Originally Posted By: jmac
I was thinking sewing machine oil would work, which is basically light mineral oil with a bit of tackifier I would guess.
A clock has very slow and some faster moving parts. Different lubricants may be required for different parts. Clock oils resist gumming up better compared to other oils. Clock oil is designed to stay in place and not to disperse. This is an issue with all mechanical clocks and watches, even if the proper oil is used. If the movement isn't used, the oil tends to migrate, which is a serious problem.
In the end it depends on the particular movement which oil or oils are suitable. Some simple clocks may well run okay with pretty much any oil. The more refined the movement, the more damage you can do with the wrong oil.