#collecting — Public Fediverse posts

Ok who needs some #MondayMotivation? Even those of us for whom it is already Tuesday? Here are two #MondayMedal pieces you can take your pick from:

A) I can do it!

or, if jumping between cliffs seems a bit much for this early in the week, how about:

B) Self-care is essential.

Are you team A) or B) today? I'm going for A (but with B in my back pocket just in case)

#Medal #Medallion #MedalMonday #Numismatics #Collecting @numismatics #Motivation

Ok who needs some #MondayMotivation? Even those of us for whom it is already Tuesday? Here are two #MondayMedal pieces you can take your pick from:

A) I can do it!

or, if jumping between cliffs seems a bit much for this early in the week, how about:

B) Self-care is essential.

Are you team A) or B) today? I'm going for A (but with B in my back pocket just in case)

#Medal #Medallion #MedalMonday #Numismatics #Collecting @numismatics #Motivation

“O bliss of the collector, bliss of the man of leisure!… Ownership is the most intimate relationship one can have to objects. Not that they come alive in him; it is he who comes alive in them.”*…

Readers may have seen news of the sale of “Gus,” a T. Rex skeleton that fetched a record $50,130,000 at Sotheby’s in New York last Tuesday. It’s part of a trend.

Devon Pendleton reports that dinosaurs have become an asset class for billionaires, with alarming implications for science… and, unsurprisingly, the market is about as orderly and genteel as a starving T. Rex. She uses a different recent sale, one that went pear-shaped, as an example…

It was supposed to be an unprecedented sale for the world’s wealthiest collectors. Shen, a Tyrannosaurus rex, was set to be the first of its kind ever sold at auction in Asia. The reconstructed creature, whose name means “godlike” in Chinese, was tens of millions of years old and longer than a city bus, frozen midstep with its massive skull cocked, jaws agape, as if ready to snatch up an onlooker. Christie’s was auctioning off Shen in November 2022, alongside works by Picasso, and it was expected to sell for $15 million to $25 million.

Dinosaur skeletons had recently become a hot new asset class, coveted by the ultrarich, not unlike sports franchises or Fabergé eggs. They offered a mix of glamour and primal appeal to a certain type of high-net-worth buyer—someone who might find the conventional art market fussy or convoluted but couldn’t deny the allure of a T. rex. “It could gobble you up in one bite. It’s just an amazing creature,” says billionaire Dan O’Dowd, who bought his T. rex, Samson, for a bargain $600,000 in 2009. “It’s the best trophy kind of thing you could own.”

Two years before the Shen auction, Christie’s had sold a T. rex named Stan, said to be one of the most complete and best-preserved specimens ever found, for $31.8 million, trouncing the top-end presale estimate of $8 million. And two years after the Shen auction, financier Ken Griffin spent $44.6 million on a stegosaurus (“a vegetarian,” O’Dowd notes). Leonardo DiCaprio, Nicolas Cage and other celebrities have gotten in on the dino game too.

A dinosaur’s value, like a painting’s or sculpture’s, derives from a protean mix of provenance, desire and authenticity—the last one hard to define, let alone prove, and in the case of an auction, up to the buyer to verify. Christie’s marketing blitz for Shen included the claim that it was one of the most “scientifically studied T. rex skeletons to come to auction,” featuring it in a short promotional video in which the camera cinematically races in for tight shots of its menacing talons and gaping jaw as eerie electronic music pulses in the background. Christie’s made clear that the winning bidder would also get renaming rights, a tradition in which T. rexes in circulation are often given human names.

A month before Shen was supposed to arrive at Christie’s in Hong Kong, it was put on display at Singapore’s Victoria Theatre and Victoria Concert Hall, a stately neoclassical building with a grand clock tower. Families, tourists and prospective buyers in chauffeured Bentleys came to see the T. rex in the flesh, so to speak. But Shen never made it to the auction block…

[Pendleton unpacks the full–and fascinating– tale of Shen. She concludes…]

… In recent years the dinosaur market has gotten only more exuberant. Last year at Sotheby’s a juvenile Ceratosaurus—smaller than a T. rex, but just as carnivorous—sold for $30.5 million, five times its high estimate. Some collectors, including Abu Dhabi’s new natural history museum and German biotech investor Christian Angermayer, are funding teams of bone hunters to scour the fossil-rich western US. Todd Graves, the billionaire behind Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers, emerged as a collector when he lent his triceratops skull to the Louisiana Art & Science Museum.

