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How to Clean Kieninger Clock Movements

You can clean your fine Kieninger clock without cleaning out your wallet. Even when you figure in the cost of materials and an ultrasonic cleaner large enough to hold your clock movement, you save over taking it to a pro to be cleaned. Cleaning without disassembly does not do as thorough a job as taking the clock apart, but in most cases it does a good enough job to make the clock run on time again and to protect movement surfaces from wear. Follow up cleaning with a good oiling.

Things You'll Need

Clock hand puller
Tools specific to removing the movement from the clock casing
Mainspring bench key (if clock is not gravity-driven)
Ultrasonic cleaner with basin to submerge the whole movement
1 gal., non-ammoniated watch and clock cleaning concentrate
Bristle brush for brass
Triple-filtered or distilled water
Hair dryer
Mainspring grease
Nano oil
Clock level

Instructions

- 1
  Pull off the clock hands using the clock hand puller, which pulls them straight out and assures that the hands will fit back on the shafts when reassembling. Note the exact hand position.
- 2
  Use appropriate tools for your particular clock to take the movement out of the clock casing. These are usually made out of wood.
- 3
  If your clock is spring driven, release the main spring slowly with the bench key.
- 4
  Create a mixture of 1/6 cleaning concentrate and 5/6 filtered or distilled water, and fill the ultrasonic cleaner basin with enough of this mixture to submerge the movement. Place the movement in the cleaner and run the cleaner for 10 minutes.
- 5
  Scrub stubborn gunk off brass casing plates with solution and brass bristle brush. Run the movement through the cleaner another 10 minutes.
- 6
  Replace solution in the cleaner with distilled or filtered water, submerge the movement in it and run it for another 10 minutes. Remove the movement and use the hairdryer set on low to dry it. Heat the movement in an oven at 180 degrees, but no higher, for 25 minutes to remove remaining moisture.
- 7
  Grease the mainspring (if the clock has one) with mainspring grease. Oil all pivots, gear teeth and escapements with nano oil.
- 8
  Replace the movement into the clock casing. Use the clock level to adjust the movement position in the case and the case where it is to be used, listening for even timing between "tick" and "tock."

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