Comments on: LWT http://watchmakingblog.com/2008/09/30/lwt/ A mechanical watchmaker in a digital world Thu, 08 Jan 2009 21:46:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Justin http://watchmakingblog.com/2008/09/30/lwt/#comment-2146 Justin Thu, 02 Oct 2008 12:05:21 +0000 http://watchmakingblog.com/?p=446#comment-2146 Thanks for the update, Tony. Good luck. Thanks for the update, Tony. Good luck.

]]> By: Prem http://watchmakingblog.com/2008/09/30/lwt/#comment-2134 Prem Wed, 01 Oct 2008 15:51:59 +0000 http://watchmakingblog.com/?p=446#comment-2134 Hello Jp and Tony, Seldom do we realise the importance of mundane tasks, and as Jp can testify, when faced with a serious problem in-store can we only excel in those tasks like filing for example. I remember quite clearly our initiation in these specific tasks at the Technicum Neuchateloise in La-Chx, Switzerland, and it was quite similar to the experience that you are facing Tony! All us students at that time kept saying, when are we going to do watch work? The answer, is teaching you basics, takes time, and in Time, I learnt that. The patience required to do balance truing, or hairspring work is much greater than filing work, so the school is bulding your skills- from down to the topmost rung of watchmaking, and it is a severe testing ground. Many may fail in their endeavours to be at the top, and graduate a watchmaker! The idea is to keep going and learn skills every new day. I am still learning after 25 years of being a watchmaker, and it is this incredible thirst of watchmaking that keeps me going....and for that matter, no two watchmakers are ever alike.... Cheers and good luck on the lathes! Prem Hello Jp and Tony,
Seldom do we realise the importance of mundane tasks, and as Jp can testify, when faced with a serious problem in-store can we only excel in those tasks like filing for example. I remember quite clearly our initiation in these specific tasks at the Technicum Neuchateloise in La-Chx, Switzerland, and it was quite similar to the experience that you are facing Tony! All us students at that time kept saying, when are we going to do watch work?
The answer, is teaching you basics, takes time, and in Time, I learnt that. The patience required to do balance truing, or hairspring work is much greater than filing work, so the school is bulding your skills- from down to the topmost rung of watchmaking, and it is a severe testing ground. Many may fail in their endeavours to be at the top, and graduate a watchmaker! The idea is to keep going and learn skills every new day. I am still learning after 25 years of being a watchmaker, and it is this incredible thirst of watchmaking that keeps me going….and for that matter, no two watchmakers are ever alike….
Cheers and good luck on the lathes!
Prem

]]> By: Cameron http://watchmakingblog.com/2008/09/30/lwt/#comment-2131 Cameron Wed, 01 Oct 2008 10:55:49 +0000 http://watchmakingblog.com/?p=446#comment-2131 Thanks for the update. Thanks for the update.

]]> By: J.Peter http://watchmakingblog.com/2008/09/30/lwt/#comment-2121 J.Peter Wed, 01 Oct 2008 04:36:37 +0000 http://watchmakingblog.com/?p=446#comment-2121 Tony, thanks for the post. If you think your fingers are sore now wait until next week when the lathe comes out. You'll likely spend a day or two sharpening gravers by hand on your india stone. This will likely end up with you having some fingers wrapped in band-aids. As for my filing skill. I'm sure its not what it was two years ago. I mostly use my files for simple tasks like shortening a pin for a bracelet or making a generic end piece fit, nothing precise. It is a valuable skill to have, even if you only have to pull it out every once and a while, plus you are building dexterity and attention to detail. Tony, thanks for the post. If you think your fingers are sore now wait until next week when the lathe comes out. You’ll likely spend a day or two sharpening gravers by hand on your india stone. This will likely end up with you having some fingers wrapped in band-aids.

As for my filing skill. I’m sure its not what it was two years ago. I mostly use my files for simple tasks like shortening a pin for a bracelet or making a generic end piece fit, nothing precise. It is a valuable skill to have, even if you only have to pull it out every once and a while, plus you are building dexterity and attention to detail.

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