And on July 14 in New York, Sotheby’s held what was hyped to be the hottest T. rex auction yet. Gus, as the creature is named, was described as 61% complete by bone count and 75% to 80% by bone mass with “an exceptionally preserved skull.” As the bids climbed, the auctioneer tempted potential buyers. “Try a bigger bite,” she said. “It’s a T. Rex after all.” Gus sold for $50.1 million, the highest ever paid for a dinosaur at auction.

Billionaires and their toys: “The Bone Rush,” gift article from @bloomberg.com.

* Walter Benjamin

###

As we ponder possession, we might recall that it was on this date in 1983 that a new species of flesh‑eating dinosaur nicknamed “Claws,” later formally named Baryonyx walkeri was announced…

A huge new dinosaur skeleton has been unveiled to the media at the Natural History Museum in London.

Plumber and amateur fossil hunter Bill Walker, 55, found a foot-long claw belonging to the flesh-eating beast at a clay pit in Surrey in January.

When he found the rock containing the talon he tapped it and the whole thing cracked.

Palaeontologists reconstructed it and dated the remains at 125 million years old, describing them as the find of the century…

… Nicknamed Claws, the dinosaur would have been slightly smaller than the Tyrannosaurus Rex – with teeth like steak knives – and was probably a sub-species of the Megalosaurus.

– source

“O bliss of the collector, bliss of the man of leisure!… Ownership is the most intimate relationship one can have to objects. Not that they come alive in him; it is he who comes alive in them.”*…

Readers may have seen news of the sale of “Gus,” a T. Rex skeleton that fetched a record $50,130,000 at Sotheby’s in New York last Tuesday. It’s part of a trend.

Devon Pendleton reports that dinosaurs have become an asset class for billionaires, with alarming implications for science… and, unsurprisingly, the market is about as orderly and genteel as a starving T. Rex. She uses a different recent sale, one that went pear-shaped, as an example…

It was supposed to be an unprecedented sale for the world’s wealthiest collectors. Shen, a Tyrannosaurus rex, was set to be the first of its kind ever sold at auction in Asia. The reconstructed creature, whose name means “godlike” in Chinese, was tens of millions of years old and longer than a city bus, frozen midstep with its massive skull cocked, jaws agape, as if ready to snatch up an onlooker. Christie’s was auctioning off Shen in November 2022, alongside works by Picasso, and it was expected to sell for $15 million to $25 million.

Dinosaur skeletons had recently become a hot new asset class, coveted by the ultrarich, not unlike sports franchises or Fabergé eggs. They offered a mix of glamour and primal appeal to a certain type of high-net-worth buyer—someone who might find the conventional art market fussy or convoluted but couldn’t deny the allure of a T. rex. “It could gobble you up in one bite. It’s just an amazing creature,” says billionaire Dan O’Dowd, who bought his T. rex, Samson, for a bargain $600,000 in 2009. “It’s the best trophy kind of thing you could own.”

Two years before the Shen auction, Christie’s had sold a T. rex named Stan, said to be one of the most complete and best-preserved specimens ever found, for $31.8 million, trouncing the top-end presale estimate of $8 million. And two years after the Shen auction, financier Ken Griffin spent $44.6 million on a stegosaurus (“a vegetarian,” O’Dowd notes). Leonardo DiCaprio, Nicolas Cage and other celebrities have gotten in on the dino game too.

A dinosaur’s value, like a painting’s or sculpture’s, derives from a protean mix of provenance, desire and authenticity—the last one hard to define, let alone prove, and in the case of an auction, up to the buyer to verify. Christie’s marketing blitz for Shen included the claim that it was one of the most “scientifically studied T. rex skeletons to come to auction,” featuring it in a short promotional video in which the camera cinematically races in for tight shots of its menacing talons and gaping jaw as eerie electronic music pulses in the background. Christie’s made clear that the winning bidder would also get renaming rights, a tradition in which T. rexes in circulation are often given human names.

A month before Shen was supposed to arrive at Christie’s in Hong Kong, it was put on display at Singapore’s Victoria Theatre and Victoria Concert Hall, a stately neoclassical building with a grand clock tower. Families, tourists and prospective buyers in chauffeured Bentleys came to see the T. rex in the flesh, so to speak. But Shen never made it to the auction block…

[Pendleton unpacks the full–and fascinating– tale of Shen. She concludes…]

… In recent years the dinosaur market has gotten only more exuberant. Last year at Sotheby’s a juvenile Ceratosaurus—smaller than a T. rex, but just as carnivorous—sold for $30.5 million, five times its high estimate. Some collectors, including Abu Dhabi’s new natural history museum and German biotech investor Christian Angermayer, are funding teams of bone hunters to scour the fossil-rich western US. Todd Graves, the billionaire behind Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers, emerged as a collector when he lent his triceratops skull to the Louisiana Art & Science Museum.

