Expert: Martin Meyer - 5/20/2008

Question
We have just inherited a grandmother clock , it has two key holes but we do not know which one is for which purpose
we would like to have the clock working without the chime as we have young children and neihbours who do not apprieciate the noise it makes could you please advise how to turn the chime off

Answer
Hi Linda,

The keyhole on the left as you face the clock powers the strike. The one on the right powers the time train (i.e., pendulum).

Running the clock without winding the strike side, in order to silence the strike, is not a recommended method. It will sometimes work okay, but may cause the strike mechanism to jam the time side, and thus stop the clock.

Some clocks have a strike shut off lever in the dial, on the back of the movement, or a string which which you can pull down and attach to a hook on the inside side of the case. It is also possible to bend the strike hammer back so that it does not contact the gong rods. With this method, you will hear only a fairly soft "clunk" each time the clock strikes, but the gong rods will not sound.