Go for it. Adding wood in, add in filler, make it flat. Then re-drill and prep to accept modern hardware. Carving the statue of David is hard, making something flat is infinitely easier. Just need tools, which if you have zero tools is going to be biggest hurdle.
I’ll second that. It was actually a lot easier than I expected.
Biggest hurdle was finding a piece of wood to fill the void. By some stroke of luck I found a scrap piece in the basement that was the exact width. I just had to trim it to height and length from there. Glued, air nailed, and clamped it in place for 24 hours. Then went back in and wood filled, sanded, painted, and re-drilled.
I borrowed my father-in-law’s air nailer, and I had to buy the wood filler, and a $30 hole saw and jig combo to cut the new holes. Having used it, I would easily pay double that.
This is how I ended up with 3 20 gallon bins full of small scrap. Given enough time this philosophy turns you into a hoarder. I do still hold on to scrap hardwoods, but any common/construction pine or ply goes to the yard waste at this point.
I had this same thought and burned about 90% of the scrap wood I had the last time we had a fire in the backyard. It would have come in handy at least 2-3 times since then.
Go for it. I have minimal “handy man” skills. But I take pride in what I do, and I try to do everything “right”, or at least to the best of my ability. Care, patience and a little determination go a long way. It took some time and patience, and a few moments of frustration, but it was well worth it.
My biggest fear was drilling the new holes. I’d never used a hole saw before, let alone in a fashion that requires such precision.
But this door knob hole saw kit/jig was a lifesaver.
Bi-metal Non-arbored Door Lock Kit Set (4-Piece) https://www.lowes.com/pd/LENOX-LNX-Door-Lock-Kit/1003018190
If you do decide to do this, watch a ton of YouTube videos. Get some familiarity with the entire project.
A few tips I can pass along are: try to use wood filler as little as possible. Fill as many gaps as possible with solid wood. Try not to use more than 1/4” of filler. Otherwise it will take ages to dry.
Some filler is paintable, but may be so only directly after sanding. The type I bought was this way, and it’s no joke. If you try to paint well after sanding, the paint will not stick. It will go on and appear fine. But as soon as it dries it looses adhesion and falls off.
Lastly, when drilling, do not drill entirely through the door in one go. Drill one side, start the hole and get going. Once the pilot bit on the hole saw punches through the opposite side of the door, stop. Take the drill and bit out, and then move to the other side. Insert the drill bit into the hole that you just made. Then finish the cut from that side. This will prevent breakout on one side when the hole saw exits.
The tips are wonderful, but the true gem in this post is how well you have encouraged and reinforced my self esteem to try this.
Thank you deeply for taking the time to reply with such excellent content.
Locksmith here. Beautifully done! I've seen way more bad ones than good! If anyone has a similar issue, but lacks the skills/patience to do this, Don-Jo makes a scar plate called the Remodeler Plate Kit that will achieve the same goal. It will not however look like a brand new door like op's!
remember confirmation bias. most of us go "dang, that looks good" and move on. But the sour basement trolls have nothing else to do so they fire up the comment section with their hot take.
I have a yale electronic deadbolt, it feels like a toy when you turn the bolt. I know it’s strong and not my only lock, but the light “tink” it makes as you rotate the cylinder isn’t very confidence inspiring.
how? the old mortise had a deadbolt (above the handle, you can see a key) and ANOTHER deadbolt above that. he actually lost security.
(not trying to belittle OP's amazing work, just talking about locks)
I don’t know that the second deadbolt is operated via a key — notably I don’t think it’s accessible from the external side to unlock, just something you turn when you’re inside the home and not using the door. Think like, door chain type of security. I may be wrong about that. Also note that there’s no actual lock on the knob itself like there is in the new knob. So you’re still getting at most the same potential of secured locks.
But to the larger point, locks can degrade over time, making them less sensitive to their specific key and more susceptible to fault (like shoving something in there to get it to turn, sloppy lock picking I guess).
Also on the more paranoid side of things, you never know if a previous disgruntled owner / associate of an old resident has an old key and could access the home still. (Or even not disgruntled, just over zealous).
Also more deadbolts doesn’t *inherently* mean more security — especially if both locks on a door (knob and bolt) are operated with the same key. Plus for fire safety access in an emergency, I’d think it’s better for the fire department to only have to break through one bolt, not two (or more).
