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ive never been more jealous of a youtube in my life, there must be hundreds of little shock setting springs across my house that I've never been able to find after they randomly fly away and yours lands in the bloody timegrapher. lol great video :) ps, I've taken to pressing some rodico over the "hinge" part of the spring while i undo the little legs, haven't lost a spring since
I've a lot of time for Vostok divers. Great little watches for very little money, with some interesting approaches to water resistance where they avoided Swiss and other patents and came up with some new ideas. The method of sealing the caseback gasket without the risks of distortion of the standard screw back case design. And the wibbly wobbly crown that makes you think it's broken. 😁 I'm gonna enjoy this. Kettle on, tea brewing, Thanks given.... and relax. 🙂
It wasn't so much about avoiding patents, as commies don't believe in property rights, much less property of western capitalists. It was moreso "how can we simplify this basic principle and mass produce it out of the cheapest material for assembly by unskilled, unfed workers?"
@@RockandrollNegro The fact you use the term "commies" may show a certain dare I say it American bias to your opinion. Never midn a lack of understanding around the water resistant design involved. It's actually more complex and requires more parts than the standard caseback and seal. The same "commies" watch industry was started on an industrial scale in the 1930 when they bought and paid for the US Hampden watch company and shipped tonnes of equipment and 30 American staff over to Russia to help set it up. After the war that in essence became the First Moscow Watch factory where they produced all sorts of timepieces. While states spied on and stole other state's secrets- and the USSR was certainly not alone in this - it was for the most part around the military end, less so the commercial end and the Soviets were happy to sell Soviet made watches outside the country as it earned them hard currency, so they were quite aware of existing patents that could scupper that. You will find plenty of Soviet era made watches with English rather than Russian on the dials and casebacks. They were for export. Similarly when quartz came along they developed their own internally and copied or not as much as the Swiss did from the Japanese and Americans. Sekonda were originally a Soviet made watch company that was exporting to the West with different brands on the dials from the late 1960's and well into the digital watch 80's. And the Russians are anything but "unskilled" engineers or workers. Who stole all the firsts in the Space Race before Apollo? Who after the Shuttle was retired were ferrying people into space and with significantly fewer accidents than the Shuttle? They produced the most consistent near earth orbit system of the 20th into the 21st century. And they did it with significantly less input and help from other nations. I'll have some of that "unskilled" labour please.
@@MrGrentch I suggest you ignore Mr. Smith if he tries to be fresh with you in his response. Everything you said was true. The political system of the USSR was deeply flawed, yes, but their consumer goods were generally no better or worse than any other nation. Wristwatches were no exception to this and are fantastic values today due to Cold War-era fear-mongering. The Soviets also pioneered a lot of things besides space exploration with workers and engineers who were definitely skilled. Antarctic expeditions, the development of the mobile telephone, and the human-capable anthrax vaccine all come to mind.
@@MrGrentch The only point i will take issue with in your comment is that you refer to is as " Russian " . It was the Soviet Union and a lot of the skilled workers came not from "Russia" but the member countries of the Soviet Union. A lot of the skilled work as done in Ukraine or by Ukrainian workers. Russia itself has not done a lot since the break up of the Soviet Union
Great patience you have shown here, well done. The spring install into the barrel is something to remember. Definitely give another Vostok a go, they are very interesting movements. Amazing how the little parts can disappear and then magically show up again where you have either looked before or would not expect them to be.
Great job Michael! I admire that you managed to win against all the challenges this watch gave you. I'm a big fan of Vostok watches and I have accumulated quite a few of them, both new and vintage ones, because I love the variety of cases, dials and the value for money they offer. Regarding this watch, that's quite an interesting frankenwatch: I'm sure that these case, dial and hands are made for a 2409 movement ( more recent and tbh looking a bit more rough in terms of parts finish ) and not for a 2209, which is an older and "nicer" movement. The two movements aren't compatible in terms of dial feet and hands, that's why they had to glue the dial to the movement and crash the second hand. Quite surprised they went to the extent of making those modifications, given the very low cost of these watches (a brand new komandirskie can be as cheap as 20 pounds) so maybe it was just out of necessity or a less scrupolous hobbyist doing creative reuse of parts? Anyway, I'm really loving your videos and I'm slowly getting all the tools to get started and hopefully get to service my first watch movement... now I know it will be one of my old and beaten 2209s :)
Thanks for your insight. I certainly want to see an original now If the case on mine is original and I think it is then it would be nice to accumulate all the parts together and turn this one back to spec. Thanks for watching and good luck with your first service.
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@@MyRetroWatches you can find lots of those movements on etsy for some reason - for 10pounds i got 18 of them, some working, some not, but maybe as beginner i will be able to make at least one working. :) Thanks for video
I love watching and listening to you problem solve. Personally, the more difficult your problem the more I learn and the more interested the video is. Non-professional (not doing it to earn a living) watchmaking is all about problems, recognising them, coming up with a solution whilst being aware of the constraints of your ability/knowledge and deciding what to fix and what to leave - because 'it will do'. I often struggle with this hobby and that’s probably why I do it. Watching videos like this remind me that it's OK to accept that professionals we are not. We do it because we enjoy the challenge of doing it and are released of the burden of whether its financially viable or not. It is a cheap watch but a great video!
Very good summing up there and all so true. I service a lot of Seikos now for others and mainly because the pro's are not interested in the work as its not a viable option. Hobbyist with a passion you can potentially get as good a job.
