Repairing Old Clocks and Watches

Author: Anthony J. Whiten

280 pages, 274 figures, reprinted 2004

This book is quite different from the usual and is published on the recommendation of one of the foremost professional restorers in the trade, who found the author's approach not only unconventional but offering some highly original methods and being very entertaining to read - another unique feature.

If the reader does not have the right tools or they are too expensive to buy, the author describes how to make alterations out of simple and easily obtainable materials, or how to avoid the necessity for the tool at all. He also describes how to dismantle and assemble movements, what may go wrong with them and how to set faults right. He tells you how to oil the right parts and how to restore cases in all stages of decay.

The book is heavily illustrated with over 270 line drawings specially drawn to the author's specification. These range from step-by-step demonstrations of how to do things, to diagrams of movements identifying each part and its position in the movement - a great help at the 'gulp and shut the case' stage.

Tony Whiten is not a professional, but many who are, will find his comments both simulating and inspirational. The amateur will find a sympathetic guide because the author has been thorugh all the agonies of learning by hard experience. He hopes that this book will help others to avoid making some the worst mistakes and encourage them to tackle bigger and better problems in the future.