I received a new batch of P1496 mainsprings (3/4″ x .0165″ X 96″) from Merritt’s antiques. They are made by a different supplier than the ones I wrote about recently. The ones I really like come packaged as follows: Each spring is wrapped in oiled paper, then in a plastic bag, then in a red, yellow and orange box. Six springs are contained in a larger red, yellow and orange box.
The newer springs are each wrapped in a plastic bag, and 10 springs come in a brown box. I have not tried one in a clock yet, but I did measure the thickness of one spring: .016″ which is fine, I prefer that they be thinner than .0165″ rather than thicker. You need to check these springs before use, as there were some in the past (from a different supplier) with inner ends that were too brittle.
Merritt’s has informed me that they expect to have more of the springs in the red, yellow and orange boxes by mid-July.
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[...] June 2007, Merritt’s was shipping a different mainspring under this part number. It was the same as the R & M 77.308 and the Timesavers [...]