You are a very patient man. Your skill level shows through with this challenging project. Most of us would have given up on this watch but you took on the challenge not only for yourself but for your viewers and for that I thank you. I would like to think that this watch was not “Frankened” to deceive anyone but repaired by someone in the transitional former USSR of the 1990’s, a time of political, social, and financial unrest, in order for someone to be able to keep telling time. Thank you for sharing your skills with us we appreciate your videos. Hello from Calgary
This is a more positive way to look at this so I thank you for that. I am no the fence at being made to deceive, more just someone making a bit of money from parts. Either way it was an experience and a lesson for me.
@@staszeksowikowski9039 I am in agreement. many genuine parts but not all from the right watch! dial I think i not right for sure but then I can find examples online that look the same. Not having ever seen an original in my hand I cant compare.
I had a chuckle when the incabloc went flying, simply because the same thing has happened to me twice this month, and I assumed the same hands/knees position in vain attempting to find one. What a git indeed!
On a positive angle, its a win considering that it was a non-runner with those 'curve balls' (seconds hand, dial feet, broken pinion), you brought it back to life. So wonderful and very inspiring to watch your videos! Stay safe! Cheers!
The art of winding a Vostok is to unscrew the crown and wind while slightly pulling the crown the crown away from the case. Then it will lock into the movement.
I was so excited to wake up to this video. I'm only 5 minutes into it but wanted to comment about the loose crown. It needs to be pulled on a tiny bit to engage the winding. What I usually do is turn the watch crown side down and let gravity pull on the crown. That is usually enough pull to be able to wind it. It's been said that the loose crown is a feature not a bug ☺️ So if the watch takes a hit on the crown the shock doesn't transfer to the movement.
I admire your patience and perseverance while knowing, or at least suspecting, that this is not a genuine Komandirski. I have seen the real deal, and they are quite decent watches.
@@MyRetroWatches this is 100% a Vostock watch, or possibly two. It is genuine but it is possible the movement was swapped and the dial feet position didn't match. The 2209 was used in the earlier years of the 60s and 70s, later replaced by the 2416 with date, so not at all sure as this is clearly not an old dial or case. Perhaps a Franken, perhaps not, but definitely genuine, and who cares anyway, as there is so much interchangeability. These are still made today, with exactly the same design and construction as the originals, but perhaps a little less quality than the Soviet era.
@@alastairwright77 That is correct. Recently, I have learned a couple of things about Vostok. There are many hundreds of combinations of cases, dials, bezels, and movements. Vostok watches are dirt cheap; it would be impossible to build a "fake" for a price lower than a genuine one. Reading and studying about Vostok, I have become a big fan of this former CCCP brand. It is an honest product for an honest price. I definately like the Vostok Amphibia.
I bought a used komandirski in 1990 for 30 Mark and my "version" was different. I lost her by fishing and maybe I can't remember her look completely but the bezel was more flat and the crown less big. The print on the dial also was more fine. At least, it was an automatic. Very different.
Good job Mike don't feel slighted. It's obvious nobody has loved this neat watch yet, until you came along. You gave it the same level of intensity you would a Rolex and innovated, improvised and came through with a serviceable product! I'd certainly wear it with pride! Just think if you can pull this one off what will you be able to do with a proper one! Great Job!
Well done despite all the traps on the way :) I own one genuine LOL Vostok "Scuba Dude" and was able after one week (no timegrapher here) to regulate it to minus 2sec/day (originaly was plus 38 sec/day !! )
Quite a nice looking movement and compact 👍 It look that this dial comes from Vostok movement 2414 and therefore someone removed dial feet and glued it 😀
Thank you A few of you here in the comments have mentioned the 2414 which I might have to seek out eventually and turn this watch back to its original state.
Great video mate. I do admire your honesty and the fact that you're down to earth. Far too much snobbery in the watch world. I've had and still have plenty of Vostoks, and the genuine article is a great watch. I do admire your work.
Well done. For some reason I'm pleased to see the disproportionate effort you have put into this watch, given its value and dubious provenance. Your work is a statement that the watch is a thing in itself, worthy of a chance in life (using "life" loosely here). Also, it's a statement that the journey matters, not just the destination. This watch has taken me in imagination years back to somewhere in Russia or the Soviet Union, to a watch "repairer" with little in the way of resources, little in the way of respect for the integrity of the watch, but lots of determination to get a working timepiece out of his hands and onto someone's wrist, at whatever cost.
I bought mine new from Russia 3-4 years ago and yes the crown is a wobbly wee thing but once you get used to it you’re golden. I absolutely love mine except for the 18mm band width, so wish it was a 20mm strap. Great video
Hi Mike! Great work. That is clearly a watch from the early 90s after the breakdown of the Sowjet Union (no 'CCCP' on the dial). At that time they took what was left on parts in the factory and botched together whatever possible to make some money. So it actually may be 'all original'. They were better before that time and better afterwords. I personally always look for CCCP on the dial of a Wostok. If it's there all will be fine.
Wow, what a herculean effort to get that watch into order, but well worth it, I think. Thank you for posting such an honest and 'warts and all' video - it's refreshing to see a rebuild that isn't all plain sailing and reminds us 'tinkerers' why we should stay away from watch movements. It's a shame it didn't keep better time after all your hard work, but I guess you can't win them all. Keep up the great work.
I have bought two of these on eBay and 1 new one. I was going to put a new movement and case with a very vintage dial. My expertise would have it looking like the worst frankenwatch when I am done. Enjoy your videos
Fascinating video. An edge of the seat thriller. Speaking as someone who likes watches aesthetically but has no mechanical ability (as I have poor eyesight and hands like boxing gloves) I can only admire your heroic patience.
