Correcting the Hour Strike on Modern Clocks
June 15, 2007 . by BillOn modern German clocks, such as Westminster chiming wall, mantel and grandfather clocks (by makers such as Hermle, Howard Miller, Bulova and Ridgeway), it is easy to correct the clock if it is striking the wrong hour after the hour chime. Suppose the clock strikes 6 times but the hour hand is pointing to 7 o’clock. Proceed as follows:
- Grasp the HOUR (short) hand near the center of the dial and move it to the correct hour (6 in this example). The hand is a friction fit on its shaft
- Using the MINUTE (long) hand, set the clock to the correct time. You may turn it backward or forward to the correct time, but if you go forward, be sure to pause each quarter hour for the clock to chime. If you move the hands backwards, the chime will re-synchronize within 2 hours.
Note: On older and antique clocks, do not move the minute hand backward past a point where the clock will strike or chime. There are many variations in clock movement design. If you have any doubts, only move the minute hand forward.