Reply To: Screwdrivers/tools

[david pierce]

William,
Thank you for the kind words. I feel that anybody who puts up a post is an asset to the forum even if they are dead wrong. I would like to see more people posting ideas up here but I feel that many are afraid they are going to be criticised if they offer a different perspective. In my view there is no “correct” way to do something if in the end the result is good. Looking back to my TIME ZONE WATCH SCHOOL days a student wrote in and asked Michael Kalif (the Swiss trained instructor) how to fix a broken pivot. His answer was “purchase the entire balance cock assembly” and simply replace it. From his perspective as a professional watch technicion with 20 plus years in the watch repair industry this was the correct solution as this will have a watch with a broken pivot up and running in about 15 minutes. A professional must maximize profit and minimize time in order to make a living at this. From the perspective of someone who is simply interested in learning about watch repair and restoration (me), it seems like a copout. Because of his Swiss watch school background and certifications, companies like ROLEX will sell parts to him. What do you think ROLEX would tell either of us if we wanted to buy a balance cock assembly from them?
Paul has far more hands on bench experience and many more years doing this than I have. I have a tremendous respect for this and will always consider his perspective even though it is often different than mine. His way of doing things may or may not be the direction I wish to go but it certainly does not mean that I feel his direction is wrong. My background is very different than his and in the end I want to use the procedures and techniques that I feel comfortable with. Your direction may be very different than either of ours but if it works well for you than that is what you should do.
david