every time I try and take straps/bracelets off my watches I get furious. I have a little watch holder and two decent springbar tools, but neither my Pelagos nor my Seamaster have drilled lugs. So I fight the damn springbars way more than I feel I should have to, often ruining them in the process. Because of this I seldom change straps, even though I'd like to sometimes.

Is it worth it to buy a fancy-ass spingbar tool? I hear stuff like the Bergeon is a lifetime tool but I feel like a dick paying almost $200 for small tweezers. I'm not a watch maker, no plans on doing daily changes or anything like that.

I don't think either of my bracelets could be made to take those quick detach springbars, either.

Timely question.  I was changing the bracelet on my wife's Pelagos 39 last night and it took forever and I scratched the lugs.  I don't think the tweezer type is any better for this particular watch, it's the way you do it.  (pushing up or down on the bracelet, and doing one side at a time).

I normally don't have an issue with other watches, so that Pelagos was an exercise in frustration.

Change spring bars.
There are others that have a second ring just for the little forked tool.
I'll go through mine, and see if I can't take a pic.

A. This has a tip that might work (or you might already have something similar)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072FRJ92R?tag=arfcom00-20

B. If you're wrecking springbars with the current tool, springbars are pretty cheap so buy a few.

C. $166 for a very high quality, low volume tool doesn't seem excessive if you think you'll use it often enough.
   Besides, if you don't like it Amazon refunds are easy.

@Mike_314 answered below, thanks:

a) that's pretty much what I have already.

b) I have something like 400 spare springbars, so my fear of ruining them is low

c) I don't know if it's going ot be used frequently enough. on one hand, I really like the idea of switching straps around whenever, getting some other interesting bracelets, etc. On the other hand, I only really wear one watch. Wore the omega for 15 solid years, damn near every day. Got the Tudor in May and I've worn it all but 2 days. I got a new weird watch that I had read about and liked (Octopus FF Homage) and I said "oh cool, this would look nice on a different strap, but I won't buy it one".  Now I'm probably going to list it for sale already

With your situation, two nice watches you don’t want to ding up with a subpar tool, yes I think it’s worth it to get a good one. Especially if you are changing straps/bracelets often.

FWIW, buy good quality spring bars, a spring bar tool and the tweezers.  Also, pay particular attention to the length of the spring bar. Let’s say that the lug width of your watch is 20mm.  You go out and purchase 20mm Swiss spring bars to fit your watch that has a bracelet with solid end links.  Your 20mm Swiss spring bars only compress down to 20.5+mm (I can’t remember the exact compressed length).  You bought the wrong ones.  For a bracelet with 20mm solid end links you need a 19mm spring bar because you need to compress (w/ spring bar tweezers) both sides w/in the end link at the same time and “slide” that between the lugs.  It’s extremely difficult to do one side at a time with a bracelet and snug fitting end links.   You WILL scratch the lugs and it will be difficult and frustrating.  On the other hand if you’re  fitting a strap, you can use a 20mm spring bar because you can first insert one end into the hole in the lug and then insert the other side with your standard spring bar tool.

Changing spring bars with a strap is simple with the standard spring bar tool.  Precise and tight fitting solid end links need the spring bar tweezers.

To avoid scratching the lugs, I use this plastic tape that I can’t remember the name of off the top of my head.  I have the Bergeon tweezers but they are expensive.  The cost of the replacement tips are absurdly expensive for what they are.  I can’t remember the name of another company but they make a similar product that is much cheaper.  The tips are also very affordable. . . I. should have went with those.  I’ll do a search. . .

Don’t buy cheap spring bar tools because the tips are cheap and fragile.  The same goes for cheap, bulk spring bars. I can’t imagine saving a couple dollars by using those on expensive watches but that’s just my opinion.  Use quality spring bars especially if you’re wearing the watch on a strap.

Good luck! I hope this helps.

ETA:  They are the Horofix tweezers and they come with extra tips.

ETA2:  Polyamide Tape


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Stop the madness.
Get spring bars like this.
Changing is a breeze.

Those definitely make life easier.

When using those, be careful with the outside diameter of the tips. A lot of them are too small and will oval out the lugs. With some end links, you can’t compress those enough.

I just use the OEMs.

I'm telling you... the Pelagos bracelet removal isn't like most.  Don't know why, but it's a bitch.

Best little free tool that comes with straps, bands, whatever ya wanna call them.

The simple little tool shown by Keats is the way to go.
Buy double flange spring bars.
Many watchbands come with the spring bar tool with a forked end and a pin end that works on almost all spring bars.

As a working watchmaker I spent my Christmas season machine engraving bracelets and watch backs, and doing a LOT of watchband installation and adjusting.
The simple tool works as good as anything and better then a lot of vastly more expensive tools.
Often, simpler really is better.

