LightGeek 25 Posted November 29, 2012 Watch Bracelet Spa Treatment This post is intended as a simple reference as I've had almost a dozen inquiries about what the heck it is. Feel free to chime in. The issue we are solving is that rep bracelets from the factory are generally pretty cruddy, feel harsh, and have scratchy link movement. While there are many threads floating around on how to solve it, this is just my take on it. 1. Take off the bracelet. I'm not going into detail here but once you've worked one spring bar, it will become second nature. If it's a screwed in pin, it's even easier. Just make a mental note which direction to reattach the bracelet afterwards. Don't let the spring bar hit you in the eye by the way. 2. Do a rinse under the tap with some soap to remove top layer debris. 3. Do a more in depth wash by either using a soft toothbrush to get between the links with soap or use an ultrasonic cleaner with your favourite detergent formula: Ultrasonic Clean 1: !! 4. Wash it one more time until you're satisfied. Change the solution if you want: Ultrasonic Clean 2: 5. Fully dry the bracelet using paper towels, rags, or the t-shirt you're wearing. 6. Let it air dry, use a blow drier, or hold it outside your car window and drive very fast. The idea is to get all the water out of the crevices. 7. Grab some baby oil and put the bracelet in. Let it sit and then agitate it gently a few times to dislodge air bubbles (e.g. caught in the link pin holes) Baby Oil Bath: 8. Let the bracelet sit overnight. Resist the urge to pull out early. Leave it in and let it bathe in the juices. 9. In the morning, take the bracelet out and rinse it under running water (no soap). Use a paper towel to fully dry the bracelet. Let it sit for a hour or so. This will allow any free oils to leech out. Paper towel it off, then give it a nice light buff using a new t-shirt or nice cotton sweater you're wearing. 10. Reinstall the bracelet on the case. Hopefully you haven't lost it. So, what's the result? - cleaned nooks and crannies on the bracelet - oiled between the links and link pins - gives the bracelet a very nice lustre - bracelet feels baby bum smooth (unless you had a crappy bracelet to start!) - smells wonderful with the "new baby" scent - beautiful women will flock to you subconsciously because of the baby scent - is NON-TOXIC so no worries when the little bit of oil ends up on your wrist What it won't do? - make the crappy bracelet on your $35 rep feel better. You'll need to sand and polish that and it's beyond the scope of this guide. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jacobarch 0 Posted November 29, 2012 couple tid bits: WD40 works much better than baby oil IMO. Works better on breaking down the dirt. the Sonic cleaner is a fantastic way to completely clean your bracelet. But if all you have is a soft toothbrush that works fine as well. After a clean a polish is in need. Like the baby oil it will give your bracelet a great smell and a really smooth feel. Nice write up btw. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LightGeek 25 Posted November 29, 2012 couple tid bits: WD40 works much better than baby oil IMO. Works better on breaking down the dirt. the Sonic cleaner is a fantastic way to completely clean your bracelet. But if all you have is a soft toothbrush that works fine as well. After a clean a polish is in need. Like the baby oil it will give your bracelet a great smell and a really smooth feel. Nice write up btw. My two cents on that... 1. WD40 to clean the bracelet perhaps if you don't have an ultrasonic cleaner sounds ok. 2. Wouldn't want WD40 leeching out onto my wrist little by little over the next couple times I wear the watch. 3. The smell -- WD40 smell is debatable but I don't think you'll get that same female attraction Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jacobarch 0 Posted November 29, 2012 Aw. WD40 bath Hot soap bath for 20 mins Transfer to sonic cleaner or toothbush Then a polish = no smell at all. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LightGeek 25 Posted November 29, 2012 Ah ok so WD40 as start but not the final lube bath. Cool, I'll give it a try next time. ________________ Sent from my mobile device. Please excuse the brevity of this message. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RichardMiami 4 Posted November 29, 2012 Guys..this has been done MANY times. Here is a thread as an example: http://www.rwg.bz/board/index.php?showtopic=5898 and another: http://www.rwg.bz/board/index.php?showtopic=28084&st=0 But here is the GRAND DADDY of them all - read and learn! http://www.rwg.bz/board/index.php?showtopic=17441 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
onionbag 1 Posted November 29, 2012 Forget WD40 or baby oil, dry lube is the way to go. http://www.rwg.bz/bo...ix&fromsearch=1 Slow I am. :yoda: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LightGeek 25 Posted November 29, 2012 Forget WD40 or baby oil, dry lube is the way to go. http://www.rwg.bz/bo...ix&fromsearch=1 Slow I am. :yoda: The key is still you don't want any of those products slowly leeching on your wrist, hence Baby Oil. I've been through all those links prior to doing and hashing this together as a simple guide No light engine oil, no chain lube, no WD40, just safe stuff AND smells nice (attract the ladies). See my key points again. Final recap, I'm not trying to reinvent the wheel, just firing this link off to the dozen folks that msg me for more info. EDIT: for example, see the MSDS for WD40 and skin contact: http://www.wd40.com/files/pdf/wd-40-tr47612935.pdf You can do it and there's probably folks that sucked down WD40 from the can and lived but that's not the point. MSDS for one brand of baby oil: http://apps.risd.edu/envirohealth_msds/Printmaking/babyoil.pdf If you don't have a baby to extract oil from yet, then you probably have some KY Jelly. Try that and let us know... Though it's water soluble. KYJ MSDS: http://euroband.com/MSDSPedicat.pdf ________________ Sent from my mobile device. Please excuse the brevity of this message. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