Speaking of gluing dials to a movement that didn't fit, I did the very same thing on a non functioning mechanical vintage Timex. Removed the spoilt movement and hot glued a modern quartz movement behind the dial. Then used a new set of matching hands as the old hands didn't fit the quartz movement. Kept its vintage look but it keeps perfect time now without the hassle of winding it everyday.
Well done Mike, I have trained on these cheap Russian watches, they are full of surprises, but normally they come together and performs well. Keep them coming.
Great job Mike, thanks for your amazing videos, i really like the little features of this whatch like the ring on the backcase and the stars in the ratchet wheel. The glue and fabric makes this video shocking.
Hi that was very interesting...quite a challenge I think, I have 9 vostoks and after regulating a couple of them I find they keep very good time and seem to be quite reliable, there is quite a following for these Russian chaps and they are becoming popular with enthusiasts, thanks for a great video👍
Loved your video. First one I've seen. Very entertaining and informative. I have just bought my first Vostoks, an Amphibian and a Komandirske, £50 on Ebay and £25 direct from Russia, both new. I Kind of bought them out of curiosity but I've grown to love them. Both working well and comfortable too. Thanks for sharing.
Love your detailed description! Camera always focus on the high-contrast, so just move away the high-contrast from the center, then it will focus on the object you want.
Great job!!! This movement doesn’t have usual cannon pinion used to separate gear train from setting mechanism as a clutch. It has that tall two-pinion gear connecting barrel and minute-hour reduction wheel. It serves as a clutch. It can fail and you’ll spend a lot of time guessing what’s wrong. Watch just stuck sometimes, it runs superacurately, second hand is moving, but minute-hour hands are not ))). Real fun.
Just found your channel and am very much enjoying the content. I have never really been into watches (I don't even wear one) but I love watch movements. I think they are beautiful puzzles made of engineering art. Still too intimidated to take up the hobby but love watching you work!
My favorite Russian watch brand. I love that dial, as I collected quite a few of that dial and different case configurations. :) I've got a few of these and it's going to be my first movement tear down, clean, and rebuild. Nice timing on the video. :)
Very interesting and instructive watch repair. Every challenge you document for your viewers is one more that we will be less likely to faze us. And there are some new techniques to learn here as well, like how to deal with dial feet problems. This watch may not be the best runner with the wrong movement, but it is actually quite an attractive looking watch. Thank you!
Great job very tricky but worth it,I love Amphibias ,on my 7th dif case shape now .There is a special charm about them that sets them apart from everything else on the market .I'm collecting every case type of the little beauties and reckon I'm halfway there.Then there are a few Komanderskis I want for sure .especially the K39
An excellent enjoyable vid Mike. I'm sort of pleased that you end up running into the same issues as me whilst working on watches of dubious history. Your channel is what got me into amateur watch making, please keep it up👍
Vostocks are interesting moments. How the crown / stem works is odd. I've never had one apart however if you wind it and set it you kind of get the hang of it. I have a couple in my collection only because I wanted a Russian watch. The other Russian / Soviet watches are more normal in the operation. Good job, keep up the struggle. :) Have a great day and great new year! Chuck
Mike, talk about the bottom falling out from under your feet, you felled into a big pit, awesome job on digging out of that. I think you did a great job on the watch, seeing what you had to start with.
Was it worth it..yes it was.. when beginners see the things that happen to experienced people it points out what can happen to anyone, perserver and your experience grows .. your channel will always increase because of your work..cheers
Thank you. Yes I’m just like anyone in this hobby. I don’t try to sugar coat my videos to make them look all professional, what you see is believable. Over 5 years on YT now sadly I don’t grow anywhere near as fast as many other channels doing the same that have come after me. Can be disappointing but just the way it is.
The project wasn't a failure in that you made a nice video that showed your problem solving skills. I've rather become a fan of watching watch restoration video's and it's fascinating to see how you all get around the obstacles you encounter. Plus it induced me to subscribe, so there's that! :)
I just picked up a Vostok Komanderski Submarine watch for my grandson, because he's into Russian history right now and liked the Soviet style of it. Hopefully the movement is kinder to me than this one was to you. Thanks for tackling this, it will help me with my restoration.
Another enjoyable video, the pleasures of watchmaking coming to the fore in this one for sure..lol. Look forward to your next (and hopefully less frustrating) project...👍👏
What a struggle! Maybe it wasn't what you'd hoped for and yes, a Franken-watch. But you got it together! And that was great to see. Interesting that you didn't put the keyless works on till much later. I always thought you had to put all that on in order to test the watch's running. The bits that always get me are the clickspring, train bridge and, especially, the balance. I suppose that if you feel you're getting somewhere with reassembly, it IS worth doing (though I'm WAY off THAT being a success of any kind. Personally I've been a bit down on myself recently as a potential watchmaker/watchfixer, but always good to see how it should be done! :)
Been waiting for this vid for a good while and thoroughly enjoying it, thank you for the kind words too. Abs masterful work you have done there, just a shame its a bit of a hodgepodge but saying that, the 2209 movement is far more reliable than the 2414A it should have had.
Thanks for your help Ian. This one turned out to be a right Frankin and I suspect the movement is still not running right. One day I may look for the genuine version .
All for seeing you work on another Russian watch. I would like to believe that the more expensive models,ie, over a hundred Euros have a much better movement in them. Nice video.
Thanks for this awesome video! I have a VEY similar model (with date window) from the mid-80's (so Soviet). I'm happy I had it serviced, despite paying more for servicing it than buying a new one. I have a video on my channel showcasing it. I think these watches have a charm of their own. Thank you!
