for an Overhaul (the puns keep on coming)

I have just returned to work after a week off and I am raring to start on a new project!

Over my week of solitudinous agony (caused by nerve damage in my back from having too many 'awesome' nerves trying to hug each other real tight and the like) I was unable to do anything but watch harry Potter backwards and then forwards, and then the bit when Ron is trying to destroy the Horcrux and sees Harry making-out with Hermione (naked), over and over and over again.

But one good thing did come out of my week of drugged-up boredom: on the last day of my enforced absence I ventured out to the market in Glossop, where I procured an old, unworking, tarnished and battered pocket watch for the unusually cheap price of £7.

This guy on the market - a nice guy, but a little gruff - normally charges you through the nose for anything: all the other pocket watches start at £30, and they were the one's without cases (movement and dial only). For a cased-up piece, you're usually looking at £180+.

I was attracted to my purchase because of the relatively good condition of the dial. The hands were wrecked, the movement was a state and it wasn't working, but that's exactly the kind of thing I need.

I figured from winding the watch that problem lay with the mainspring, which, when dismantled, proved correct - the mainspring - an oddly sized spring that looked more like it came from a clock than a PW - was snapped near the arbour hook.

But fearing no such problem (and, in fact, overjoyed a purchase or trade would be enough to get the watch up-and-running), I paid the man and have spent the last week attempting to refurbish the piece.

I wish I'd taken photos of the case before I polished it (it was dark brown and skanky as hell), but please observe the improvements of the other pieces as I post before and after shots, and let me know what you think of the finished product.

Robb (2 Bs - weird) x

Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.

E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.

The Hare @ Victoria Baths Fanzine Convention

Howdy folks! The Hare will have a stall at the Victoria Baths Fanzine convention on Saturday the 14th of May (this coming weekend). There will be back issues available for purchase and several of the writers there to take your questions and suggestions.

Come on down! The address is:
Victoria Baths, Chorlton-on-Medlock
Hathersage Road
Manchester, United Kingdom

And it runs for 10am-4pm

Check out the FB page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=152488964814369

See y'all there x


Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.

E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.