And on July 14 in New York, Sotheby’s held what was hyped to be the hottest T. rex auction yet. Gus, as the creature is named, was described as 61% complete by bone count and 75% to 80% by bone mass with “an exceptionally preserved skull.” As the bids climbed, the auctioneer tempted potential buyers. “Try a bigger bite,” she said. “It’s a T. Rex after all.” Gus sold for $50.1 million, the highest ever paid for a dinosaur at auction.

Billionaires and their toys: “The Bone Rush,” gift article from @bloomberg.com.

* Walter Benjamin

###

As we ponder possession, we might recall that it was on this date in 1983 that a new species of flesh‑eating dinosaur nicknamed “Claws,” later formally named Baryonyx walkeri was announced…

A huge new dinosaur skeleton has been unveiled to the media at the Natural History Museum in London.

Plumber and amateur fossil hunter Bill Walker, 55, found a foot-long claw belonging to the flesh-eating beast at a clay pit in Surrey in January.

When he found the rock containing the talon he tapped it and the whole thing cracked.

Palaeontologists reconstructed it and dated the remains at 125 million years old, describing them as the find of the century…

… Nicknamed Claws, the dinosaur would have been slightly smaller than the Tyrannosaurus Rex – with teeth like steak knives – and was probably a sub-species of the Megalosaurus.

– source

“O bliss of the collector, bliss of the man of leisure!… Ownership is the most intimate relationship one can have to objects. Not that they come alive in him; it is he who comes alive in them.”*…

Readers may have seen news of the sale of “Gus,” a T. Rex skeleton that fetched a record $50,130,000 at Sotheby’s in New York last Tuesday. It’s part of a trend.

Devon Pendleton reports that dinosaurs have become an asset class for billionaires, with alarming implications for science… and, unsurprisingly, the market is about as orderly and genteel as a starving T. Rex. She uses a different recent sale, one that went pear-shaped, as an example…

It was supposed to be an unprecedented sale for the world’s wealthiest collectors. Shen, a Tyrannosaurus rex, was set to be the first of its kind ever sold at auction in Asia. The reconstructed creature, whose name means “godlike” in Chinese, was tens of millions of years old and longer than a city bus, frozen midstep with its massive skull cocked, jaws agape, as if ready to snatch up an onlooker. Christie’s was auctioning off Shen in November 2022, alongside works by Picasso, and it was expected to sell for $15 million to $25 million.

Dinosaur skeletons had recently become a hot new asset class, coveted by the ultrarich, not unlike sports franchises or Fabergé eggs. They offered a mix of glamour and primal appeal to a certain type of high-net-worth buyer—someone who might find the conventional art market fussy or convoluted but couldn’t deny the allure of a T. rex. “It could gobble you up in one bite. It’s just an amazing creature,” says billionaire Dan O’Dowd, who bought his T. rex, Samson, for a bargain $600,000 in 2009. “It’s the best trophy kind of thing you could own.”

Two years before the Shen auction, Christie’s had sold a T. rex named Stan, said to be one of the most complete and best-preserved specimens ever found, for $31.8 million, trouncing the top-end presale estimate of $8 million. And two years after the Shen auction, financier Ken Griffin spent $44.6 million on a stegosaurus (“a vegetarian,” O’Dowd notes). Leonardo DiCaprio, Nicolas Cage and other celebrities have gotten in on the dino game too.

A dinosaur’s value, like a painting’s or sculpture’s, derives from a protean mix of provenance, desire and authenticity—the last one hard to define, let alone prove, and in the case of an auction, up to the buyer to verify. Christie’s marketing blitz for Shen included the claim that it was one of the most “scientifically studied T. rex skeletons to come to auction,” featuring it in a short promotional video in which the camera cinematically races in for tight shots of its menacing talons and gaping jaw as eerie electronic music pulses in the background. Christie’s made clear that the winning bidder would also get renaming rights, a tradition in which T. rexes in circulation are often given human names.