onionbag 1 Posted November 29, 2012 No, the point is that I don't want baby oil leeching all over my custom fitted Tattersall shirt.............as for the ladies, I find some bay rum and the smell of expensively blended vanilla tobacco quite satisfactory. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LightGeek 25 Posted November 29, 2012 No, the point is that I don't want baby oil leeching all over my custom fitted Tattersall shirt.............as for the ladies, I find some bay rum and the smell of expensively blended vanilla tobacco quite satisfactory. Ah compromises. The point then is to buy a gen hahaha. ________________ Sent from my mobile device. Please excuse the brevity of this message. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RichardMiami 4 Posted November 29, 2012 LG Chill a little bit. No one is disrespecting your "spa treatment".... we are just trying help educate, give a historical (or hysterical) perspective to the thread. No reason to get uptight. Baby Oil doesn't need any defending and WD40 doesn't either. As for women..... sigh... some of us may have figured that part out by now.. ya think? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LightGeek 25 Posted November 29, 2012 LG Chill a little bit. No one is disrespecting your "spa treatment".... we are just trying help educate, give a historical (or hysterical) perspective to the thread. No reason to get uptight. Baby Oil doesn't need any defending and WD40 doesn't either. As for women..... sigh... some of us may have figured that part out by now.. ya think? Nah I'm cool, hence the smileys. I'm explaining why Baby Oil as those PMs also asked this specific question. Whatever "they" finally choose is up to them. I went through all those threads, and a bunch on RWI. Finally decided on baby oil so explaining my process. It's good that the other links are posted in here now so I can say "just go look at that". ________________ Sent from my mobile device. Please excuse the brevity of this message. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jacobarch 0 Posted November 29, 2012 Ya I don't see anything wrong with more threads about this. It's kind of like some one posting pictures of their new PAM111. Like we haven't seen a 111 before. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LightGeek 25 Posted November 29, 2012 Ya I don't see anything wrong with more threads about this. It's kind of like some one posting pictures of their new PAM111. Like we haven't seen a 111 before. You know, I never bothered to look up what the heck a PAM 111 was until a few days ago ________________ Sent from my mobile device. Please excuse the brevity of this message. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ad6904 0 Posted November 29, 2012 Cheers for the effort and info Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
10:10 Watch Repair 1 Posted November 29, 2012 Resist the urge to pull out early. Leave it in and let it bathe in the juices. Works for me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dendo 93 Posted November 29, 2012 Resist the urge to pull out early. Leave it in and let it bathe in the juices. Works for me. Ha ha Mormon style Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
scorpion 0 Posted November 30, 2012 Gonna give the baby oil a go - I did one lasts night with WD40 and I only have it in aerosol cans, took ages to squirt enough out for cover the strap and I could not breath for all the fumes!!! Baby Oil must be kinder to the enviroment. As for the ladies, I think I will bathe it in tuna oil Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kolchak 17 Posted November 30, 2012 If you don't have a baby to extract oil from yet, ________________ Sent from my mobile device. Please excuse the brevity of this message. extracting oils from a baby.......that's funny. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
richardm1142 0 Posted December 2, 2012 So what about treating leather, or croc, or, 'gator to a bit of a clean and reinvigoration. Any expert advice? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LightGeek 25 Posted December 2, 2012 So what about treating leather, or croc, or, 'gator to a bit of a clean and reinvigoration. Any expert advice? I'm not an expert and have no advice beyond... Start a thread on that ________________ Sent from my mobile device. Please excuse the brevity of this message. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
offshore 0 Posted December 2, 2012 Bracelet cleaning??...stop using these old wives cures, and get the product which actually does the job properly. 1 hit with a spray and a dry off...jobs done, and like they say "once you've gone black, you never go back"...applies here as well...just the best stuff. Offshore Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
P4GTR 0 Posted December 2, 2012 stop using these old wives cures Offshore The dry lube method is no old wives cure, how dare I say you! Seriously though guys, instead of oily residue left to ooze onto skin and clothes, dry lube cleans, then leaves a dry waxy layer in the nooks and crannys. The residue gives to polish when rubbed and helps mute and soften bracelet feel. Another problem with oils that do not dry is they end up in those parts of the bracelet you don't want lubed, ie press fit parts of oyster links, etc. No, the point is that I don't want baby oil leeching all over my custom fitted Tattersall shirt :damnvikings: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LightGeek 25 Posted December 2, 2012 Sometimes I find brake cleaner or carb cleaner to be quicker. No, please don't try it. But if you do, let me know what's left of the finish ________________ Sent from my mobile device. Please excuse the brevity of this post. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RichardMiami 4 Posted December 2, 2012 So what about treating leather, or croc, or, 'gator to a bit of a clean and reinvigoration. Any expert advice? email or PM our strap dealers... they will be more than happy to guide you! http://www.rwg.bz/board/index.php?showforum=187 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
