Jan
3
All antique grandfather clocks should be overhauled carefully by a qualified horologist. The movements should be run clean and free from dust and grime. A proper service should be carried out once a generation, after that your clock should require no more than a simple clean and general maintenance, that I will discuss here.
Generally antique grandfather clocks only require very simple maintenance but so many people think they will run eternally without even looking at them. Sooner or later though, like your motor car, if you run them dry, with no oil, they will grind to a halt. Running them dry and dirty will cause excessive wear as well and so should not be done.
You should oil the antique grandfather clock movement with a high quality clock oil, I recommend Moebius Swiss clock oil. You can apply with a fine artist brush. All the wheels on your clock movement are attached to arbors, at the end of these are pivots. These pivots go through the frontplate and the backplate of the movement. Oil sinks are located on the outside of these plates and a tiny drop of oil should be put here. Using a fine artist brush, simply touch these points. Nothing needs oiling on the centre of the movement except the pallets. The pallets are the tick/tock part of the clock. Simply brush the fine artish brush over the pallet faces. You will notice the tick and tock to soften in noise. Antique grandfather clocks will give years of good service if properly overhauled and with this simple yearly general maintenance procedure.
Daniel Clements