I'm one of the very amateur enthusiasts to watch repair and very much love your works. But can I catch your attention to 43:12 the hairspring of the balance wheel looks pretty weird? Maybe I was the cause of the weak amplitude.
I was told that the Vostok watch from the factory is set up for great activity and shaking, bumps and temperature changes, in order to show the exact value at the same time! But in the usual calm state, they will show large deviations in the readings. What is not typical for other watch brands is the opposite! Therefore, the East is called sentry AK-47.
Love your videos. What a struggle this one was. I've got a few Vostok Amphibias and a couple of them always seem to end up on my wrist over much more expensive modern watches. I too have a wrongun with a damaged case, crazed crystal and a movement in need of service. Eventually I bought a new case, closely followed by a new movement. When I finally put it together, it would have been easier and cheaper to buy a new one I suppose. All that's left of the original watch is the vintage dial and handset!🤔
I have this exact same dial & case Komandirskie I bought brand new for under $40 US shipped, so I have to think this one definitely wasn't worth your time. :-) But I get it. I've bought quite a few old tired watches to tinker with. Nice job with it!
Fighting with a pin pallet at the moment, for one the gear fell off the pivot so it had to be stripped... then after trying to get the bridge on like 10 times the damn gear fell off again. I'll take it apart again today and see if I can get a better fit. but it is a right pain in the rear working on those all-metal ( well mine actually has one jewel held in by a screw) movements.
Hi Mike.Watching this restauration was like watching an action/drama movie.Caused me a lot of mood swings from "oh shit" to "yeaaah,he got it!!!".Russian watches can be like all Russian stuff,crude,but effective.Very entertaining vid,job well done!Happy New Year Mike,be well and safe.
I have just bought one of these and I struggled to wind it. After unscrewing the crown I needed to apply a little bit of outward pressure while winding or it simply didn't engage the winding mechanism. It just needs enough tension to 'take up the slack' in the mechanism. Once wound I find that my ancient, un-serviced, second hand Vostok keeps time +/- 5 seconds per day, when sitting on the desk. I haven't worn it, so can't comment on other orientations.
"This watch is throwing everything at me" - Welcome to the club! This is why I say, Soviet watches are more challenges than Swiss, Japanese, etc. watches.
Hi. For fixed studs you have to prevent the beat error when the watch is disassembled. You screw the balance to the plate and watch if the roller jewel stands between the posts. If not you can try to place it. Mark L. shows it in a video. That's the way I do :)
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ive never been more jealous of a youtube in my life, there must be hundreds of little shock setting springs across my house that I've never been able to find after they randomly fly away and yours lands in the bloody timegrapher. lol great video :)
ps, I've taken to pressing some rodico over the "hinge" part of the spring while i undo the little legs, haven't lost a spring since
Springs can be tricky and I’ve also lost a few along the way but I now have feel for them and mishaps are less common.
Rodico saves lives!!
Ну молодец ! Есть у русских хорошая к этому случаю поговорка : Умный учится на чужих ошибках ,а дураку и свои не помогают !
I've a lot of time for Vostok divers. Great little watches for very little money, with some interesting approaches to water resistance where they avoided Swiss and other patents and came up with some new ideas. The method of sealing the caseback gasket without the risks of distortion of the standard screw back case design. And the wibbly wobbly crown that makes you think it's broken. 😁 I'm gonna enjoy this. Kettle on, tea brewing, Thanks given.... and relax. 🙂
It wasn't so much about avoiding patents, as commies don't believe in property rights, much less property of western capitalists. It was moreso "how can we simplify this basic principle and mass produce it out of the cheapest material for assembly by unskilled, unfed workers?"
@@RockandrollNegro The fact you use the term "commies" may show a certain dare I say it American bias to your opinion. Never midn a lack of understanding around the water resistant design involved. It's actually more complex and requires more parts than the standard caseback and seal.
The same "commies" watch industry was started on an industrial scale in the 1930 when they bought and paid for the US Hampden watch company and shipped tonnes of equipment and 30 American staff over to Russia to help set it up. After the war that in essence became the First Moscow Watch factory where they produced all sorts of timepieces.
While states spied on and stole other state's secrets- and the USSR was certainly not alone in this - it was for the most part around the military end, less so the commercial end and the Soviets were happy to sell Soviet made watches outside the country as it earned them hard currency, so they were quite aware of existing patents that could scupper that. You will find plenty of Soviet era made watches with English rather than Russian on the dials and casebacks. They were for export.
Similarly when quartz came along they developed their own internally and copied or not as much as the Swiss did from the Japanese and Americans. Sekonda were originally a Soviet made watch company that was exporting to the West with different brands on the dials from the late 1960's and well into the digital watch 80's.
And the Russians are anything but "unskilled" engineers or workers. Who stole all the firsts in the Space Race before Apollo? Who after the Shuttle was retired were ferrying people into space and with significantly fewer accidents than the Shuttle? They produced the most consistent near earth orbit system of the 20th into the 21st century. And they did it with significantly less input and help from other nations. I'll have some of that "unskilled" labour please.
@@MrGrentch I suggest you ignore Mr. Smith if he tries to be fresh with you in his response. Everything you said was true. The political system of the USSR was deeply flawed, yes, but their consumer goods were generally no better or worse than any other nation. Wristwatches were no exception to this and are fantastic values today due to Cold War-era fear-mongering. The Soviets also pioneered a lot of things besides space exploration with workers and engineers who were definitely skilled. Antarctic expeditions, the development of the mobile telephone, and the human-capable anthrax vaccine all come to mind.
