A Practical Treatise on Watch Repairing

A Practical Treatise on Watch Repairing is a straight, workbench-level guide for the everyday repairer. N. B. (Napoleon-Bonaparte) Sherwood concentrates on the “little things” that determine whether a job runs smoothly: how the bench is set up, how tools are selected or adapted, and how to approach a fault so it’s cured the first time.

A core strength of the book is toolmaking. Sherwood shows how to build and adapt practical fixtures from ordinary materials—swing tools for filing flats in the lathe, converting a depthing tool into a staking tool, and making punches, dies, and small helpers like a stud remover, regulator-cap holder, and roller remover. He also covers a lathe fitting for graining and methods for polishing wheels to a professional finish.

The repair guidance is direct and economical. You’ll find clear instruction on using the depthing tool for topping wheels, spreading wheel webs when needed, and executing sound corrections without buying new equipment. Later chapters address repairs that can be done with the tools already to hand, keeping costs and downtime down.

Though written in an earlier era, the underlying mechanical principles—depth, truth, finish, and good shop habit—haven’t changed. The procedures transfer cleanly to modern service work. The writing is concise, the methods proven, and the focus remains on results at the bench.

Suitable for the working repairer who wants dependable, low-cost methods, and a solid choice for beginners who prefer practical instruction over theory.