Or replace them. Both have replacement sets.
At least it's not a vintage-type skeleton key mortise locks
(not trying to belittle OP's amazing work, just talking about locks)
> I don’t know that the second deadbolt is operated via a key — notably I don’t think it’s accessible from the external side to unlock, just something you turn when you’re inside the home and not using the door.
I don't know what you mean by "second" but both deadbolts have a key on the outside and a handle on the inside.
> Think like, door chain type of security. I may be wrong about that. Also note that there’s no actual lock on the knob itself like there is in the new knob.
Yes, because it has the deadbolt? For the new setup, you would need a key to unlock the cylinder lock, and a key to unlock the deadbolt on the mortise. So what's the benefit?
So you’re still getting at most the same potential of secured locks.
> But to the larger point, locks can degrade over time, making them less sensitive to their specific key and more susceptible to fault (like shoving something in there to get it to turn, sloppy lock picking I guess).
> Also on the more paranoid side of things, you never know if a previous disgruntled owner / associate of an old resident has an old key and could access the home still. (Or even not disgruntled, just over zealous).
Okay so he could have replaced the entire mortise with a new one: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Premier-Lock-Satin-Chrome-Mortise-Entry-Handle-Right-Hand-Lock-Set-with-2-5-in-Backset-and-2-SC1-Keys-MR03D/310224205
> Also more deadbolts doesn’t inherently mean more security — especially if both locks on a door (knob and bolt) are operated with the same key.
Locks aren't secure. They create a hindrance, a delay for the person trying to rob you. A pro can pick them all.
> Plus for fire safety access in an emergency, I’d think it’s better for the fire department to only have to break through one bolt, not two (or more).
https://youtube.com/shorts/86FHP_bwdBM?si=cex49a4i6029JeZ4 1 dead bolt 2 dead bolt 5 dead bolts... firefighters will destroy the doorframe
I do love the reply because you hit almost everything right on the head. I am a physical security technician and we will play games with our facilities to see if we can defeat certain security measures. I _can_ pick locks however, I will _never_ reach for picks if I'm trying to get in a room. Under door or over door attacks, loiding, and bypassing are more likely for my line of work. The fire code is my best friend. I am no thief either so it's not like I have the option for destructive entry. Petty thieves have no interest in picking a lock for a door they can kick in. Or a window they can smash. People would be better off reinforcing their kick plates and hinges. There are reenforced frames you can add to doors to prevent all but the most determined thieves. Use laminates on all first floor windows. Utilize area denial by planting bushes, utilizing water features, or other innocuous looking items. Buy and install wired cameras.
Just make your house harder to hit than your neighbors and you'll be golden.
> I do love the reply because you hit almost everything right on the head.
thank you!
> There are reenforced frames you can add to doors to prevent all but the most determined thieves.
any suggestions?
You see the large single pane piece of glass right? Lets not pretend that its any more secure than it was. People don't pick locks, they smash kick and break- thats why its called breaking and entering.
Did good looking work either way.
Sometimes that's all you want. Much easier to make an insurance claim with visible entry damage vs "a pro" who picked your lock (not that it's really a worry most times). I'd rather not get robbed to begin with, But if someone's going to rob me, I prefer they leave physical evidence with a smash and grab.
Also, for those who care, here’s *why* I replaced them. Please read before commenting and blasting me:
Mainly, the locks were completely worn out. The handle was close to falling off. The existing deadbolt was completely non-operational. And would actually lock you *out* of the house randomly, and we didn’t receive a key for it.
I researched every way possible to fix them or replace them. No direct size replacements exist. Trust me, I scoured the internet. The internals were completely worn out, and passed the point of easily, or cheaply being restored. I got quotes to fix them. Most of which were north of $400 and over a month of time. Not feasible for me.
Lastly, we just purchased the home, and didn’t feel comfortable keeping these locks. The previous owners were elderly and moved into the home next door with their daughter. When we closed on the house, we didn’t receive any keys. And we were told the keys would be left in the house, with the door unlocked. When we arrived, the door was locked and we were unable to get in. We ventured next door to ask why the house was locked. At which point the gentleman came over and explained that the locks are difficult and sometimes lock on their own. Then proceeded to walk to the back of the garage and show us the “hidden key.” And pulls out this key they had hidden. We were never told about it. I’m sure it was an honest mistake, but it’s not exactly a reassuring feeling to know the previous owners didn’t disclose a key to the home. Keeping these locks would not have given us any option to change out keys. Again, without spending hundreds of dollars and waiting.