Dat waps you up ,you wascally wabbit!
@@MrGrentch The only point i will take issue with in your comment is that you refer to is as " Russian " . It was the Soviet Union and a lot of the skilled workers came not from "Russia" but the member countries of the Soviet Union. A lot of the skilled work as done in Ukraine or by Ukrainian workers.
Russia itself has not done a lot since the break up of the Soviet Union
Thank you for respecting such fairly simple but reliable mechanisms. Vostok is a watch manufactory with its original movements and designs of cases
Очень интересно смотреть про наши часы в руках зарубежных мастеров. Спасибо.
Thank you Sir
Great patience you have shown here, well done. The spring install into the barrel is something to remember. Definitely give another Vostok a go, they are very interesting movements. Amazing how the little parts can disappear and then magically show up again where you have either looked before or would not expect them to be.
Hi David hope all is well sir.
@@MyRetroWatches yes I am doing fine Michael, still obsessed with watches and enjoying these videos. Thanks for asking.
Great job Michael! I admire that you managed to win against all the challenges this watch gave you. I'm a big fan of Vostok watches and I have accumulated quite a few of them, both new and vintage ones, because I love the variety of cases, dials and the value for money they offer.
Regarding this watch, that's quite an interesting frankenwatch: I'm sure that these case, dial and hands are made for a 2409 movement ( more recent and tbh looking a bit more rough in terms of parts finish ) and not for a 2209, which is an older and "nicer" movement. The two movements aren't compatible in terms of dial feet and hands, that's why they had to glue the dial to the movement and crash the second hand. Quite surprised they went to the extent of making those modifications, given the very low cost of these watches (a brand new komandirskie can be as cheap as 20 pounds) so maybe it was just out of necessity or a less scrupolous hobbyist doing creative reuse of parts?
Anyway, I'm really loving your videos and I'm slowly getting all the tools to get started and hopefully get to service my first watch movement... now I know it will be one of my old and beaten 2209s :)
Thanks for your insight. I certainly want to see an original now If the case on mine is original and I think it is then it would be nice to accumulate all the parts together and turn this one back to spec. Thanks for watching and good luck with your first service.
@@MyRetroWatches you can find lots of those movements on etsy for some reason - for 10pounds i got 18 of them, some working, some not, but maybe as beginner i will be able to make at least one working. :) Thanks for video
Good luck with that. Harder than you think 💭 I’ll tell you. Mike is a pro
I love watching and listening to you problem solve.
Personally, the more difficult your problem the more I learn and the more interested the video is. Non-professional (not doing it to earn a living) watchmaking is all about problems, recognising them, coming up with a solution whilst being aware of the constraints of your ability/knowledge and deciding what to fix and what to leave - because 'it will do'.
I often struggle with this hobby and that’s probably why I do it. Watching videos like this remind me that it's OK to accept that professionals we are not. We do it because we enjoy the challenge of doing it and are released of the burden of whether its financially viable or not. It is a cheap watch but a great video!
Very good summing up there and all so true. I service a lot of Seikos now for others and mainly because the pro's are not interested in the work as its not a viable option. Hobbyist with a passion you can potentially get as good a job.
You are a very patient man.
Your skill level shows through with this challenging project.
Most of us would have given up on this watch but you took on the challenge not only for yourself but for your viewers and for that I thank you.
I would like to think that this watch was not “Frankened” to deceive anyone but repaired by someone in the transitional former USSR of the 1990’s, a time of political, social, and financial unrest, in order for someone to be able to keep telling time.
Thank you for sharing your skills with us we appreciate your videos.
Hello from Calgary
Im positive that this watch is franken too, although I think it was made recently as the diall looks too good and is probably a modern fake
This is a more positive way to look at this so I thank you for that. I am no the fence at being made to deceive, more just someone making a bit of money from parts. Either way it was an experience and a lesson for me.
@@staszeksowikowski9039 I am in agreement. many genuine parts but not all from the right watch! dial I think i not right for sure but then I can find examples online that look the same. Not having ever seen an original in my hand I cant compare.
I had a chuckle when the incabloc went flying, simply because the same thing has happened to me twice this month, and I assumed the same hands/knees position in vain attempting to find one. What a git indeed!
On a positive angle, its a win considering that it was a non-runner with those 'curve balls' (seconds hand, dial feet, broken pinion), you brought it back to life. So wonderful and very inspiring to watch your videos! Stay safe! Cheers!
The art of winding a Vostok is to unscrew the crown and wind while slightly pulling the crown the crown away from the case. Then it will lock into the movement.
I was so excited to wake up to this video. I'm only 5 minutes into it but wanted to comment about the loose crown. It needs to be pulled on a tiny bit to engage the winding. What I usually do is turn the watch crown side down and let gravity pull on the crown. That is usually enough pull to be able to wind it. It's been said that the loose crown is a feature not a bug ☺️ So if the watch takes a hit on the crown the shock doesn't transfer to the movement.
well if the crown is done up at the time.... ?
These watches were designed for the military. That's why the wobbly crown is a thing.
It is however hell annoying if you own a manual wound model...
Comrade Retro, you are spared from reeducation holiday in Siberia.
My Russian friend concurs with this statement….lmao
So funny ❤. Mike is the best ❤
I admire your patience and perseverance while knowing, or at least suspecting, that this is not a genuine Komandirski. I have seen the real deal, and they are quite decent watches.