A month before Shen was supposed to arrive at Christie’s in Hong Kong, it was put on display at Singapore’s Victoria Theatre and Victoria Concert Hall, a stately neoclassical building with a grand clock tower. Families, tourists and prospective buyers in chauffeured Bentleys came to see the T. rex in the flesh, so to speak. But Shen never made it to the auction block…

[Pendleton unpacks the full–and fascinating– tale of Shen. She concludes…]

… In recent years the dinosaur market has gotten only more exuberant. Last year at Sotheby’s a juvenile Ceratosaurus—smaller than a T. rex, but just as carnivorous—sold for $30.5 million, five times its high estimate. Some collectors, including Abu Dhabi’s new natural history museum and German biotech investor Christian Angermayer, are funding teams of bone hunters to scour the fossil-rich western US. Todd Graves, the billionaire behind Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers, emerged as a collector when he lent his triceratops skull to the Louisiana Art & Science Museum.

And on July 14 in New York, Sotheby’s held what was hyped to be the hottest T. rex auction yet. Gus, as the creature is named, was described as 61% complete by bone count and 75% to 80% by bone mass with “an exceptionally preserved skull.” As the bids climbed, the auctioneer tempted potential buyers. “Try a bigger bite,” she said. “It’s a T. Rex after all.” Gus sold for $50.1 million, the highest ever paid for a dinosaur at auction.

Billionaires and their toys: “The Bone Rush,” gift article from @bloomberg.com.

* Walter Benjamin

###

As we ponder possession, we might recall that it was on this date in 1983 that a new species of flesh‑eating dinosaur nicknamed “Claws,” later formally named Baryonyx walkeri was announced…

A huge new dinosaur skeleton has been unveiled to the media at the Natural History Museum in London.

Plumber and amateur fossil hunter Bill Walker, 55, found a foot-long claw belonging to the flesh-eating beast at a clay pit in Surrey in January.

When he found the rock containing the talon he tapped it and the whole thing cracked.

Palaeontologists reconstructed it and dated the remains at 125 million years old, describing them as the find of the century…

… Nicknamed Claws, the dinosaur would have been slightly smaller than the Tyrannosaurus Rex – with teeth like steak knives – and was probably a sub-species of the Megalosaurus.

– source

Mudkip Mud Sport: Introduction to KizunaShelf: A shelf for everything you love. “I settled on an Obsidian Vault where everything I care about is a Markdown file, complete with front matter and organized using Dataview and later Obsidian Bases. But manually managing a database of over 2,000 Markdown files introduced a new kind of friction: hunting down metadata, updating statuses, and tracking […]

Mudkip Mud Sport: Introduction to KizunaShelf: A shelf for everything you love. “I settled on an Obsidian Vault where everything I care about is a Markdown file, complete with front matter and organized using Dataview and later Obsidian Bases. But manually managing a database of over 2,000 Markdown files introduced a new kind of friction: hunting down metadata, updating statuses, and tracking […]

https://www.europesays.com/uk/1092898/ Welsh Revenue Authority collects almost £400 million in tax revenue for Wales | Welsh Government #accounts #Annual #approach #authority #Britain #Chair #Chief #civil #collecting #Corporate #easy #fair #government #GreatBritain #july #Plan #report #revenue #sustainable #UK #UnitedKingdom #Wales #Welsh #WRA

Elderly rescue dog can’t stop putting random items in his bed, keeping his family entertained

https://web.brid.gy/r/https://www.upworthy.com/golden-retriever-stealing-items-ex1/

Elderly rescue dog can’t stop putting random items in his bed, keeping his family entertained

https://web.brid.gy/r/https://www.upworthy.com/golden-retriever-stealing-items-ex1/

Begging for My Mother: Find A Grave and the Strangers Who Collect Our Dead

https://bolesblogs.com/2026/07/14/begging-for-my-mother-find-a-grave-and-the-strangers-who-collect-our-dead/

Begging for My Mother: Find A Grave and the Strangers Who Collect Our Dead

https://bolesblogs.com/2026/07/14/begging-for-my-mother-find-a-grave-and-the-strangers-who-collect-our-dead/

Begging for My Mother: Find A Grave and the Strangers Who Collect Our Dead

https://bolesblogs.com/2026/07/14/begging-for-my-mother-find-a-grave-and-the-strangers-who-collect-our-dead/

What Is a Strike Train? A Beginner’s Guide to Mechanical Clock Striking Mechanisms

If you have spent any time collecting or repairing antique clocks, you have probably come across the term strike train. For newcomers to the hobby, the expression may sound complicated, but the concept is actually quite simple.

In a mechanical clock, the strike section is the group of gears, levers, springs, and other components responsible for producing the clock’s striking function. The collection of those gears, levers, and springs is called the Strike Train.

