Internet Horology Club 185
Sluggish escapement.

This topic can be found at:
https://ihc185.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/9886029761/m/1503963477

September 03, 2012, 07:18
Stephen John Ward
Sluggish escapement.
Hi folks from the UK.
I have a clock which has the Smiths coventry astral movement which has a platform escapement.
I completely stripped cleaned and oiled the movement including the platform escapement and fitted a nice new mainspring. When I wound it up, the platform escapement was very sluggish and I just could not understand why. The balance staff was perfect, ends ok, end jewels perfectly ok, hairspring perfect, and there was plenty of power getting to the escape wheel as well so I just ran the clock for a couple of weeks but it never got any better.
I almost gave up hope but decided to apply some Mobeus 8000 to the escape wheel teeth and hey presto, it's going like a steam train out of Euston and keeping time to within + - 15 seconds over several days !!!!.
Now, I have only been involved with clock and watches for about 3 odd years but from what I have read it's a real NO NO to apply any oil on the escape wheels teeth. I apply oil only to the spindles etc as normal. What are other people's views on this practice?.
Regards, Steve.
September 03, 2012, 20:09
"Curly" Sjolander
Steve, I always apply a small amount of oil on the teeth of the escape wheel and the pallets on a clock or watch that I am working on.Sometimes on a watch I will oil every other tooth of the escape wheel or I will just oil the pallets and let the oil spread to the wheel teeth.

Curly