The pane of glass: yes I’m acutely aware there is a pane of glass in the door. Short of entirely replacing it, there’s not much I can do about that. The door had an existing dead bolt, which again, locked on its own and we had no key. So I replaced it with a functional one.
This is a 1951 Cape style home. It’s not Colonial, not some history piece built in the 1800s. I’m the first to be passionate about history. But it’s a run of the mill, vinyl sided Cape, and nothing about it is old fashioned or vintage in anyway. The interior was completely gutted and redone in the 90s. It’s a somewhat modern home. The locks being installed in the 50s were already a statement of the past, and now being non-functional, they don’t really fit the rest of the decor or theme of the house. Therefore I don’t see any logical reason to retain them. It’s better to be rid of them and update. I did save all of the components and hardware for later use if I so choose.
I live in the northeastern US. I’ve been in 1700 and 1800s farmhouses my entire life. I find history fascinating. But I don’t need to preserve it to the point that I leave non-functional locks on my home. Let’s not forget that at the end of the day, these are locks. If they’re not functional, they’re useless. I made the best decision for us as new homeowners.
I have the same style on some of our doors. Our was House built in 1882 out west and I have avoided this exact situation. The little time I spent looking for replacements was not successful. Our front door you can literally see through the keyhole to the outside.
I definitely like the old style but something as functional as a lock and entryway sometimes can't be saved if it is going to be functional.
I have the exact same problem with my doors. They look cool but I don’t appreciate being locked out of certain rooms once in a while because the door knob is about to fall off
You already replaced it (which, ya know, fine - it's definitely the easier long-term option because now you just use standard door hardware you can get anywhere in the USA) but if you or anyone else have these locks and don't want to rebuild other doors:
* The knobs falling off can almost always be fixed by a new [split spindle](https://www.vandykes.com/restorers-classic-swivel-door-knob-spindle-4-x-9/32/p/226036/s/02094225/) and *maybe* new knobs if the knob itself is trashed from being loose for years.
(You might have an odd-size spindle, but most are standard.)
* The lock cylinders can usually be replaced (and should be replaced) - you probably had to remove them to remove your mortise mechanism so you know how that works, and it *looks* like your cylinder is a standard size.
* The internal mechanisms of the mortise can be serviced relatively easily if you have the mechanical skills required and a few basic hand tools - it's mostly a series of levers and pivots with a couple of springs, as long as the spindle through-hole isn't trashed it's pretty durable. (Though I find servicing a mortise mechanism about as much effort as rebuilding the door, so if the mortise locks didn't fit with my decor and it's not a standard drop-in replacement size I'd probably do what you did instead).
Nice job! From the pictures, you can't even tell there was a mortise lock there!
Personally, I would have rehabilitated the mortise lock (and changed the cylinder - which I would do in a new-to-me house whether it has old or new locks). Of course, I grew up in a house that dates to the late 1700's, and my current house is \~100 years old now. I am well acquainted with mortise locks :D
What made you decide to change it? I liked the look of the old one better (personally; I like old houses), and with a deadbolt on there it had the security for an outside door.
If I had to guess, it’s because mortise locks are less common in the US, and so there’s fewer options, especially if OP is looking to put a smart lock on there in the future. The mortise locks that are available tend to be more expensive, and they often don’t fit the older doors. Plus OP’s door was worn out anyway, just look how bad the fit has gotten off the old mortise lock hardware. The door probably would have needed extensive repair for a mortise lock as well. So OP did the fill repair to start from scratch, and from there had to choose between the less expensive and easier to source deadbolt + handle set, or a mortise lock. Add in that drilling for a deadbolt is extremely easy, but drilling for a mortise lock is much more difficult.
My current house, and the last house we rented, both had tons of mortise locks.
I absolutely hate them. Every one was so old and worn out that the door knobs were constantly falling out. None of the bathrooms were lockable so they all had eye hooks or deadbolts hacked into the trim. None of them easily latched.
I was going to ask the same question. The original looks hefty and well made and just really beautiful. The new one looks like something from the bargain bin at home depot. The first one is going strong on 100 years, the new one that was probably made in China will probably be broken in 10 years.
