DIY rehaut engraving removal sanding

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Hey fellas

 

I have been asked to do a DIY on a rehaut engraving removal....It requires moderate skills. This is on a noob sub, aka noobimariner

 

 

 

I have read that stainless steel that is brushed has all the brushings in one direction and imperfections, whether they are scratches or letters engraved can be erased by using a product that helps realign the finish in one direction. I am sure fine sand paper will work but I use a product called scratch-b-gone. It is specific for removing scratches from stainless steel. Google it and read about it, pretty neat stuff.

 

 

 

If you are not moderately skilled or adventurous, dont try it....

 

 

 

You remove the caseback and movement....there are many tutorials on that

 

 

Next you simply press from behind with your thumb and the crystal pops out, do it over a rug, dont drop it, it can crack easily

 

 

 

I start with the very rough grit sanding strip

 

 

 

Here it is after a while

 

 

then some more

 

 

 

yet some more

 

 

 

Then I go to the finer brushing pad - which honestly looks like a brillo pad - but if you start with this, you will never get the letters off

 

 

 

Clean the case off all debris, the gasket goes back in this orientation, there is a slight bend to the lower edge of the gasket. I use a tiny amount of silicone on this, just a tad to barely coat, not enough to make a mess or make the gasket too thick

 

 

I then install the movement and movement ring and caseback and screw down the crown which holds it in place (i dont bother with the screws yet)

 

Next I use a foaming glass cleaner to really clean the crystal, one of those eyeglass cloths does well and is lint free

 

Then I slip the crystal on and seat the cyclops edge over the date window and look from all angles to make sure cyclops centers well over the window...this is harder to get right then it looks

 

When you think you are aligned, one side will be in the gasket plane and the other (pointed to with screw driver on the left) will be above.

 

 

 

You carefully press it down with your thumb. Dont let it slip off the other side, apply even pressure, otherwise it will slip and crack. I know...I have done that half a dozen times or so....Also, I used a cheap press from harbor freight, immediately cracked the edge. I just use my thumb, it is easier.

 

 

 

Look and see if it looks aligned well....if there is dirt just remove the movement and clean, but I have found it is a bit harder to get faint circular haze marks cleaned when the crystal is installed. But either way it works.

I want to add that the dial you see here is a dial / hands from a ceramic sub, That is why the dial markers look a bit different, and the lume is blue. This is why the hands too are not correct for the LV.