Thanks. I now will look for 100% genuine and would like to do a comparison.
@@MyRetroWatches this is 100% a Vostock watch, or possibly two. It is genuine but it is possible the movement was swapped and the dial feet position didn't match. The 2209 was used in the earlier years of the 60s and 70s, later replaced by the 2416 with date, so not at all sure as this is clearly not an old dial or case. Perhaps a Franken, perhaps not, but definitely genuine, and who cares anyway, as there is so much interchangeability.
These are still made today, with exactly the same design and construction as the originals, but perhaps a little less quality than the Soviet era.
@@alastairwright77 That is correct. Recently, I have learned a couple of things about Vostok. There are many hundreds of combinations of cases, dials, bezels, and movements. Vostok watches are dirt cheap; it would be impossible to build a "fake" for a price lower than a genuine one. Reading and studying about Vostok, I have become a big fan of this former CCCP brand. It is an honest product for an honest price. I definately like the Vostok Amphibia.
I bought a used komandirski in 1990 for 30 Mark and my "version" was different. I lost her by fishing and maybe I can't remember her look completely but the bezel was more flat and the crown less big. The print on the dial also was more fine. At least, it was an automatic. Very different.
Good job Mike don't feel slighted. It's obvious nobody has loved this neat watch yet, until you came along. You gave it the same level of intensity you would a Rolex and innovated, improvised and came through with a serviceable product! I'd certainly wear it with pride! Just think if you can pull this one off what will you be able to do with a proper one! Great Job!
Final thought (also great job with the dial feet!).
The "third screw" you had near the end was for the last intermediate gear for the winding works!
Well done despite all the traps on the way :)
I own one genuine LOL Vostok "Scuba Dude" and was able after one week (no timegrapher here) to regulate it to minus 2sec/day (originaly was plus 38 sec/day !! )
Quite a nice looking movement and compact 👍 It look that this dial comes from Vostok movement 2414 and therefore someone removed dial feet and glued it 😀
Thank you A few of you here in the comments have mentioned the 2414 which I might have to seek out eventually and turn this watch back to its original state.
@@MyRetroWatches Would be nice to see it but additionally except movement a new movement ring (or holder) and could be also a new dial could be needed
Great video mate. I do admire your honesty and the fact that you're down to earth. Far too much snobbery in the watch world. I've had and still have plenty of Vostoks, and the genuine article is a great watch. I do admire your work.
Well done. For some reason I'm pleased to see the disproportionate effort you have put into this watch, given its value and dubious provenance. Your work is a statement that the watch is a thing in itself, worthy of a chance in life (using "life" loosely here). Also, it's a statement that the journey matters, not just the destination.
This watch has taken me in imagination years back to somewhere in Russia or the Soviet Union, to a watch "repairer" with little in the way of resources, little in the way of respect for the integrity of the watch, but lots of determination to get a working timepiece out of his hands and onto someone's wrist, at whatever cost.
I bought mine new from Russia 3-4 years ago and yes the crown is a wobbly wee thing but once you get used to it you’re golden. I absolutely love mine except for the 18mm band width, so wish it was a 20mm strap. Great video
Hi Mike! Great work. That is clearly a watch from the early 90s after the breakdown of the Sowjet Union (no 'CCCP' on the dial). At that time they took what was left on parts in the factory and botched together whatever possible to make some money. So it actually may be 'all original'. They were better before that time and better afterwords. I personally always look for CCCP on the dial of a Wostok. If it's there all will be fine.
Yep, but they were never so bad as to glue the dials on, hehe, so someone has definitely been there before
I really enjoyed the video. It had all the elements suspense, drama, questions to be answered and well edited. Thank you.
Thank you so much!
Wow, what a herculean effort to get that watch into order, but well worth it, I think. Thank you for posting such an honest and 'warts and all' video - it's refreshing to see a rebuild that isn't all plain sailing and reminds us 'tinkerers' why we should stay away from watch movements. It's a shame it didn't keep better time after all your hard work, but I guess you can't win them all. Keep up the great work.
What an admirable degree of tenacity you have! Entertaining and informative as always.
Thank you.
I have bought two of these on eBay and 1 new one. I was going to put a new movement and case with a very vintage dial. My expertise would have it looking like the worst frankenwatch when I am done. Enjoy your videos
I can't believe I've watched an hour-long video on refurbishing a Lada watch. Fascinating stuff, great video, I'm hooked.
Can't believe I've just bought a broken Lada watch based on watching this...
Fascinating video. An edge of the seat thriller. Speaking as someone who likes watches aesthetically but has no mechanical ability (as I have poor eyesight and hands like boxing gloves) I can only admire your heroic patience.
Much like the Mumbai watches, I have always wondered what these movements are like. Thank you!
Speaking of gluing dials to a movement that didn't fit, I did the very same thing on a non functioning mechanical vintage Timex. Removed the spoilt movement and hot glued a modern quartz movement behind the dial. Then used a new set of matching hands as the old hands didn't fit the quartz movement. Kept its vintage look but it keeps perfect time now without the hassle of winding it everyday.
Well done Mike, I have trained on these cheap Russian watches, they are full of surprises, but normally they come together and performs well. Keep them coming.
It's not a failure at all you did a good job I watched every minute.
Thank you. This is one of my older videos now.
@@MyRetroWatches yes I know. I still wanted you to see my thought. 🙂
Nice tune too during this cleaning process. Thanks Mike d
Well done Mike! Not an easy one and you smashed it.
Great persistence. You finished that watch even though there were quite a few road blocks. Good job.
