Cuckoo clocks are a passion and do not need a lot of regular care, but is necessary to maintain and clean them. With proper care a cuckoo clock should run for many years without a problem.  However most manufacturers recommend the clocks be cleaned and oiled regularly. If you are unsure about how to clean a Cuckoo Clock take it to a professional, clocks that are cleaned by improper methods can shift, break, or become damaged so that the clock will fail to keep the proper time or stop working completely .

When it comes time to clean you cuckoo clock, keep in mind that the clocks is basically made up of two separate parts – the exterior case which is usually made of solid wood and the interior working parts of the clock. Polish the outside of the clock with a product containing natural oils or wipe with a dry dust cloth. Be careful not to use a product that will damage the painted or decorative areas. Don’t use furniture polish or wax they can leave a film or buildup that will hinder the beauty of the wood.

For the working parts of the clock the first thing to do is use a can of compressed air (like you use on your computer) to blow off the loose dirt and dust.  Be very gentle with this as there are many delicate parts. Then you can clean the parts with a simple Q-tip and soapy water, using a gentle touch to swab the piece instead of a scrubbing motion. After you are done cleaning you may want to replace the lubricant. A dry powder lubricant such as graphite could be used or better yet go to your Cuckoo Clock supplier to see what else is available.

Every three to five years take the clock to a professional clockmaker for a thorough cleaning and checkup. They can perform tasks such as checking for missing screws, ultrasonically cleaning and lubricating the movement and deconstructing the clock to clean individual pieces. This is necessary because over time, dust can build up in the mechanisms and become a paste that wears them down.

A cuckoo clock is a great piece to add character and beauty to your home. If you are looking to keep the clock as an heirloom piece for future generations it is important to keep the clock clean and in good working order.

What style of Cuckoo Clock do you have? There are two main styles of Cuckoo Clocks the Chalet and the traditionally carved. The Chalet currently has three basic styles, according to the different traditional houses depicted: Black Forest chalet, Swiss chalet (with two types the “Brienz” and the “Emmental”) and finally the Bavarian chalet.  This normally depicts a scene of everyday life. Many have handmade and hand laid shingles on the roofs and feature details such as dancers, beer drinkers and wood choppers as well as beautifully carved animals and turning water wheels. On the other hand the traditionally carved Cuckoo Clocks usually have very detailed carvings of birds, deer, eagles, leaves or owls in a nature or hunting scene.  Almost all of the Clocks have  an automaton of the bird that appears through a small trap door while the clock is striking. The bird is often made to move while the clock strikes, typically by means of an arm that lifts the back of the carving.

There are three different types of movements the One Day, the Eight Day and Quartz movements.  All “1-day” Cuckoo Clocks have a mechanical movement that requires winding every 24 hours. At the top of the hour a little door opens to reveal the cuckoo bird on a perch which calls the number of hours. The cuckoo bird also calls once on the half-hour. This is the least expensive Cuckoo Clock.

The “8-day” Cuckoo Clock has a mechanical movement that requires winding every 8 days. It also has a little door that opens as the top of the hour to reveal the cuckoo bird on a perch which calls the number of hours and once on the half-hour. The visible difference between the two clocks is the s

ize of the weights. The 8-Day clock weights are bigger and heavy than the 1 day clock weights.

The last type of movement is the Quartz movement Cuckoo clock. The Quartz Cuckoo clocks uses a regular clock mechanism, which draws power from batteries. Depending on what type of battery used these cuckoo clocks will run for approximately for one year on one set of batteries. Because of the use of batteries the Quartz Cuckoo Clock is not an authentic. On the hour the cuckoo bird pops out, and even flaps its wings, but in the Quartz clock the call of a real cuckoo is recorded along with other sounds from the woods such as a running stream. At that time other animated figures will also move. A volume control is added to the Quartz Clock to increase or diminish the sound along with a shut off switch. Some Quartz Cuckoo Clocks have an added advantage of having a photo-cell light sensor inserted. When the light is turned off in the evening the cuckoo call is also turned off.

Cuckoo Clocks are one of the most unique clocks that you can use to decorate your home. You are just a click away at www.thelcocksshop.com from finding the highest quality and most unique Cuckoo Clocks available.

Since 1988 River City Cuckoo Clocks has offered the finest collection of Cuckoo Clocks available from the Black Forest of Germany.  River City Cuckoo Clocks come from the world famous Black Forest region in German where craftsmen spent the long, harsh winter months making clocks with beautiful hand-carved decorations of various woods. In 1750 Franz Anton Ketterer of the Black Forest village of Schonwald managed to reproduce the cuckoo bird’s song with the clever use of bellows producing two different notes.

They were so successful that today when the Black Forest is mentioned, people automatically associate Cuckoo Clocks with the region. The production process still involves folks working at home producing the cases, carvings and various other elements that all get sent to a “factory” for final assembly and shipping. The clock cases are made of select linden, pine and spruce woods from the Black Forest. The woods are dried for several years before experienced master carvers handcraft the cases and frames. Each clock is tested for several days before shipment to ensure customers only receive products that are the “Best of the Black Forest.”

Today River City imports over 170 different models of quality timepieces from Europe and Asia under the branding of River City Cuckoo Clocks and River City Clocks. They offer five different types of Cuckoo Clocks:

One Day: Time and cuckoo driven by two weights-clock needs to be wound once per day

One Day Musical:  Time, Cuckoo and music driven by three weights-clock needs to wound once
per day.

Eight Day:  Time and Cuckoo driven by tow weights-clock needs to wound once per week

Eight Day Musical: Time, Cuckoo and Music driven by three weights-clock needs to per wound
once per week.

Quartz: Time and Cuckoo are battery powered, some models also play music.

River City Cuckoo Clocks is the largest importer and distributor of German Cuckoo Clocks in North America. Their goal is to offer the finest collection of Cuckoo Clocks available from the Black Forest of Germany.

River City Cuckoo Clocks are handmade. Therefore every Cuckoo clock is unique and the exact coloration and carving may vary slightly which is considered to be special part of this unique clock. See Our large selection of River City Clocks at theclockshop.com.