In other words, it is the mechanism that allows a clock to strike the hours and, in some cases, the half-hours as well.

Notice I did not use the word “chime”. Many confuse the words strike and chime. A strike is simply the strike of a rod (1,2,3 or even 4 rods) bell, or coil that produces a note(s). A chime is a musical tone, usually on the quarter hour, such as found on a Westminster “chiming” clock. Honestly, if we were both at a party talking about clocks and you called it a chime instead of a strike, I wouldn’t correct you unless you asked me whether that was the proper term.

Without a strike train, a clock would still be able to tell time, but it would remain silent. Clocks without a strike feature are called time-only clocks.

Most Mechanical Clocks Have Two Trains

Many spring-driven and weight-driven clocks contain two separate gear trains:

1. The time train, which powers the hands and keeps time.
2. The strike train, which powers the striking mechanism.

Some clocks, particularly those with more elaborate chime systems such as Westminster chimes, may have three trains: a time train, a strike train, and a chime train. Many of those clocks have three winding points on the dial face, one for each of the trains.

Occassioanlly you will find unusural clocks like a 2-train Westminsiter chime clock made by Sessions in the late 1920s.

When you wind a typical two-weight regulator or two-spring mantel clock, one weight or spring powers the time train, while the other powers the strike train. If you neglect to wind the strike side, don’t worry—the clock will continue to keep time. It simply won’t strike the hours until the strike-side weight is raised or the spring is wound again. The two trains operate independently of one another.

For a weight-driven clock, if only one side is wound, the other weight will not descend unless it is also wound. As a result, the clock will appear unbalanced to an observer.

How Does a Strike Train Work?

The strike train remains locked for most of the hour (or half hour). As the clock approaches a striking point, a series of cams, levers, and release mechanisms allows the train to begin moving, but just a little. This is called the warning phase, which usually lasts about 5 minutes.

Once released on the hour (or half hour), power from a mainspring or weight drives a sequence of gears that causes the hammer to strike a bell, gong, or chime rods.

The clock then counts the appropriate number of strikes before the mechanism locks itself once again, waiting for the next striking cycle.

For example:

• One strike at 1:00
• Two strikes at 2:00
• Three strikes at 3:00
• And so on until twelve strikes at noon or midnight

This process occurs automatically and repeats day after day, often for decades or even centuries. as long as the clock is wound, of course.

What Parts Make Up a Strike Train?

Although designs vary from one manufacturer to another, most strike trains include:

• A power source (spring or weight)
• A series of gears and pinions
• A gathering pallet, (if rack and snail)
• A series of levers
• A warning mechanism
• A count wheel
• A hammer assembly
• A bell, gong, or strike rods

Each component has a specific job to perform. If any one of these parts becomes worn, bent, dirty, or improperly adjusted, the clock may fail to strike correctly or not at all.

Common Strike Train Problems

Many antique clock owners eventually encounter issues related to the strike train.

Some common symptoms include:

• The clock strikes the wrong hour.
• The strike train stops midway through striking.
• The clock remains in warning and never completes the strike.
• The hammer fails to reach the gong.
• The strike train runs continuously without stopping.

In many cases, these problems are caused by accumulated dirt, dried oil, wear, or incorrect synchronization between the strike train and the motion work.

Fortunately, most issues can be diagnosed with careful observation and a basic understanding of how the mechanism operates.

Why Understanding the Strike Train Is Important

For clock collectors and hobbyists, understanding the strike train helps remove much of the mystery surrounding mechanical clocks.

When a clock strikes the wrong number of times or refuses to strike altogether, many people assume something is seriously broken. In reality, the problem is often a simple adjustment or a component that needs cleaning and lubrication.

Learning how the strike train works also provides a greater appreciation for the ingenuity of the clockmakers who designed these remarkable mechanisms centuries ago.

Final Thoughts

The strike train is one of the most fascinating parts of a mechanical clock. While the time train quietly keeps the hands moving, the strike train brings the clock to life by announcing the passing hours.

The next time you hear the rich sound of a gong or bell from an antique clock, take a moment to appreciate the intricate system of gears, levers, and springs working behind the dial. That sound is the result of a carefully engineered strike train performing the task it was designed to do many years ago.

