Bent minute hand on Caravelle 11dp (Citizen 0241) movement

[DanteFalcioni]

Hey everyone,

As you can see from the photos below, the minute hand on this Caravelle is pretty badly bent, in both the horizontal and vertical direction. It runs against the hour markers often when it goes by. 

I’ve been searching for replacement hands on eBay but I’ve had no luck, would anyone be able to recommend me to a website or somewhere that might have replacement hands?

I’m assuming I’ll have to just bend it back best I can and re-lume the hand. So my question would be what are the best techniques for this? Do I apply any heat? Do I try clamping it flat? Bend with tweezers? Thanks.

Also I know the lume picture isn’t great but what grade if lume would be similar to this green colour? I don’t mind the quality of the lume because the original on this dial only lasts 30 seconds anyways lol, I just want to match the colour.

[Poljot]

3 hours ago, DanteFalcioni said:

Hey everyone,

As you can see from the photos below, the minute hand on this Caravelle is pretty badly bent, in both the horizontal and vertical direction. It runs against the hour markers often when it goes by. 

I’ve been searching for replacement hands on eBay but I’ve had no luck, would anyone be able to recommend me to a website or somewhere that might have replacement hands?

I’m assuming I’ll have to just bend it back best I can and re-lume the hand. So my question would be what are the best techniques for this? Do I apply any heat? Do I try clamping it flat? Bend with tweezers? Thanks.

Also I know the lume picture isn’t great but what grade if lume would be similar to this green colour? I don’t mind the quality of the lume because the original on this dial only lasts 30 seconds anyways lol, I just want to match the colour.

Remove all hands, measure them (hole dia, and length from the centre of the hole to the tip). Search Cousins or eBay to find what you like. Alternatively, try to straighten it - should not be too complicated: use tweezers, but protect the surface to avoid scratching it. Using heat will remove / damage paint.

[Poljot]

Btw, you can skip "measuring hole diameter" step:

Hands
1.50 x 0.90 x 0.25mm
 

Just measure each hand's length

[Nucejoe]

Remove the minute hand, place it upside down on a flat wooden surface, slide a wooden stick over its back to flatten the hand,  work streightening each horizental bend at the very bent section.

You shouldn't think all bends can be fixed with one push at the tip, its streigthening at each bend one at a time. Soak in water clean in ultrasonic or by brushing the back.

Tons of Good luck.

 

[watchweasol]

Sound advice given. another method is to warm the tweezers and stroke along the length of the hand untill straight then address the horizontal bends in the same manner.  Warming the metal with the tweezers relaxes the metal .