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#51699
arutha
Participant

    We are always kind :)
    Are you asking about steam cleaning with the cap jewel in place? I would be careful steam cleaning jewels, the first thing is I have never heard of anyone doing it, that alone would ring alarm bells with me. Secondly are you talking about heated steam cleaning? possibility of cracking the jewel? If you are talking about pressure cleaning then keeping hold of the jewel would be difficult. Why do you not want to take the traditional method of just cleaning in a watch solution?
    The reason for oiling the escape wheel when in situ is for two reasons, firstly you only have to touch two of the teeth with the tiniest amount of oil and the pallet jewels or pins will spread the oil around the rest of the teeth for you, secondly, it is much easier than trying to hold the escape wheel with tweezers, get oil onto the oiler and place the small amount needed on the tooth. Try and make life easy for yourself, its always great to think of new and better ways of doing things but there are certain methods that just cant be beaten.
    Great questions and please keep asking them.
    I cleaned my first pocket watch last night, an old waltham 7 jewel movement that came with a bunch of stuff and has just been knocking around my desk for ages. Stripped, cleaned put back together and it runs!….well for a couple of hours 😯 It wouldnt run at all when I started so not a bad 1st attempt.
    I still have a lot to learn and you can bet I will be asking plenty of questions soon :)