[captain kid]

Just bought a Vostok Amphibian (18mm) and would like some spare spring bars.
I bought Geomark brand before for my Tao, but noticed there are different diameter sizes and also different types of spring bars.

What brand and type should I buy for my Amphibian, preferably available to Europe for not to much money.

Also general information about spring bars would be appreciated.
I just bought regular ones for my Tao and they seem to do the job but still some info would be handy. Like do all watches require special sizes and types or will "normal"(1.5mm) or fat (1.8mm) fit on most watches?

Thanks in advance. :-!

 

[Seele]

One thing I am sure of: the original Russian spring bars are of the finest quality; if you can find them in good condition, go for them!

However, the kind of "standard quality" spring bars you tend to get are actually quite weak, and very small in shaft thickness, which is about 1.3mm, while the Russian ones are close to 2mm.

The spring bars I use are ordered from an Australian supplier and with shaft diameter of 1.78mm, in two different designs. They also supply really strong ones at 2.5mm diameter but not in 18mm size.

Generally, the "double flange" design is more common, as the spring bar tool can grab on to the ends easier. But if you have a good spring bar tool, the "double shoulder" variety is just as good and to my mind, a touch more secure.

For a beefier watch like the Amphibia I always insist on the strongest spring bars, but then, for lightweight dress watches such as my small Poljot and very dressy Raketa, the Russians also supplied these too, so I would rather have strong ones than weak ones any day. Unless you use really thick straps, 1.78mm shafts should be fine.

 

[captain kid]

Are there also different sizes for the part that actually goes in to the lug hole?
And would

these be any good?

 

[Seele]

Looking at the ebay listing I feel they should be fine, although some manufacturers use holes which are a bit bigger than average. I do not believe third-party manufacturers would want to make them suitable only for watches with larger than average holes.

Also make sure you have a decent quality spring bar tool, it is not costly but you will notice how easy it is to change straps. I use an Anchor brand, double-ended one, pretty much standard quality, but I certainly cannot live without it.

 

[captain kid]

Well, I bought some but am faced with another question.
The lug size of the Amphibia is 18 mm.
The spring bars the Amphibia came with were longer then 18mm.
The fat ones I bought are exactly 18 mm, not counting the ends which go in the lugs.


See picture

This obviously means they are not under any tension when on the watch unlike the original spring bars.

Is this normal for fat spring bars?

 

[Seele]

As long as the strap at the loop end is not too soft, they would be fine.

Reason is this: if the loop end is very soft, it can get squashed a little along the width direction. This would pull the spring bar sideways and one end might move far enough to pop out of the anchoring hole. In fact this is the reason why it is not recommended to use a strap narrower than the lug width.

 

[IanP]

The spring bar you refer to in your second post and depict in your third are best suited to watches with drilled lugs, i.e. where there's a hole on the outside of each lug.

That way, you can remove them by compressing them with the pointed end of a spring bar tool through the hole from the outside, if you get my drift.

You won't be able to remove them from the inside because there's no flange or shoulder for the end of the spring bar tool to engage.

 

[Seele]

IanP,

With a fair quality spring bar tool, there's no problem at all removing these from lugs which are not drilled-through.

 

[captain kid]

As long as the strap at the loop end is not too soft, they would be fine.

Reason is this: if the loop end is very soft, it can get squashed a little along the width direction. This would pull the spring bar sideways and one end might move far enough to pop out of the anchoring hole. In fact this is the reason why it is not recommended to use a strap narrower than the lug width.

But is this normal for these types of spring bars?
Or should I buy 19 mm, or revert back to the original spring bars?

To IanP:
The spring bars in my second post are not the same as in my 3th post.
The spring bars on the picture do have a shoulder so it's no problem getting them out.

 

[Seele]

But is this normal for these types of spring bars?
Or should I buy 19 mm, or revert back to the original spring bars?

To IanP:
The spring bars in my second post are not the same as in my 3th post.
The spring bars on the picture do have a shoulder so it's no problem getting them out.

Captain Kid,'

The original Vostok - in fact, original Russian spring bars are like that, instead of the double-flange type, so no worries there. I have a half-decent quality spring bar tool, Anchor brand, and it has no problem at all taking them out of the lugs.

If you get 19mm spring bars, it might not compress enough to fit into the 18mm lugs. That is the reason why I bought the ones which can compress enough to fit into 16mm lugs and yet expand enough to fit 21mm lugs.

 

[captain kid]

If you get 19mm spring bars, it might not compress enough to fit into the 18mm lugs. That is the reason why I bought the ones which can compress enough to fit into 16mm lugs and yet expand enough to fit 21mm lugs.

I understand from your words, the fat spring bars I bought are supposed to be like that. Perhaps I'll buy some 19 inch and see if they fit.

Thanks for all your replies :-!

 

[Seele]

I understand from your words, the fat spring bars I bought are supposed to be like that. Perhaps I'll buy some 19 inch and see if they fit.

Thanks for all your replies :-!

19-inch spring bars... holy cow! :-d

 

[Dr Watchmaker]

Perhaps I'll buy some 19 inch and see if they fit.

those will certainly not

If you are in Europe, PM me your address and will send you a couple of original ones.

 

[captain kid]

those will certainly not

If you are in Europe, PM me your address and will send you a couple of original ones.

That's very kind of you. :-!
PM send.

 

[captain kid]

those will certainly not

If you are in Europe, PM me your address and will send you a couple of original ones.

I received the spring bars, thank you very much. :-!

 

[Dr Watchmaker]

You are welcome.
Hope they fit.