ThriftyFun Logo
Home   Find   Ask   Share   Answer   Join   Index   Login  
 
 User Login:  Username:    Password:      Forgot It?  | Join ThriftyFun!

 - Beauty
 - Budget and Finance
 - Cleaning
 - Consumer Advice
 - Craft Projects
 - Craft Tips
 - Food Tips
 - Garage Sales
 - Gardening
 - Gifts
 - Green Living
 - Home Improvement
 - Organizing
 - Parenting
 - Parties
 - Pest Control
 - Pets
 - Product Reviews
 - Recipes
 - Repair
 - Weddings for Less

RSS Feed
About Us
Media
Advertising
Contact Us
Privacy Statement
Disclaimer

Removing Watchband Links

1x1
Date: 07/24/2006 Topic: Repair > Miscellaneous > Watches  
1x1
Post Feedback | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Print (With Feedback) | Rate: Thumbs Up Thumbs Down | Bookmark and Share
Have you ever bought a watch with a stainless steel bracelet (like a diver's watch) then realized that the band was so huge you could fit it around your ankle? If you are like me, you probably have tons of screwdrivers and sharp, pointy objects, but you don't want to damage your knife points and the screwdrivers (even the tiny ones) are much too big for such a job.

After messing around for far too long, I finally discovered a simple, exceedingly cheap way to remove those stubborn pins from in between your watchband links. All you need is a THUMBTACK!

Yes, folks, for only fifty or seventy-five cents at your local dollar store, you can purchase an entire container of handy watch band reducers. Just insert the point of the tack into the holes on the correct side of the band (Make SURE you have it right), and give a gentle shove. For most watches, this is all you need to remove a few links, all in a few minutes.

By PMZ Paul from Walnutport, PA


(1x1 graphic )
Previous: Travel Tips for South Central Wisconsin - Frugal Travel Guide ThriftyFun Next: Decorating Lamp Shades to Look Outdoorsy
(1x1 graphic )
1x1
1x1
 Feedback
1x1
1x1
1x1

By HawaiiMike (2) Contact
Dude! The thumbtack worked great! Mahalo!

Posted on 09/04/2009 | Report Spam or Abuse

By Erick (Guest Post)
Thanks! Worked great and saved me $14 from the Sears watch repair shop.

Posted on 02/15/2009 | Report Spam or Abuse

By Dardog (Guest Post)
I used a small screwdriver kit. And it worked like a charm. (Hobby screw driver kit)

Posted on 12/28/2008 | Report Spam or Abuse

By Gabriella (Guest Post)
Thanks! Great tip! Save me money.

I used push pins which also work fine.

Posted on 11/16/2008 | Report Spam or Abuse

By (Guest Post)
gr8 post, worked like a charm on my new Invicta I bought online. Important to push the pin out in the direction of the arrow on the clasp. Thanks a bunch.

Posted on 11/11/2008 | Report Spam or Abuse

By (Guest Post)
It works for a new Timex!

Posted on 09/15/2008 | Report Spam or Abuse

By Dan (Guest Post)
There are many types of watch bands. Some require other approaches.

See http://www.webjeweller.com/jewellery/removelinks.shtml

Posted on 07/17/2008 | Report Spam or Abuse

By RAF (Guest Post)
Little things the jewelers don't want you to know...

Thanks for the tip. Saved me time and money.

Posted on 06/24/2008 | Report Spam or Abuse

By Joe (Guest Post)
You're da bomb. Spent 20 minutes with a paper clip before you pointed me in the right direction. THANKS!

Posted on 06/04/2008 | Report Spam or Abuse

By (Guest Post)
I used the end of a paper clip to remove 6 links, then I have remaining one at each end should someday not be so skinny.

Posted on 05/15/2008 | Report Spam or Abuse

By Impatient One (Guest Post)
YES! God bless the GOOGLE toolbar. I just knew there was a logical solution. I did remove 5 links in about 10mins (some of which was spent looking for another tack). The best ones were the OVERSIZED pushpins. A gentle tap with a hammer and pull with a plier and my watch was perfect! THANK YOU!

Posted on 04/12/2008 | Report Spam or Abuse

By Joel (Guest Post)
After spending an hour trying to get the pin out I decided to check the internet. Boy am I glad I did. After reading your post I had the pin out in seconds. Thanks!

Posted on 04/05/2008 | Report Spam or Abuse

By Don (Guest Post)
Beautiful.

Posted on 03/30/2008 | Report Spam or Abuse

By Ken (Guest Post)
Thanks! Worked like a charm!

Posted on 03/12/2008 | Report Spam or Abuse

By Roy (Guest Post)
Outstanding! Just adjusted my watch. Thanks for the great tip.

Posted on 03/05/2008 | Report Spam or Abuse

By Allison (Guest Post)
AWESOME - simply AWESOME! I was about to order a kit from eBay when I tried once more to find a resolution on-line. This worked WONDERS - even on one of my old watches that the pins had, essentially, frozen in the holes. Thank you for sharing this wonderful tip!

Posted on 02/21/2008 | Report Spam or Abuse

By Imz (Guest Post)
Thanks! I bought a costume jewelry watch super cheap off eBay. I'm used to the screw-type pins or spring-loaded ones in watches. These push pins had me stumped. Thought I would have to waste the money I saved, at a jeweler, to get these links off.

Posted on 02/01/2008 | Report Spam or Abuse

By Rich Hamilton (Guest Post)
Had a watch from Xmas sitting there, awaiting a trip to the jewelers...no need now. Great tip as long as you are careful.

Posted on 01/29/2008 | Report Spam or Abuse

By rschmitty (1) Contact
My Timex expansion watch band doesn't have holes in it to insert a tack. If I had a band with holes in it, how do you rejoin the ends after you remove a section?
Robert

Posted on 01/19/2008 | Report Spam or Abuse

By beeneman (Guest Post)
After getting a quote for $12.50 from the jeweler I went home and started looking online..worked like a charm!

Posted on 12/05/2007 | Report Spam or Abuse

By New watch owner (Guest Post)
Yes, I too agree that the thumbtack idea works great. I looked around the house for something that would work, then found this online and it set me straight. Works exactly as described. No need to take a trip to the jeweler.

Posted on 10/11/2007 | Report Spam or Abuse

By M (Guest Post)
Thanks for the tip! Just bought a new watch yesterday and took care of the band myself, then went back to a couple of old watches I had around and adjusted those as well.

Posted on 07/20/2007 | Report Spam or Abuse

By Craig (Guest Post)
Thanks for the thumb tack idea, it worked great. I do admit to using a push pin though. Hey, what the heck, you nailed it!!

Posted on 06/26/2007 | Report Spam or Abuse

1x1
1x1
 Post Feedback:
1x1
1x1
1x1

Login using the form on the top of the page to post feedback (if you are a registered user). If you have not yet registered, click here to do so. It's FREE!.

1x1
(1x1 graphic )

© 1997-2009 ThriftyFun.com - Design by Cumuli Design
Disclaimer: ThriftyFun.com cannot accept any responsibility for any injury or damage that you may cause to yourself, others, or property when following any advice given on this site. Read the full disclaimer. If you find any information on ThriftyFun.com or in our newsletters that is either erroneous and/or potentially harmful to others, please Contact Us, immediately.