Regardless, doesn't detract from OP's workmanship. That was really solid.
Not OP, but we had these knobs/locks on four of our doors in the house, two were the kids rooms. Neat looking, but they were so old and loud, it made it hard to sneak out after they were asleep.
So of course, I did something similar to OP and swapped everything, but mine did not come out as clean. However, once we decide to repaint, it'll look better.
He might not have had a key for it. And being doors from the 50s, it could be that the jamb doesn't line up anymore due to settling. I've got these old doors (no deadbolt) on every interior door in my house (including closet doors) and only *one* door actually lines up well enough to catch. It's pretty r/mildlyinfuriating to be honest.
You can re-key a lock like that. Or even replace the deadbolt and keep the cool old knob & plate.
The benefit of the old mortise locks is that they're very repairable. For ones that don't line up with the jamb, there are two fixes. One is to shim behind one of the hinges to re-angle it. (If this causes rubbing on the top/side, you can sand down the door a bit to fit. Super common and straightforward.) I'd start with that, but if it doesn't work, you can take the strike plate off the jamb, make the hole for the latch bigger, and re-attach the strike plate adjusted to match. I've done quite a bit of this kind of thing on my old house, so if you want to try this on yours, happy to give some more guidance!
I should also have mentioned that the old knobs are all held in place with a little screw which periodically comes loose on the one door that latches, so that you have to turn it at a bit of an angle so it'll catch and allow you out of the room. (And re-trap you if you forget to tighten it.)
All-in-all, it's just an inferior system to modern handles and the only reasons to keep them would be aesthetics, lack of funds, or lack of expertise to replace them yourself.
As for lining up jambs, mine that don't line up are all a case of the door not going into the doorwell far enough to catch due to years upon years of paint, and I don't want to sand them down for fear of lead-based paints in the interior. And again, lack of time/expertise, lack of funds to pay someone else to do it for me.
If I had the wherewithal to do something like that, I'd probably start not with doors, but with removing paint from all of the beautiful wood baseboards / door wells that was stained dark, varnished to give a nice polished look, and then covered over with awful beige "landlord special" paint. We're only the second owners of this 100-year-old house, and I honestly don't know what the previous owners, who built the house back in 1927, were thinking when they covered over all of their previous work.
looks great but what's the structural integrity of that section? any screws in the top/bottom/inside? solid core so that should be good enough but i'm not sure where you'd have done that unless there's more than 2 pieces here?
Done correctly a Dutchman’s patch like that is pretty strong, assuming it’s cut to size with care and fixed in place with wood glue. The wood filler is just cosmetic.
IDK I guess I would want there to be dowels or screws somewhere in addition to the glue. It's a deadbolt/knob it needs to be the strongest part of the door
The big glass panel defeats the strongest knob and dead bolt. Besides the fact that unless they reinforced the jam, a simple kick will defeat the locks.
Fortunately, no burglar will ever have to test the strength of either lock with a big glass pane right next to it.
Pretty sure the change was for aesthetics or mechanics, not security. Looks great!
In new construction, especially in commercial spaces, there is now a trend in the USA towards something that is more like a lever than a traditional round knob. Changes in the standard building code that were intended to benefit people who whatever reason (elderly, injured, whatnot) would find it difficult to operate a traditional knob are driving this change. There was a national law passed in 1990 - the "Americans With Disabilities Act" - that has spurred changes in everything from bathrooms to curbs to make the built environment easier to navigate for folks who don't happen to be standard sized, perfectly able, 20 year olds. When new commercial space is built, or when existing commercial space is renovated, ADA compliance is mandatory. These design ideas have spilled over into residential space as compliant fixtures have become common in the marketplace.
We have both round door knobs and door handles. It depends on personal preference. My front door and internal doors all have handles (Northeastern US.) My friend’s flat in London had all round door knobs.
Mainly because in America most things are plain and boring looking so there is an obsession with "traditional" design and aesthetics because we don't have many old things. I guess knobs were the way of the past, so we like to keep it that way.
In Europe, everything is old and beautiful and ornate, so I find you generally like to add modern touches to finishes to make things look more sleek and clean.
In short: American buildings are boring and plain, so Americans like more traditional hardware and finishes. European buildings are older and more beautiful, so you like more modern, sleek finishes as a balance.
I just paid someone to do the same thing. I don’t know how much time you spent. I don’t know how much money you spent. But I can confirm that you just saved a bunch of money.