I checked with a micrometer, the pins I was using were too long. They were labeled 20mm, the inside of the lugs on the seamaster is 20.01mm, but the damn spring bars are 22.43mm. They only compress down to 19.89 IF you are able to get them both, which is obviously hard to do if it’s within the bracelet.
An “18mm” version is actually 20.5 non compressed so I think I’ll try that one when my bracelet is fixed (an internal pin got broken).

Still not sure what to do with the Pelagos, that’s on original pins so whatever the factory thinks is OK is what’s in there.

You are getting some seriously bad advice here but hey, whatever works for you.  Please reread my post above.  I’m not going to beat a dead horse.

Do not use cheap, inferior spring bars or tools on expensive watches or on any watch that you plan on not losing!  Some straps are rubberized and will “grip” ill fitted spring bars.  If you hit or rub the strap against something the wrong way, it’ll compress one side of the spring bar and pop out.  You’ll lose your watch that way.

As I wrote earlier, 20mm Swiss spring bars are going to be greater than 20mm when compressed. It will be extremely difficult if not impossible to remove/replace 20mm Swiss spring bars (20.5+mm when compressed) with solid end links on a modern Omega Seamaster bracelet.  It is 20mm between the lugs.  These are 19mm Swiss spring bars compressed and work perfectly when using a bracelet (for straps, you can use 20mm because you can slide one end into the lug first and then insert the other end):

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If you try to use a standard spring bar tool on a modern Omega Seamaster w/ solid end links, you will not be able to compress both at the same time to allow the end link to slide out.  You will scratch the lugs and will have to use more “force” than necessary.  Don’t try to do this:

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Using the right tool for the right job. . . 19mm Swiss spring bar with both ends compressed simultaneously which allows the end links to “slide” into place.  The following pic is for illustrative purposes only as I always tape the lugs.  The only force necessary is just the effort required to compress the spring bar which isn’t much.  This process takes maybe 3-5 seconds a side with no swearing involved.  I’ve swapped straps/bracelet on this particular Seamaster multiple times and there isn’t one scratch on the lugs:

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I just ponied up the money for the Burgeon.  I figure it will get the use it needs from a few of my nicer watches.  Plus the kid can also use it for his growing collection.

I have a cheap 20$ one from amazon in use for years, i also hve the "fancy" one that came with my speedmaster and does nothing better.

I can decond CUJO above and want to add one thing:


What is important to know is that mutiple watch brands use different spring bars for different type of straps. I know for certain that Omega and Breitling do this.
In general Spring bars for bracelets are a tiny bit shorter that for straps.

If you try to mount Breitling Springbars for the Rubber into the steel Bracelet you will give up frustrated after scratching your lugs, if you use the Springbars for the Bracelet in the rubber it does not provide sufficient retention.
Same with Omega Natos / Bracelets.

I can Imagine that something similar is going on with Tudor and the Pelagos Rubbber.

If I were to spend the coin, do I want the tweezers or the pliers? New Rolex Sub if it matters.

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or

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The shape of the tweezers allows you to remove your bracelet without unfastening the clasp.  Get the tweezers, they are life changing. (Slight exaggeration, but they are really great)

BTW, if watchmakers would just drill the damn lugs like they’re supposed to, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.

Preach.

Funny timing on this as I just 10 minutes ago replaced the bracelet on my dad's sub (now mine, sadly) with a rubber Everest strap. First time ever doing such a thing but luckily the lugs are drilled on this watch. Used a Bergeon 7767-F based on what I'd read online somewhere and it was fairly easy, no scratches.  If I were doing this often on nicer watches it would definitely make sense to pony up for the tweezers.

Of note, I swapped the spring bars that came with the strap with those from the bracelet. In addition to not wanting to use different materials (the ones on the bracelet seemed to be gold) I also noticed the nipple or whatever the extension part is called, was much longer on the originals and didn't want to risk not having sufficient retention if using the ones that came with the strap.

My takeaway, possibly flawed, is that I would always use the original spring bar since it's a known good fit.

As noted above, sometimes the spring bars are different between bracelet and strap. Generally speaking, you want to use the longest spring bars that will fit.

I have used some that were too long. I managed to get it in, but could not get it out. This was using a grab-bag Amazon kit of spring bars that got shuffled. I had to cut the bar (hard to do without ruining watch/bracelet) to get it out again.

@IPMan I'm sorry for your loss, if that first line means what I think it does.

Got any pics with how it turned out on a strap though?

That would be annoying. I've seen comments from some watchmakers that they consider spring bars more or less disposable, and are more inclined to cut them then spend much time fussing with them.