Tightening clasp buckle

[Juggernaut]

Ok, this relates to the vintage clasp buckle that has the 2 curved stumped steel plates. It's pretty common knowledge that to tighten the closure and get that tight "snap", the one closest to the clasp needs to be shortened by bending and/or the one farther from the clasp needs to be lengthened by straightening.


This does indeed work well and yes, there is no need to mess with bending the housing of the clasp with pliers (a big no no!)
But I doing so, you end up with one plate that's way more curved than the other and they don't fit together tightly like they used to when the bracelet was brand new.

So what I want to know is: why is this?...where has the wear taken place that lead to requiring the manipulation of the 2 curved plates??

Is it the/thinning of this part here?


Or perhaps wear/thinning on the inside of here?

[michigan.watches]

I can't be certain from the photo, but it looks like your clasp hinge pin may be broken.

[Juggernaut]

Hi and thanks for your post. But no, my hinge pin isn't broken, just maybe a bit loose, it's a 30 yr old bracelet.

[michigan.watches]

Are you sure? The fourth photo you posted looks like part of the hinge pin is missing/broken and the hinge is not lined up properly. In the first photo, I also cannot see the hinge pin extending through to the end of the hole. Maybe I'm just being stubborn but you might want to take a second look at it.

[Juggernaut]

Yeah, looking at very closely...it is not broken.
Anyway, back to my question....does anyone have more experience to tell me what eventually causes the need for bending the folding plates to restore the "snap"???

(Did I post in the wrong action?)

[05carbondrz]

My guess is that it's a combination of both of the contact surfaces getting thinned out over time,Only a guess though.

[springer]

I placed a copy of one of your photos below. You do have issues with hinge. The pin is broken or is worn out. Look at number 1 in the photo - clearly does not fit properly.

Look at number 2, I see too much gap there. Replace this hinge pin.

Adjustments are needed to the clasp after 30 years because they wear, like all things mechanical.

[JustinK]

I agree you do have an issue with the hinge pin which appears to be at least bent.

Additionally if the pin that connects the blades to the clasp has too much play your buckle will not snap in place and hold. Over time the pin can wear the hole in the clasp making it larger which allows it to move around. If this is the issue a watchmaker can easily install a slightly larger pin. I had this repair done on a bracelet once for $30 and it fixed my issue.

[Richard Carver]

I agree the pin needs repair but the best and easiest way to tighten the clasp is by carefully bending the two flaps to the sides of the pull opener inward. Be extremely careful you can make it so tight it's hard to get off! See how they are cut to allow adjustment?

[Juggernaut]

Ok, then can I assume that a worn hinge pin is the same reason others have posted videos such as these:
http://youtu.be/Pgo0SMtn3h4
and
http://youtu.be/BMQH90MKFfA

[michigan.watches]

Originally Posted by Juggernaut

Ok, then can I assume that a worn hinge pin is the same reason others have posted videos such as these:
http://youtu.be/Pgo0SMtn3h4
and
http://youtu.be/BMQH90MKFfA

The hinge on the clasp is like a hinge on a door. If your front door wasn't closing properly, I would suggest fixing the bad hinge on the door before planing down the wood to make it fit better within the doorjamb. In other words, I don't know if repairing the hinge will make the clasp tighter but it might. It's something that should be repaired and ruled out. Not every loose clasp is accompanied by a bad hinge pin but yours is. The hinge pin needs repair whether the clasp is loose or not. Otherwise, the watch might fall off your wrist one day.

[Sublover2166]

The correct way to increase tension so clasp snaps tight is to "slightly" arc the blade that fits into the buckle. I do not agree with "flattening" the blade which is directly attached to the bracelet. The one that sits directly against your inside wrist. OP's pics seem to show too much arc on one blade and too much flat on the other in which they will both not mate up together correctly.

[Juggernaut]

Ah!!!...I see the problem...THATS NOT THE HINGE PIN in the photo, it's the hinge on the clasp end where the clasp comes to a snap. Yes, if my hinge pin was that bad, then yes...the clasp would need to be very distorted to close properly, but the hinge is fine.
So to clarify, this photo

Is not the hinge, but the clasp snap (not sure what it's called)....
It's what this arrow is pointing to...

(Photo happens to be another oyster bracelet which happens no not have this clasp problem

[Juggernaut]

Originally Posted by JustinK

...if the pin that connects the blades to the clasp has too much play your buckle will not snap in place and hold....

Resisting these posts, I think JustinK nailed it.

Thanks....but again...some confusion because it wasn't my hinge pin I illustrated....

[Juggernaut]

I meant "re-reading"...darn auto correct...

[skydriver]

Originally Posted by Juggernaut

Ok, then can I assume that a worn hinge pin is the same reason others have posted videos such as these:
http://youtu.be/Pgo0SMtn3h4
and
http://youtu.be/BMQH90MKFfA

THANK YOU Juggernaut. You just save me a trip to my Rolex dealer and potentially loosing my watch. I did exactly what you said to do, and now my clasp is more tighter and secure, and I am more confident wearing my GMT.

[Juggernaut]

Originally Posted by skydriver

THANK YOU Juggernaut. You just save me a trip to my Rolex dealer and potentially loosing my watch. I did exactly what you said to do, and now my clasp is more tighter and secure, and I am more confident wearing my GMT.

Glad it worked for you!
Thanks for posting.