Suggested Reading

https://antiquevintageclock.com/2026/03/02/a-return-to-the-bench-wear-related-strike-problems-in-a-gustav-becker-p27/

https://antiquevintageclock.com/2025/02/14/on-my-workbench-type-89-movement-by-seth-thomas/

https://antiquevintageclock.com/tools-i-use/

https://antiquevintageclock.com/2022/05/10/do-i-really-need-a-clock-timer/

Rate this:

What Is a Strike Train? A Beginner’s Guide to Mechanical Clock Striking Mechanisms

If you have spent any time collecting or repairing antique clocks, you have probably come across the term strike train. For newcomers to the hobby, the expression may sound complicated, but the concept is actually quite simple.

In a mechanical clock, the strike section is the group of gears, levers, springs, and other components responsible for producing the clock’s striking function. The collection of those gears, levers, and springs is called the Strike Train.

In other words, it is the mechanism that allows a clock to strike the hours and, in some cases, the half-hours as well.

Notice I did not use the word “chime”. Many confuse the words strike and chime. A strike is simply the strike of a rod (1,2,3 or even 4 rods) bell, or coil that produces a note(s). A chime is a musical tone, usually on the quarter hour, such as found on a Westminster “chiming” clock. Honestly, if we were both at a party talking about clocks and you called it a chime instead of a strike, I wouldn’t correct you unless you asked me whether that was the proper term.

Without a strike train, a clock would still be able to tell time, but it would remain silent. Clocks without a strike feature are called time-only clocks.

Most Mechanical Clocks Have Two Trains

Many spring-driven and weight-driven clocks contain two separate gear trains:

1. The time train, which powers the hands and keeps time.
2. The strike train, which powers the striking mechanism.

Some clocks, particularly those with more elaborate chime systems such as Westminster chimes, may have three trains: a time train, a strike train, and a chime train. Many of those clocks have three winding points on the dial face, one for each of the trains.

Occassioanlly you will find unusural clocks like a 2-train Westminsiter chime clock made by Sessions in the late 1920s.

When you wind a typical two-weight regulator or two-spring mantel clock, one weight or spring powers the time train, while the other powers the strike train. If you neglect to wind the strike side, don’t worry—the clock will continue to keep time. It simply won’t strike the hours until the strike-side weight is raised or the spring is wound again. The two trains operate independently of one another.

For a weight-driven clock, if only one side is wound, the other weight will not descend unless it is also wound. As a result, the clock will appear unbalanced to an observer.

How Does a Strike Train Work?

The strike train remains locked for most of the hour (or half hour). As the clock approaches a striking point, a series of cams, levers, and release mechanisms allows the train to begin moving, but just a little. This is called the warning phase, which usually lasts about 5 minutes.

Once released on the hour (or half hour), power from a mainspring or weight drives a sequence of gears that causes the hammer to strike a bell, gong, or chime rods.

The clock then counts the appropriate number of strikes before the mechanism locks itself once again, waiting for the next striking cycle.

For example:

• One strike at 1:00
• Two strikes at 2:00
• Three strikes at 3:00
• And so on until twelve strikes at noon or midnight

This process occurs automatically and repeats day after day, often for decades or even centuries. as long as the clock is wound, of course.

What Parts Make Up a Strike Train?

Although designs vary from one manufacturer to another, most strike trains include:

• A power source (spring or weight)
• A series of gears and pinions
• A gathering pallet, (if rack and snail)
• A series of levers
• A warning mechanism
• A count wheel
• A hammer assembly
• A bell, gong, or strike rods

Each component has a specific job to perform. If any one of these parts becomes worn, bent, dirty, or improperly adjusted, the clock may fail to strike correctly or not at all.

Common Strike Train Problems

Many antique clock owners eventually encounter issues related to the strike train.

Some common symptoms include:

• The clock strikes the wrong hour.
• The strike train stops midway through striking.
• The clock remains in warning and never completes the strike.
• The hammer fails to reach the gong.
• The strike train runs continuously without stopping.

In many cases, these problems are caused by accumulated dirt, dried oil, wear, or incorrect synchronization between the strike train and the motion work.

Fortunately, most issues can be diagnosed with careful observation and a basic understanding of how the mechanism operates.

Why Understanding the Strike Train Is Important

For clock collectors and hobbyists, understanding the strike train helps remove much of the mystery surrounding mechanical clocks.

When a clock strikes the wrong number of times or refuses to strike altogether, many people assume something is seriously broken. In reality, the problem is often a simple adjustment or a component that needs cleaning and lubrication.

Learning how the strike train works also provides a greater appreciation for the ingenuity of the clockmakers who designed these remarkable mechanisms centuries ago.

