Screwed strap too tight!

[MYK]

Help! I tightened the screw on the leather strap on my Panerai too tightly and now I can't unscrew it! I tried using a towel to hold the screw driver, I even tried a very dangerous position where it involved a wrench and a pin remover. It just won't nudge!

What can I do now?

[Timekiller]

Try heating the screw with a hair driver or heating the tip of the screwdriver with a lighter or small torch. If you use the second method hold the screwdriver firmly in place and let the heat transfer.

Both of these should expand the metal enough to extract the screw.

[MYK]

Originally Posted by Timekiller

Try heating the screw with a hair driver or heating the tip of the screwdriver with a lighter or small torch. If you use the second method hold the screwdriver firmly in place and let the heat transfer.

Both of these should expand the metal enough to extract the screw.

Is that really safe? Won't it damage the watch?

[MYK]

Wow TK, blow dryer worked! Thanks a lot buddy. :) I'm sorry I ever doubted you, your name is a little scary. ;)

A couple of concerns though:

The watch got too hot, can it stand heat? I just noticed that it tick, noticably. Maybe I'm just paranoid.

The adhesive on the leather went sticky on me. Is it ruined or will it be ok once it cools off?

[mfer]

The watch can take the heat for sure! Just let it cool man!

Give it time. Here is what I suggest.

Put your watch completely aside for 4 days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Do it man.

Come back to it. Don't touch it for 4 days!

If the leather is screwed, it is ok. It is just a couple hundy. Your watch is worth way more. Give it a chance to settle.

Once done, go back and inspect. Too much fiddle can mess things up.

Good luck!

[Trurolexer]

Hey good info!!! Thanks for sharing.

[GBJIV]

Were you using the PAM Screwdriver that came with your watch?

[MYK]

Originally Posted by GBJIV

Were you using the PAM Screwdriver that came with your watch?

No, but it was the exact same size. It worked fine on one side of the strap.

Originally Posted by mfer

Give it time. Here is what I suggest.

Put your watch completely aside for 4 days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Really, not even wear it?! Or did you mean stop playing with straps and so on. Can't I just wear it and be really careful for 4 days? I won't even wind it.

[mfer]

I was just suggesting to put it down for a bit. Sometimes we WIS get to caught up in a little problem and over fiddle and mess things up.

So is your leather better now?

[MYK]

Originally Posted by mfer

I was just suggesting to put it down for a bit. Sometimes we WIS get to caught up in a little problem and over fiddle and mess things up.

So is your leather better now?

Yup, seems fine. Everything cooled off, me included.

I did let it down, back in the box for a couple of days. Thanks for the advice buddy.

[mfer]

Glad to hear it. You sound like me and I wanted to stop you. I've ruined an item or too b/c of too much fiddling and impatience.