While I've heard you can make do with household items like paperclips and push pins, I would recommend getting a kit off the bay. I got one for about $17. It's already paid for itself as last time I had a bracelet sized it cost me $10. Yes the pin & collar can be a pain. There are several tutorials online to look at first. I did and it helped knowing what to expect ahead of time. I took my time and all went well. Probably took me an hour, but that was also the first bracelet I had ever sized. Work in a contained area so as to not lose the collars as they are TINY. Also I've got two original Monsters and paid under $200 for each. The 2nd Gen seems to be in the $200-$250 price range. Might look at Long Island Watch and use the GET5 promo code. Good Luck,
Just got the 6R15 Monster this week. Collar and pin system is a PITA. Make sure you do the bracelet adjustment over a clean kitchen or hardwood floor, as those collars will be hard to find if they fall on carpet. Get the took kit listed above and take your time. OR, take it to a good jeweler and have him size it. The collar has to be pushed in while holding the collared pin into the link on the other side. Make sure it seats good or it WILL work itself out and the pin will then come out and your watch will fall and self-guide towards the hardest surface to land on.
Personally I've never found the pin/collar system annoying, just requires patience, steady hands, and a good well-lit work area.
My favorite combo is a push pin/thumb tack to push the pin out and retrieve the collar (it will be on the tip of the pin), and then use a mechanical pencil on one end to hold the pin in, while using another mechanical pencil to push the collar onto the pin. Check with a light if the collar edges are flush with the end of the pin and you're set.
I'd recommend taking the bracelet off the watch when you do this, to avoid damage to the case in the event something slips/slides or falls. Having a bright colored roll-resistant surface like a large yellow fluffy microfiber cloth helps spot collars and catches them from rolling off somewhere.
Just did battle with pin and collar on a Seiko SKZ323. Was harder than the Monster bracelets only because collar is in center of the link as opposed to visible from the end. Patience paid off with successful sizing, and another lesson learned, but it wasn't as easy at first. After figuring out it was different it went fairly smooth.
Pin and collar is SOOO much easier if you have the proper tools. I have done it with a paperclip, and it's not good. If the collars are tight, as they should be, you really need a very stiff, very thin tool to push it out, and you need some way to hold the bracelet steady while you try to push the collar back on. The tool kits are so cheap, I would never do it without one again.
I have found that some pins can be pushed out with the pointy end of a springbar tool but others on the same watch have to be punched out so treat yourself to a set of punches or a pin push tool.
MONSTER is here and sized!! Glad i bought the kit, and it was every bit the PIA they say it is to size, especially making sure those collars are "locked" in. But it fits perfectly!!!
i have a kit, but it was not with me when i received my sumo. i resized my sumo's bracelet with the same pin and collar system using two ballpoint pens with tips small enough to fit in the pin holes but big enough not to slide inside the collars. it was the first time i resized a pin and collar system and i must say i did well.
I just did it with a needle and pliers on my 35j5-gc. It's not necessary to buy dedicated tools if you do it only once in your life, but you definitely want to if you have to do it again or get another watch/bracelet. Or simply if you don't want to put your bracelet at risk. It's very hard not to scratch the steel with the "no tool" method.
By the way, I did rip and scratch a link (the one I was removing), even though I've been extra careful, beware.
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