Expert: Kenneth Saunders - 2/2/2009

Question
I have an antique japy freres mantle clock.  I forgot to wind it and once I did that,i moved the hands to the correct time of day.  Now it chimes the reverse of what it should:  when it reaches the hour, it chimes just once like it was on the half hour.  At the half hour, it chimes the number of times it should have chimed when reaching the hour.How do get it chiming again the way it should?

Answer
These clocks have a "count wheel " striking system. Once tripped at the 1/2 or the hour it strikes the next ting on the wheel--either the 1/2 hour or the hour and always one more strike for the hour than it did previously. So it is 100% predictable with your eyes closed what # it will strike as you run the minute hand around clockwise.
  You can move the minute hand WHILE IT IS STRIKING. So if it is doing the hour at the #6 --then while it is striking , just move the minute hand to a few minutes after the #12. This will sync the 1/2 and the hour to the right place.
   To get the hour striking the right # just move the hour hand to the # that the clock is striking (if moving it loosens the hour hand and moves it away from the dial- just push it back towards the dial with your finger nail- it is just friction fit on the tapered handshaft and nothing turns inside the movement when you move it - unlike the minute hand which is pinned or nutted to the shaft and trips things internally as it goes around.