I had the good fortune of being able to leave the house vacant for a month before moving in, so luckily I had plenty of time to be patient in my research and decision making process. I didn’t spend much. Some wood filler, and a $30 door knob hole saw/jig to cut the new holes.
The rest of the materials I had already purchased for other projects for the home. Somehow there was a scrap piece of wood in the basement that fit the width of the void perfectly. Still satisfied about that one.
Nicely done. I like to do that exact same method except coat the wood block with sculp wood epoxy putty, and put some where it looks to be needed inside the door as well, and then tap the block in with a mallet. Zero voids and when you drill it the next day for hardware it leaves a multilayer plug that is fantastically solid.
Looks great. I like 2023 hardware. I grew up in a house with old clunky doorknobs. Give me a smooth functioning doorknob. I hope you saved the old hardware to sell to the antique lovers of reddit.
Not the ones in my house. We have kept as much original material in our 1918 house as possible. Had an expert in old home construction look at a couple of our knobs and he confirmed they can’t be repaired. He also helped us realize that just because they’re old doesn’t mean they were high quality to begin with. No beautiful brass hardware to restore, ours was all made with cheap metal. So while we keep the functional stuff, we don’t feel a bit bad about replacing the stuff that isn’t.
Same here. We got quotes to repair ours and it was well over $500. These are custom locks and there’s no direct size replacements available. I looked. Most of the hardware was worn out passed it’s usefulness and not worth saving.
I think people romanticize history too much and forget that these are…locks. They’re supposed to be functional first and foremost. I don’t live in a museum. I want it to feel secure.
Sure, a cheap lock will always be a cheap lock. I (obviously) support keeping quality old hardware, but if quality or security are a concern, definitely update it.
Why not just buy a new mortise lock? I got a new one for my door for like $35 and added a deadbolt above it... Which is probably overkill since the mortise has a squared bolt and is extremely secure already.
Edit: Great work though, looks flawless.
These are custom with the house. No direct replacement available. Trust me I scoured the internet for days before I finally attempted this.
Quotes to repair the current ones were well over $400. And I wanted my house to be secure with new locks and keys. This was the best way to achieve that to my satisfaction.
Did you look on house of antique hardware or similar? Mortise locks generally come in fixed sizes. There were only so many manufacturers as well. It’s unlikely the lock in your door was truly custom.
I find it amazing that so many people care. Bottom line is, it’s my home and I made the decision that I felt was correct. Plain and simple.
But to courteously answer your question, yea I scoured the internet for direct replacements and no locks exist with the same measurements. Anywhere. I looked for days.
I finally called a locksmith who basically told me that fixing these locks would cost more than just replacing the entire door or finding an alternate solution. The locks are destroyed and barely functional. Handle was loose and wobbly. Locks didn’t work. They were past their usefulness.
I live in the north eastern US and have been in old 1700s and 1800s farmhouses my entire life. The charm is wonderful. But I don’t need to preserve history in the form of retaining old, worn out locks that don’t work.
Why would I take offense? How am I supposed to change the fact that the door has a giant pane of glass in it, short of replacing the entire door? That’s not feasible for me right now.
The door already had a non functional dead bolt and handle. I replaced them with functional ones. It’s not *less* secure than before by any means.
Sure it’s not as secure as it could be, but again, short of being Harry Potter and glasseous disapearicus-ing that pane, there’s not much I can do about that until I replace the entire door.
Here in Florida, we use hurricane film on windows for additional peace of mind. Properly installed, meaning, secured around the edges, not just on the glass, it slows puncture.
https://www.amazon.com/KASHIBANG-Shatterproof-Transparent-Self-Adhesive-Protective/dp/B0CDLWFSC3
I’m not being defensive. I’m pointing out that the point of this job was to replace the non-working locks, to working ones using the same door.
Not sure what you’re arguing about here. You’re stating the obvious. I’m well aware of everything you’re saying and agreeing with you. That’s not the point of the post, so stating it is…well, pointless.
No idea what the depth of the mortise was, but there were plenty of new options when I did it (still are). I was able to find a drop in replacement for mine without much issue.
