Expert: Martin Meyer - 1/22/2008

Question
My mother's Linden wall clock stopped working when she wound it to tight.  I checked it with the key and it cannot be turned anymore.  Didn't want to force it.  Is there anyway to unwind it?  What should I do next?  My mother really misses her clock, so any info would be greatly appreciated.

Answer
Hi Martine,
    The idea of "overwinding" is probably the most common myth in clockmaking. A clock cannot be wound too tight, unless it is wound so hard that the mainspring breaks, in which case the spring becomes completely unwound and will not wind up again. What has actually happened is that the clock is fully wound, but does not unwind because it is not running for some other reason.
    You do not want to attempt to unwind the clock. Without the proper tools, you could break the mainspring or seriously injure your fingers.
    First, you can browse my previous answers for checking and setting the beat on wall clocks. If the beat is not your problem, you will probably need the services of a professional clock repairer to get your clock going again.