Final Thoughts

The strike train is one of the most fascinating parts of a mechanical clock. While the time train quietly keeps the hands moving, the strike train brings the clock to life by announcing the passing hours.

The next time you hear the rich sound of a gong or bell from an antique clock, take a moment to appreciate the intricate system of gears, levers, and springs working behind the dial. That sound is the result of a carefully engineered strike train performing the task it was designed to do many years ago.

Suggested Reading

https://antiquevintageclock.com/2026/03/02/a-return-to-the-bench-wear-related-strike-problems-in-a-gustav-becker-p27/

https://antiquevintageclock.com/2025/02/14/on-my-workbench-type-89-movement-by-seth-thomas/

https://antiquevintageclock.com/tools-i-use/

https://antiquevintageclock.com/2022/05/10/do-i-really-need-a-clock-timer/

Rate this:

Why I Finally Decided to Talk About My Room and the Little Things That Make Me Happy

https://jaimedavid.blog/2026/07/11/21/28/33/analysis/jaimedavid327/11418/why-i-finally-decided-to-talk-about-my-room-and-the-little-things-that-make-me-happy/

Why I Finally Decided to Talk About My Room and the Little Things That Make Me Happy

https://jaimedavid.blog/2026/07/11/21/28/33/analysis/jaimedavid327/11418/why-i-finally-decided-to-talk-about-my-room-and-the-little-things-that-make-me-happy/

Why I Finally Decided to Talk About My Room and the Little Things That Make Me Happy

https://jaimedavid.blog/2026/07/11/21/28/33/analysis/jaimedavid327/11418/why-i-finally-decided-to-talk-about-my-room-and-the-little-things-that-make-me-happy/

🤔💁🏼‍♀️*Women Who Grew Up Collecting Rocks & Talking To Animals Usually Have 6 Cool Hobbies As Adults👉

#Collecting #Rocks #and #Talking #To #Animals

Women Who Grew Up Collecting Rocks & Talking To Animals Usually Have These Surprisingly Cool Hobbies As Adults | YourTango
https://www.yourtango.com/self/women-grew-up-collecting-rocks-talking-animals-hobbies-adults

🤔💁🏼‍♀️*Women Who Grew Up Collecting Rocks & Talking To Animals Usually Have 6 Cool Hobbies As Adults👉

#Collecting #Rocks #and #Talking #To #Animals

Women Who Grew Up Collecting Rocks & Talking To Animals Usually Have These Surprisingly Cool Hobbies As Adults | YourTango
https://www.yourtango.com/self/women-grew-up-collecting-rocks-talking-animals-hobbies-adults

It was a good day for me to visit Bell Pawn when this little bit of advertising and movie history showed up — a sheet of Gore Graphics newspaper ad slicks for Star Wars: Episode V — The Empire Strikes Back from April 1980. A bit of gentle ironing should smooth things over.

#starwars #movies #collecting #vintage #advertising

It was a good day for me to visit Bell Pawn when this little bit of advertising and movie history showed up — a sheet of Gore Graphics newspaper ad slicks for Star Wars: Episode V — The Empire Strikes Back from April 1980. A bit of gentle ironing should smooth things over.

#starwars #movies #collecting #vintage #advertising

Lionel Racing Produces Extremely Limited Edition Chase Briscoe Diecast https://www.rawchili.com/5042679/ #2026 #ChaseBriscoe #collecting #DieCast #ElitePremier #FreeBird #JoeGibbsRacing #LionelRacing #nascar #patriotic

Lionel Racing Produces Extremely Limited Edition Chase Briscoe Diecast https://www.rawchili.com/5042679/ #2026 #ChaseBriscoe #collecting #DieCast #ElitePremier #FreeBird #JoeGibbsRacing #LionelRacing #nascar #patriotic

Another year another expo! Toys, games, cards and all the collectibles you could ever want!

#retro
#retrogaming
#collecting
#ktown
#toys
#cards
#games

https://youtu.be/CyPCTPahgpY

Another year another expo! Toys, games, cards and all the collectibles you could ever want!

#retro
#retrogaming
#collecting
#ktown
#toys
#cards
#games

https://youtu.be/CyPCTPahgpY

As with the covers for any major magazine, some months had better art direction than other months.

#magazines #jukebox #vintage #antique #collecting

As with the covers for any major magazine, some months had better art direction than other months.

#magazines #jukebox #vintage #antique #collecting

As with the covers for any major magazine, some months had better art direction than other months.

