I am attaching pictures of a broken pendulum(front & back). As you can see it broke 1/3 down where it fits on escapement(hope I am right on escapement). The bob is pretty heavy, weighs 2 lbs 8 oz. Where the break happened will be behind the movement, so cosmetically it doesn't make a difference. I am concerned about the weight. What is the best way of attaching or fixing this? Expert advice appreciated, thank you.

Hello, Mark.

I noticed that your problem is over two years old, so I don't know if you've ever fixed this pendulum. I have repaired a few of these just using a good wood glue such as Elmers or Titebond. I then use small brass pins or nails to tack the pieces together from each side. Clamp overnight with the pendulum weight removed. Companies such as Merritts and Clockit sell replacement pendulum 'sticks' that are already stained.

Good luck.

Hi Mark,
I would not recommend Elmers or Titebond since such materials did not exist at the time the clock was made. I can only recommend historically correct products to perform your repair. The type of glue used was hide glue. This is also known as animal glue. That was the glue of the time period. With proper gluing, the mend will be stronger than before the break. The use of nails or pins is not recommended since you are now introducing new foreign materials that did not exist with the original clock. Proper gluing with hide glue will solve the problem without the use of any nails. Actually, adding nails to this type of repair will not hold in the long run and the repair will need to be address again. When that day comes, you will need to deal with the additional damage created from the nails.

I hope this information helps.

Regards,

John Tope

Tick Tock Productions
Antique Clock Repair Courses