Screw_Pin-1If your metal watch band is too big, you can always make it smaller to ensure a perfect fit by removing links. You can tell if your watch band is held together with screw style links by turning it on its side and examining it. If the links are solid on one side with a hole on the other side with a screw head facing up you are dealing with a screw pin and you should use this guide.

 

 

 

Screw_Pin-TTools Needed:

 

Step 1

When you need to remove links from your watch band, it helps to know exactly how many you need to remove. To learn How to Determine How Many Links to Remove from your watch band, check out this article.

Once you know how many links you need to remove from the band, you need to decide how many links you are removing from each side of the watch band. Anytime you are removing more than one link, you should split the total to be removed between both sides of the clasp so the clasp will stay centered on your wrist.

 

Screw_Pin-2Step 2

Choose which side of the watch band you want to start removing links from, and set the watch in your band holder with the screw head facing up. Take your flat head screwdrivers and test the various blades in the screw head until you find the screwdriver that fits the screw pin just right.

 

 

Step 3

Insert the right size screwdriver blade into the screw head in the link. Turn the screwdriver counter-clockwise to loosen the screw. Continue turning it until it feels like the screw is just sitting loose in the link. Then use your non-magnetic tweezers to lift the screw pin out of the link and place it in your parts tray.

 

Screw_Pin-3Step 4

Remove the band from the holder and let the band open where you’ve removed the pin. Count the number of links you need to remove from this side of the band.

 

 

 

 

Step 5

Replace the watch band in the holder, making sure that the screw head end of pin is facing up. Then, take your screwdriver again, and insert it into the pin. Turn the blade counter-clockwise until the screw is loose in the link. When the pin is loose, remove it from the link with your non-magnetic tweezers and place it in your parts tray. Set the loose links in your parts tray again, to keep track of them.

 

Step 6

Now, you are ready to put this first side of the watch band back together again. Put the two loose ends of the band together. Grab one of the loose screw pins you just removed from the band and slide the pin into the hole. Be sure to insert the threaded end of the pin first.

 

Screw_Pin-5Step 7

Place the watch band in the holder to keep it steady and push the pin down to make sure you have reached the threaded portion of the link. Next, take your flat head screwdriver and turn it clockwise to put the pin the rest of the way into place. When you cannot turn the screwdriver anymore, you will know that the screw is back in place and you can remove the band from the holder.

 

Step 8

Before you remove any links from the other side of the band, put your watch back on and check to see how it fits. Feel free to do the link test again and see if you still need to remove the number of links you expected.

 

Step 9

Once you have verified the number of links you need to remove, take the watch off again. Turn it and place the band in the holder so you can remove the next links from the other side of the band.

Screw_Pin-4

Step 10

Repeat steps 3 through 7.

 

Step 11

Put the band back together and try it on again. It should fit now that you have removed the number of links you determined. If it is still too big, you can always remove another link. If it is too small now, you can check out this article on How to Add Watch Band Screw Links to a watch band here.

 

Finished

Now that your watch band fits just the way you want, you can wear it again. Be sure to keep the extra links and pins that you removed from the watch in case you need them again in the future.