#magazines #jukebox #vintage #antique #collecting

As with the covers for any major magazine, some months had better art direction than other months.

#magazines #jukebox #vintage #antique #collecting

As with the covers for any major magazine, some months had better art direction than other months.

#magazines #jukebox #vintage #antique #collecting

I had a bit of schadenfreude from people realizing that Sony wasn't in their corner when they all said they were switching from Switch game collecting to PS5, as if that was going to save them... Turns out I was right.

As I've said before, I'm cutting back on game collecting after this gen.

#VideoGames #Games #Collecting #Sony

I had a bit of schadenfreude from people realizing that Sony wasn't in their corner when they all said they were switching from Switch game collecting to PS5, as if that was going to save them... Turns out I was right.

As I've said before, I'm cutting back on game collecting after this gen.

#VideoGames #Games #Collecting #Sony

Why Fountain Pens?

https://feddit.online/c/fountainpens/p/1803832/why-fountain-pens

Why Fountain Pens?

https://feddit.online/c/fountainpens/p/1803832/why-fountain-pens

I'm a bit out of sorts so I'm going to play a game tonight I don't have to focus too much on. Forza Horizon 6 it is! #gaming #collecting

https://twitch.tv/GordMcLeod

I'm a bit out of sorts so I'm going to play a game tonight I don't have to focus too much on. Forza Horizon 6 it is! #gaming #collecting

https://twitch.tv/GordMcLeod

Impressive accomplishment - and gift!

Woman donates 1,500 #CivilWar books to museum
https://norwalkreflector.com/news/1082711/woman-donates-1500-civil-war-books-to-museum/

#books #history #collecting #reading #amreading

Impressive accomplishment - and gift!

Woman donates 1,500 #CivilWar books to museum
https://norwalkreflector.com/news/1082711/woman-donates-1500-civil-war-books-to-museum/

#books #history #collecting #reading #amreading

Auckland wine collector John Bergin’s 1500-bottle cellar sells for $100,000 https://www.diningandcooking.com/2693381/auckland-wine-collector-john-bergins-1500-bottle-cellar-sells-for-100000/ #100000 #1500bottle #after #asked #Auckland #auction #bergin #bergins #Bottles #Cellar #collecting #Collector #Connoisseur #for #joelle #john #Most #NewZealand #NewZealandWine #prized #sells #sold #some #thomson #why #Wine #WineFromNewZealand #WineOfNewZealand #years

Auckland wine collector John Bergin’s 1500-bottle cellar sells for $100,000 https://www.diningandcooking.com/2693381/auckland-wine-collector-john-bergins-1500-bottle-cellar-sells-for-100000/ #100000 #1500bottle #after #asked #Auckland #auction #bergin #bergins #Bottles #Cellar #collecting #Collector #Connoisseur #for #joelle #john #Most #NewZealand #NewZealandWine #prized #sells #sold #some #thomson #why #Wine #WineFromNewZealand #WineOfNewZealand #years

Getting rich off the Pokémon! #nintendo #thepokémoncompany #pokemon #cards #collecting #investments
https://youtube.com/shorts/FZH4ffqNE5A?feature=share

Getting rich off the Pokémon! #nintendo #thepokémoncompany #pokemon #cards #collecting #investments
https://youtube.com/shorts/FZH4ffqNE5A?feature=share

Getting rich off the Pokémon! #nintendo #thepokémoncompany #pokemon #cards #collecting #investments
https://youtube.com/shorts/FZH4ffqNE5A?feature=share

Getting rich off the Pokémon! #nintendo #thepokémoncompany #pokemon #cards #collecting #investments
https://youtube.com/shorts/FZH4ffqNE5A?feature=share

The man who bought Diane Keaton’s nail clippers also owns Whoopi Goldberg’s teapot: ‘It will have her fingerprints on it’ https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/jun/15/man-who-bought-diane-keaton-nail-clippers-whoopi-goldberg-teapot #Film #DianeKeaton #Culture #FilmIndustry #Collecting #Celebrity

The man who bought Diane Keaton’s nail clippers also owns Whoopi Goldberg’s teapot: ‘It will have her fingerprints on it’ https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/jun/15/man-who-bought-diane-keaton-nail-clippers-whoopi-goldberg-teapot #Film #DianeKeaton #Culture #FilmIndustry #Collecting #Celebrity

My pinball obsession #retrogaming #gaming #pinball #nintendo #gameboy #ds #collecting #collection
https://youtube.com/shorts/1PoCoJ8OWVs?feature=share