Great job Mike, thanks for your amazing videos, i really like the little features of this whatch like the ring on the backcase and the stars in the ratchet wheel. The glue and fabric makes this video shocking.
enjoyed the video i was amazed you got the watch running with all that glue inside look forward to the next one.
Hi that was very interesting...quite a challenge I think, I have 9 vostoks and after regulating a couple of them I find they keep very good time and seem to be quite reliable, there is quite a following for these Russian chaps and they are becoming popular with enthusiasts, thanks for a great video👍
This has been a very good experience; helps bring your skill set to a different level, " I call that a big win ", nicely done.
Thank you John, It definitely tested me which makes for good video.
Loved your video. First one I've seen. Very entertaining and informative. I have just bought my first Vostoks, an Amphibian and a Komandirske, £50 on Ebay and £25 direct from Russia, both new. I Kind of bought them out of curiosity but I've grown to love them. Both working well and comfortable too. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Tony this is great to hear. Since my Vostok video and realising I had a lemon watch I’ve been interested in buying a genuine version.
Love your detailed description!
Camera always focus on the high-contrast, so just move away the high-contrast from the center, then it will focus on the object you want.
Well done ,you have that determination to finish that will carry you through the challenges every time.
The restoration video was great, but your Smiths timer is really something! An amazing piece of british design!
Thanks it’s certainly loud!
Great job!!! This movement doesn’t have usual cannon pinion used to separate gear train from setting mechanism as a clutch. It has that tall two-pinion gear connecting barrel and minute-hour reduction wheel. It serves as a clutch. It can fail and you’ll spend a lot of time guessing what’s wrong. Watch just stuck sometimes, it runs superacurately, second hand is moving, but minute-hour hands are not ))). Real fun.
Just found your channel and am very much enjoying the content. I have never really been into watches (I don't even wear one) but I love watch movements. I think they are beautiful puzzles made of engineering art. Still too intimidated to take up the hobby but love watching you work!
Thank you very much. its the micro engineering that I like also, and the aesthetics.
My favorite Russian watch brand. I love that dial, as I collected quite a few of that dial and different case configurations. :) I've got a few of these and it's going to be my first movement tear down, clean, and rebuild. Nice timing on the video. :)
Problems brings expiriance. Good job. 👍
Can’t wait to sit down and watch the whole video! Some of my favorite content! Thanks!
Very interesting and instructive watch repair. Every challenge you document for your viewers is one more that we will be less likely to faze us. And there are some new techniques to learn here as well, like how to deal with dial feet problems. This watch may not be the best runner with the wrong movement, but it is actually quite an attractive looking watch. Thank you!
Great job very tricky but worth it,I love Amphibias ,on my 7th dif case shape now .There is a special charm about them that sets them apart from everything else on the market .I'm collecting every case type of the little beauties and reckon I'm halfway there.Then there are a few Komanderskis I want for sure .especially the K39
An excellent enjoyable vid Mike. I'm sort of pleased that you end up running into the same issues as me whilst working on watches of dubious history. Your channel is what got me into amateur watch making, please keep it up👍
You fixed it. That is the point. Very nice. I learned a lot. Thank you
Vostocks are interesting moments. How the crown / stem works is odd. I've never had one apart however if you wind it and set it you kind of get the hang of it. I have a couple in my collection only because I wanted a Russian watch. The other Russian / Soviet watches are more normal in the operation. Good job, keep up the struggle. :) Have a great day and great new year! Chuck
My Retor watches your vintage vostok 2209 komandirski watch ⌚️ is awesome my friend
Really enjoyed your video again mate, surprised again and again about all these franken watches....have a great weekend
For me it's not so much the destination, but more the journey. I'm sure many of your followers will agree. Thank you.
Well Said, thanks
Excellent video as usual. I prefer the silver which you have compared to my dads brass. You have incredible patience. Keep going we love your videos.
Mike, talk about the bottom falling out from under your feet, you felled into a big pit, awesome job on digging out of that. I think you did a great job on the watch, seeing what you had to start with.
Thank you Dennis
This happens to me to Mike with the 50 Happy year Mickey watches. Very hard to line up the impulse jewel with the pallet fork. You did great.
Was it worth it..yes it was.. when beginners see the things that happen to experienced people it points out what can happen to anyone, perserver and your experience grows .. your channel will always increase because of your work..cheers
Thank you. Yes I’m just like anyone in this hobby. I don’t try to sugar coat my videos to make them look all professional, what you see is believable. Over 5 years on YT now sadly I don’t grow anywhere near as fast as many other channels doing the same that have come after me. Can be disappointing but just the way it is.
I could not figure this brand out. Complicated. You did 😅. ❤congratulations 🎉
The project wasn't a failure in that you made a nice video that showed your problem solving skills. I've rather become a fan of watching watch restoration video's and it's fascinating to see how you all get around the obstacles you encounter. Plus it induced me to subscribe, so there's that! :)
Thank you very much! Its a fantastic hobby which can throw up some interesting problems!
My Retor watches ⌚️ you good at restoring vintage watches ⌚️ my friend
Terrific Video Mike, I'm surprised you got the watch running at all.
A lot of hurdles to overcome and handled with aplomb.
Great entertainment!
Glad you enjoyed it
Once again you came Through Great .Job, Keep it coming
Love these watches, I have several. Enjoyed watching your challenge, well done.
Thanks for watching!
I just picked up a Vostok Komanderski Submarine watch for my grandson, because he's into Russian history right now and liked the Soviet style of it. Hopefully the movement is kinder to me than this one was to you. Thanks for tackling this, it will help me with my restoration.
