How do I transport a grandfather clock safely?

Remove the pendulum and weights before moving the case. Transporting a clock with these heavy parts attached will rip the movement apart from the inside. Secure the suspension spring so it cannot bend. Lay the case flat on its back if you cannot move it upright. Pack the hood separately in a padded box to protect the glass.

We wound our clock up fully last night but it keeps stopping after about ten minutes of ticking, even though the hands move freely.

The case is probably not sitting level on the floor. An unlevel case throws the escapement out of beat, meaning the tick and tock are uneven. This causes the pendulum to lose momentum and stop. Pack thin slips of wood under the base until the ticking sounds exactly even. If the floor is carpeted, the heavy case might settle unevenly over time and require adjustments.

Can I clean the brass dial?

Dust it gently with a soft dry brush. Do not apply liquid metal polish to an antique dial. Polish gets trapped in the engraved numerals and reacts with the old silvering. It ruins the contrast and leaves a white crust that is difficult to remove.

I inherited an eight-day painted dial clock that chimes the hour, but the strike is out of sync with what the hands show.

Most eight-day striking movements have a simple warning system that can fall out of sequence. If you let the clock run down fully, the strike train might stop while the going train keeps ticking. Wait until the clock strikes, count the chimes, and then carefully move the hour hand to match that number. The hour hand is usually held only by friction. Never force the minute hand backwards past twelve.

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Victorian Grandfather Clocks

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Antique grandfather clocks are tall, freestanding weight-driven timepieces housed in wooden cases, designed originally to protect the pendulum while providing households with reliable timekeeping over an eight-day cycle.