# How to remove a Stuck SPRING BAR?



## Chronopolis (Apr 8, 2009)

I need help!
I made the mistake of attaching a steel bracelet using a pair of spring bars that were longer than what was called for. 
While I had the bracelet, it was all fine. Now I want to change the bracelet to a leather band. But the steel bracelet will not come off. :-x
Why? 
Right now, the outward force exerted by the spring bars to hold itself in position exceeds the force I can apply using the remover tool to "squeeze" the bars. The bars' outward force is so great that I simply cannot get a foothold at all. I am merely scraping metal against metal. Imagine using a baseball bat to try to PULL a baseball bat that's stuck in a wall. That's what's happening.
Has anyone ever had this problem? This problem, I imagine is more common that it would appear but there is nothing online about this.
Any good ideas? Thanks in advance.


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## skoochy (Jan 6, 2009)

Wiha wire cutters


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## bjohnson (Nov 28, 2006)

I know of a few options. Usually it comes down to the last one:

1. drill through the lugs from the outside into the spring bars holes so you can push the spring bars into compression. Was more common on vintage watches. Can be found on a limited number of modern watches. Leaves a permanent hole. Requires a decent drill.

2. try to get a suitable prying device into a position so that you can shear off one end of the spring bar by pushing it against a thicker section of the lugs. Rarely is possible

3. try to get a suitable prying device into a position so that you can shear off one end of the spring bar by pushing it outwards, away from the watch bezel and pray that you don't damage the lugs. Has the potential of leaving a groove from the spring bar hole to the outside edge of the lug. Worse case means that it won't hold a spring bar anymore.


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## Chronopolis (Apr 8, 2009)

Thanks Skoochy and BJohnson !
I did also think along those lines -- but these methods seemed either too brutal or too risky. Especially the lug drilling -- there is a high degree of probability that I would not align perfectly with the original hole, and end up with bigger holes. And then there is the issue of: drill 4 holes or 2 -- when all I need is 2 to get the job done. Ugh.
Now that I've been forced to think about this, I am quite ticked off that they even make watches WITHOUT holes drilled all the way through the lugs. Kinda like a skyscraper without stairs. "What for? We got elevators!"


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## skoochy (Jan 6, 2009)

Yeah me too


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## Genway (Feb 12, 2009)

Chronopolis said:


> I need help!
> I made the mistake of attaching a steel bracelet using a pair of spring bars that were longer than what was called for.
> While I had the bracelet, it was all fine. Now I want to change the bracelet to a leather band. But the steel bracelet will not come off. :-x
> Why?
> ...


Use jeweller's saw, order the #000 saw blade, it is so fine that it would go between bracelet and case lug, it is common problem whenever oversize spring bar was used.

Insert the saw blade from the inside of the spring bar, and cut it outward, the fine saw blade are flexable, it will allow you to reach area not even straight accessable.


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## danrodz (Apr 25, 2009)

I've run into this problem a few times and I've had great success with getting something small into the space between the case and the spring bar and prying it out by pushing it away from the case. The way the spring bar is constructed when you get enough force against it, it will bend away from the case at the point where it enter the sleeve where the spring is. What i do is with a little crowbar tool I have (it came marked as a hand remover but its useful for all sorts of things) or a small needle nose pliers or something like that SLOWLY apply pressure and sooner or later you will see the bar start to bend. Do it slow and you can avoid it violently slipping out and marring the case. Most times I can bend it enough that I can then wiggle it out with a large tip tweezer or a needle nose with very fine tips.

Daniel


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## no_self_control (Jun 27, 2007)

seems to me you got the sping bars in OK. are you sure that both ends are located properly to start with, otherwise the spring bar won't compress. if they are, it stands to reason that you should be able to get a small screwdriver into one end and dislodge it. the trick is having one with an end sturdy enough to apply leverage without bending but sharp enough to go between the spring bar and lug and also small enough to fit into the bracelet slots. i had a scary moment when i fitted a bracelet that had the ends cut down. i could hardly get a tool into the reduced slots. but a bit of perserverence paid off. it helps to have the watch head on a firm surface so pressure can be applied to the screwdriver without the watch head slipping about. also, sometimes bracelets release better in a certain direction. usually backwards is best to avoid scratches on the tops of the lugs. but in your situation you mightn't be able to be choosy.


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## Chronopolis (Apr 8, 2009)

no_self_control said:


> seems to me you got the sping bars in OK. are you sure that both ends are located properly to start with, otherwise the spring bar won't compress. if they are, it stands to reason that you should be able to get a small screwdriver into one end and dislodge it. the trick is having one with an end sturdy enough to apply leverage without bending but sharp enough to go between the spring bar and lug and also small enough to fit into the bracelet slots. i had a scary moment when i fitted a bracelet that had the ends cut down. i could hardly get a tool into the reduced slots. but a bit of perserverence paid off. it helps to have the watch head on a firm surface so pressure can be applied to the screwdriver without the watch head slipping about. also, sometimes bracelets release better in a certain direction. usually backwards is best to avoid scratches on the tops of the lugs. but in your situation you mightn't be able to be choosy.


Genway, Danrods, & No Control --
Thanks guys.

Well, I did finally manage to get the dang thing out. I scraped the surface of the bar so long that I made "streaks" that finally allowed the remover tool to grab long enough for the job.

Perserverence, sweat, swearing', some voodoo, and a little bit of cajoling did it. :-!
No wonder watches are like women.... :-d

It was a great lesson learned. I will NEVER use a spring bar on a bracelet that is longer than is absolutely necessary.

I will keep all your advice on file for future ref.
I did not know there was such a thing as #000 Jeweler's Saw.
That's good to know.

Cheers!


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## SheepDog66 (Mar 17, 2019)

Thank you for the topic. I felt frustrated and dumb when I couldn't get the factory springpins to budge on a 5 year old Invicta. I have read hundreds of hours worth of fine watchmaking, repair and restoration threads here on WUS, building my tool set, preparing to tackle my first marriage watch/homage build, but I couldn't even successfully remove a set of spring pins to change a strap. I bent my new springbar tool in half trying.
The only suggestion I did not see in this thread is to wrap the springbar shoulder with 3 wraps of good dental floss and finesse the spring bar end back into the springbar shaft enough to yank the end out from between the lugs without scratching the case. I cut my finger creases to shreds and used half a dispenser full of floss trying that method.
I am currently awaiting the arrival of a #000 watchmakers saw blade.


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## BlackCoffeeClub (Aug 2, 2020)

The spring bars on a watch I have just won’t come out. It’s the original bracelet. I’ve tried two different tools and I’m just going to jump straight to a jewelers saw. Helpful thread even a year or so in!


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## omegal (Oct 23, 2021)

I had taken the bracelet off my Seamaster and put (apparently cheap) spring bars in to hold a NATO strap. I freaked out when I couldn't take the spring bars off to put the bracelet back on later. I took the watch spring bar tool's heavy fork end, placed a thin sheet of rubber (like the kind of thing you use to open a jar that has been sealed too tight) between it and the case so I didn't scratch it, and crowbarred the spring bar away from the case to break it. Probably not recommended with a decent spring bar that might damage where it inserts into the lugs, but these broke like a twig (and subsequently made me glad I was at least using NATO straps vs. two-piece aftermarket bands, as I was shocked they hadn't broken sooner).


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