Wow I admire your patience
You did a great job Mike. Thanks much.
If my successes were half as good as your failures I'd be a happy man. You brought that watch back from the brink and it looks fantastic.
Thank you. Just takes time and anyone can learn all this.
Well done mate you obviously have the patience of a Saint. Steve.
Another enjoyable video, the pleasures of watchmaking coming to the fore in this one for sure..lol. Look forward to your next (and hopefully less frustrating) project...👍👏
Man that watch would have gone into my bin. Patience of god
What a struggle! Maybe it wasn't what you'd hoped for and yes, a Franken-watch. But you got it together! And that was great to see. Interesting that you didn't put the keyless works on till much later. I always thought you had to put all that on in order to test the watch's running. The bits that always get me are the clickspring, train bridge and, especially, the balance. I suppose that if you feel you're getting somewhere with reassembly, it IS worth doing (though I'm WAY off THAT being a success of any kind. Personally I've been a bit down on myself recently as a potential watchmaker/watchfixer, but always good to see how it should be done! :)
Been waiting for this vid for a good while and thoroughly enjoying it, thank you for the kind words too. Abs masterful work you have done there, just a shame its a bit of a hodgepodge but saying that, the 2209 movement is far more reliable than the 2414A it should have had.
Thanks for your help Ian. This one turned out to be a right Frankin and I suspect the movement is still not running right. One day I may look for the genuine version .
Actually, it should have been a 2409, since the dial doesn't have a date window
Awesome job, steady hands sir.
All for seeing you work on another Russian watch. I would like to believe that the more expensive models,ie, over a hundred Euros have a much better movement in them. Nice video.
5:26 "The dial is looking pretty nice! Not a mark on it." For an older Russian watch, I took that as foreshadowing. Good video though. 👍
This was at the beginning. Now I believe the dial is most likely a reproduction. The whole watch is made up of different watches!
Thanks for this awesome video! I have a VEY similar model (with date window) from the mid-80's (so Soviet).
I'm happy I had it serviced, despite paying more for servicing it than buying a new one. I have a video on my channel showcasing it. I think these watches have a charm of their own.
Thank you!
I am in disbelief over the condition of the works. I mean the file marks are all over and DEEP!
Yes this one was almost a bridge too far
I'm one of the very amateur enthusiasts to watch repair and very much love your works. But can I catch your attention to 43:12 the hairspring of the balance wheel looks pretty weird? Maybe I was the cause of the weak amplitude.
I was told that the Vostok watch from the factory is set up for great activity and shaking, bumps and temperature changes, in order to show the exact value at the same time! But in the usual calm state, they will show large deviations in the readings. What is not typical for other watch brands is the opposite! Therefore, the East is called sentry AK-47.
Love your videos. What a struggle this one was. I've got a few Vostok Amphibias and a couple of them always seem to end up on my wrist over much more expensive modern watches. I too have a wrongun with a damaged case, crazed crystal and a movement in need of service. Eventually I bought a new case, closely followed by a new movement. When I finally put it together, it would have been easier and cheaper to buy a new one I suppose. All that's left of the original watch is the vintage dial and handset!🤔
I have this exact same dial & case Komandirskie I bought brand new for under $40 US shipped, so I have to think this one definitely wasn't worth your time. :-) But I get it. I've bought quite a few old tired watches to tinker with. Nice job with it!
Fighting with a pin pallet at the moment, for one the gear fell off the pivot so it had to be stripped... then after trying to get the bridge on like 10 times the damn gear fell off again. I'll take it apart again today and see if I can get a better fit. but it is a right pain in the rear working on those all-metal ( well mine actually has one jewel held in by a screw) movements.
Ah Mike I think I would have thrown that one in the parts box!, your time is so important. Good learning though. Well done. Adrian
мои первые часы из детсва. спасибо за видео.
Great restoration and video as ever 👍🙂
Perfect Video and Explanation! Thank you!
Fab 👍 great work Mike keep it up
A very interesting topic and great that you can figure it all out👍
Always a joy to watch your videos
Thanks
I got a dial feet kit and tool
On Ali express that cuts a relief circle in the back of the dial to get them flush after affixing them.
Hi Mike.Watching this restauration was like watching an action/drama movie.Caused me a lot of mood swings from "oh shit" to "yeaaah,he got it!!!".Russian watches can be like all Russian stuff,crude,but effective.Very entertaining vid,job well done!Happy New Year Mike,be well and safe.
Haha thanks. Some of my restorations do take me down a very bumpy path sometimes.
Thanks for watching
I have just bought one of these and I struggled to wind it.
After unscrewing the crown I needed to apply a little bit of outward pressure while winding or it simply didn't engage the winding mechanism. It just needs enough tension to 'take up the slack' in the mechanism. Once wound I find that my ancient, un-serviced, second hand Vostok keeps time +/- 5 seconds per day, when sitting on the desk. I haven't worn it, so can't comment on other orientations.
"This watch is throwing everything at me" - Welcome to the club! This is why I say, Soviet watches are more challenges than Swiss, Japanese, etc. watches.
Great video mate👍 love watching the trials and tribulations😂
More to come!
Hi. For fixed studs you have to prevent the beat error when the watch is disassembled. You screw the balance to the plate and watch if the roller jewel stands between the posts. If not you can try to place it. Mark L. shows it in a video. That's the way I do :)
Thanks . I understand the theory it’s just the practice . Hairspring are not the easiest thing to work with.
I just bought mine and it looks identical to this one. So they haven't changed much then 😁