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There's a mechanical watch feature called a “hack”

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Re: There's a mechanical watch feature called a “hack”

#11

Post by matt-attack »

drewcoo wrote: post #5

> In war films, if you ever wondered what a bunch of soldiers standing in a circle shouting "hack!" at each other meant: they're synchronizing their watches. Said no one before ever. For that matter, no group of soldiers ever cried out "hack" while setting their watches in a war movie, either. Is the entire thing made up?

The minute I read that line, I was actually instantly reminded of an episode of MAS*H where Frank Burns utters that exact expression as he's synchronizing his watch. It's apparently been spinning in the back of my head for decades and now I understand it.

Edit:

I actually found the script to the episode:

https://subslikescript.com/series/MASH-68098/season-4/episod...

   I dropped my watch in the latrine,
   and I really don't want it back.
   
   - Just purse your lips and stand by.
   - [Making Put-Put Sounds]
   
   Coming up 0516, hack!
   
   Hack!
   
   Now!
   
   ## ["Assembly"]
   
   - Twenty seconds.
   - Check.
   - Hack.
   
   - Shut up.
   - Shutting up, sir!

Re: There's a mechanical watch feature called a “hack”

#12

Post by theK »

ferongr wrote: post #4
matthewtse wrote: post #3

Interestingly, hacking seconds have become so ubiquitous, that some watches will advertise the "lack" of hacking seconds. I.e. in the Rolex GMT, when you adjust the hour hand independently of the seconds hand, the seconds hand continues moving (non-hacking), which allows you to change the time zone when traveling without messing up the seconds hand that you previously already setup.

Which is completely asinine, as mechanical watches, even expensive ones are inaccurate by many seconds every day.

I agree it's not perfect but:

1. For cases where seconds matter in human interaction there are well know and efficient protocols to sync

2. Often 2-3 seconds turn out to not matter but being on the right time zone does. It is an evolutionary development after all so (at least at some point) there exists a large market for this feature

Re: There's a mechanical watch feature called a “hack”

#13

Post by CydeWeys »

matthewtse wrote: post #3

Interestingly, hacking seconds have become so ubiquitous, that some watches will advertise the "lack" of hacking seconds. I.e. in the Rolex GMT, when you adjust the hour hand independently of the seconds hand, the seconds hand continues moving (non-hacking), which allows you to change the time zone when traveling without messing up the seconds hand that you previously already setup.

Nota bene, a GMT does hack in the second crown position, so you can set it accurately to the second.

And independent jumping hours is super useful while traveling across time zones. It's a complication, in the same way that hacking itself is a complication. Both are harder to implement than a time-only watch without hacking.

Re: There's a mechanical watch feature called a “hack”

#14

Post by CydeWeys »

ferongr wrote: post #4
matthewtse wrote: post #3

Interestingly, hacking seconds have become so ubiquitous, that some watches will advertise the "lack" of hacking seconds. I.e. in the Rolex GMT, when you adjust the hour hand independently of the seconds hand, the seconds hand continues moving (non-hacking), which allows you to change the time zone when traveling without messing up the seconds hand that you previously already setup.

Which is completely asinine, as mechanical watches, even expensive ones are inaccurate by many seconds every day.

It's useful while traveling across time zones. You'd lose a lot more time if you had to hack it while changing the local time setting.

Re: There's a mechanical watch feature called a “hack”

#15

Post by callumprentice »

Somewhat related, I came across a YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/@WristwatchRevival) that I never would have guessed I'd enjoy but now I am hooked. The host disassembles a high-end mechanical watch each episode, cleans each tiny piece and then puts it all back together again.

I have never had any interest in mechanical watches whatsoever - I use an Apple Watch - but this is so relaxing and he is so good at sharing his extensive knowledge that I find myself immersed in his world for an hour or so each week.

I know this reads like a schill but I promise I have no connection other being a happy viewer.

Re: There's a mechanical watch feature called a “hack”

#16

Post by thrawa8387336 »

ferongr wrote: post #4
matthewtse wrote: post #3

Interestingly, hacking seconds have become so ubiquitous, that some watches will advertise the "lack" of hacking seconds. I.e. in the Rolex GMT, when you adjust the hour hand independently of the seconds hand, the seconds hand continues moving (non-hacking), which allows you to change the time zone when traveling without messing up the seconds hand that you previously already setup.

Which is completely asinine, as mechanical watches, even expensive ones are inaccurate by many seconds every day.

It's art

Re: There's a mechanical watch feature called a “hack”

#17

Post by Raidion »

ferongr wrote: post #9
snitty wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Rolex are +/- 2 seconds per day.

That's terrible. Hacking prevention would make sense if they were ±2 seconds a month.

1 minute a month (upper bound) is hardly a deal breaker. If you were adjusting the watch regularly without hacking (as a pilot) you'd have an error rate that's probably close to 10x higher. 10+ minutes a month WOULD make a difference.

Re: There's a mechanical watch feature called a “hack”

#18

Post by 75w »

ggm wrote: post #2

One might well ask why "Hackneyed" has it's meaning of commonplace.. And if you do, you will see that Hackneyed comes from a "Hack" horse, the commonplace (often hired) horse you use for more ordinary riding tasks, you don't care if its a bit spavined or mouthed, it's not your best hunter. In other words Hack -> Hackney -> Hack A Hacking jacket likewise: its workday hard wearing cloth like Tweed. undied or dull dye.

Doesn't the word hackney (for a horse) come from the place Hackney (for a hipster)?

so it would be Hackney -> Hack -> Hackney -> Hack

Re: There's a mechanical watch feature called a “hack”

#19

Post by dclowd9901 »

callumprentice wrote: post #15

Somewhat related, I came across a YouTube channel ( https://www.youtube.com/@WristwatchRevival ) that I never would have guessed I'd enjoy but now I am hooked. The host disassembles a high-end mechanical watch each episode, cleans each tiny piece and then puts it all back together again. I have never had any interest in mechanical watches whatsoever - I use an Apple Watch - but this is so relaxing and he is so good a…

It sounds like you just like the process. There are several good car restoration channels for this too.

Re: There's a mechanical watch feature called a “hack”

#20

Post by jakespencer »

callumprentice wrote: post #15

Somewhat related, I came across a YouTube channel ( https://www.youtube.com/@WristwatchRevival ) that I never would have guessed I'd enjoy but now I am hooked. The host disassembles a high-end mechanical watch each episode, cleans each tiny piece and then puts it all back together again. I have never had any interest in mechanical watches whatsoever - I use an Apple Watch - but this is so relaxing and he is so good a…

It’s funny because I know of Marshall from the fact that he hosts one of the most popular Magic: the Gathering podcasts and I knew he had a wristwatch channel on YouTube but I’ve never seen anyone who knew him primarily from that.
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