Expert: Martin Meyer - 2/10/2008

Question
Hello Mr.Meyer,

I have cleaned and oiled Westminster chime Hamilton clock and it keeps great time. It chimes on the quarter hour as it should but after it does the hour chimes(perfectly!) the strike hammers move very slowly up and down for the hour. I know they need to release quicker or harder so as to strike the chime rods but I must not have something oiled correctly. What I would like to know is where exactly should the strike be oiled and where should as I have read, have a small amount of petroleum jelly applied? Or was that not good advice?

Answer
Hi Kathleen,
    I apologize for the delay in getting back to you.
    Slow chime problems are common, but slow hour striking is more unusual. Your problem could be either a matter of lubrication or adjustment.
    As far as lubrication, the strike hammer should receive a small drop of clock oil (no other kind of lubricant) on the shaft that it pivots on. A small dab of petroleum jelly should be applied to the lifting piece; this is the part which is lifted by a star-shaped wheel to raise the hammers. Also, a tiny bit of petroleum jelly should be applied to the points on the star wheel where they contact the lifting piece.
    I don't know exactly what movement you have, but many movements have a coil spring which helps the hammers to strike forecefully. Make sure that this is not disconnected. Some movements have a U-shaped wire piece on the strike hammer shaft which hits a stud to cushion the stopping point of the hammer's fall. This piece should not contact the stud until the very end of the hammer's fall. If it is rubbing against the stud, you should bend it to make sure that it makes contact with the stud only at the final part of the hammer's fall.
    If the hammer shaft is mounted on the back plate of the movement (rather than on a shaft that goes through both front and back plates of the movement), or if the lifting piece is mounted on the back plate, you can remove the E-clip holding these parts on their shafts, remove the part, then polish the shaft with fine (4-0) steel wool. Then dip a pipe cleaner in a strong solvent like lacquer thinner and run the pipe cleaner through the hole in the part that mounts on the shaft. Then reassemble and lubricate.
    If none of these suggestions help, feel free to get back to me with any markings on the back plate of the movement, and I will try to be of more assistance, when I know exactly what movement you have.