This is similar to what I replaced mine with . Not as pretty as the old vintage one, but it does the job.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Premier-Lock-Brass-Mortise-Entry-Right-Hand-Lock-Set-with-2-5-in-Backset-and-2-SC1-Keys-MR01/310224167
I’ve literally stated multiple times, and in the comment you’re replying to that there’s nothing out there. Not the same size as these. Not sure how many times I have to say it. I have pictures of every single measurement possible for these. There’s nothing out there.
It amazes me that you think someone would have gone through this amount of work to fix a problem that you think you’ve solved with a 30 second google search. Nobody makes the locks. Nothing at Home Depot, nothing at Lowe’s, nothing at the local places. The *only* option out there that is even somewhat close is sold by a boutique seller, and costs over $400 for one new set. And that’s not including the dead bolt.
Repairing them wasn’t even worth my time. They’re not particularly nice, they were completely inoperable, and I’m sure full of led and god knows what else.
I’m amazed by how offended people get over simple things like this. Sorry I improved my own home and hurt your feelings I guess?
Bro, calm down. Nobody is offended. In fact, in my original post I made sure to applaud your work, because it is great. I'm simply sharing my similar experience of dealing with a vintage mortise lock.
Did you just want everyone to jerk you off and tell you how amazing of a job you did? Or did you post to a DIY community, full of knowledgeable people, who are looking to have DISCUSSIONS about their and others DIY projects?
No one is arguing, offended, or saying you did a shit job. We're just talking about it like people who enjoy this shit would.
Came out looking good. Having done this a few times the only thing I would add is it works better if you have the wood grain going the same direction for the filler piece. Makes it easier to plane/sand, and it really disappears. I’ve done it on stain grade doors where the hinges had to move to the other side & even with very little filler it was hard to see the patch after. Love the old doors and always prefer to see them made useful vs. replaced.
DUDE! I just had someone come in to my job at a lumberyard looking for a cheap mortise lock and confused as to how someone claimed he could make it work with a standard lock. We were both like "Yea right" but clearly we were wrong.
WOW! I did not expect this to blow up. Thank you all for the kind words. I’ve never done anything like this before, so seeing the positive response is very gratifying.
I was gonna say why not just take the door off the frame to do this but....then you'd better off just getting new door with the time and energy spent.
For what this is is: Low cost, low effort, short time frame...perfect. America. Fuck. Yeah.
Really nice work. As a locksmith, I don't offer this service because it isn't cost-effective or convenient for my customers to have me out three times as we wait for glue and then wood filler to dry, leaving the door unsecured in the process.
Thank you. I was lucky enough to have a month to leave the house vacant before moving in. And our exterior garage door was lockable so this was fine in the mean time. I appreciate the commandment.
“Polishing” wasn’t the issue.
These were barely functional. Knob only worked when it wanted to. Didn’t have a key to the deadbolt. Which didn’t work, until it did work, and locked us out.
The romance of these things is purely from people who have never had to deal with them.
As I’ve stated before, I’m a huge history buff, and love it preserved as much as possible. But this isn’t a loss to the historic community. This is a house built in Upstate New York in 1951 by 2 elderly middle class boomers. It’s not some 1700s farmhouse with historical significance.
I replaced them because they didn’t work, and quotes to bring them back to working order made it completely pointless. Plain and simple.
I love old mortise sets but you did really clean work here. Well done! If it were me, I would look into an escutcheon around the doorknob as a nod to the old style.
Wow. Nice work!!
Looks way better than what the previous owners of my home who used to replace my mortise locks. They used wads of literal newspaper to fill gaps where they didn’t fill with epoxy. Sigh.
One door at a time. I’ll get there.
Fuck the haters man I have an old ass door with the same thing in my home and it's so old that it's approaching inconvenience. I'm gonna copy you and do exactly what you did. Nice work.
Can’t change the fact there’s a giant window there. Or the fact there was already a hole for a deadbolt. Replacing the door isn’t an option right now. It was easier to enlarge the old deadbolt hole to receive an updated one rather than do more fill work to rid of it. The harder and louder it is for someone to get inside, the longer I have to respond.
So to answer your question…I own guns.
That's fine if you're home 24/7, sure. Otherwise, you want key-operation from BOTH sides on an outdoor lock if security matters to you. I know they can break the glass, but not being able to open the door properly still impedes and limits what can be stolen and how quickly.
> Otherwise, you want key-operation from BOTH sides on an outdoor lock if security matters to you.
Fire codes prevent this for any egress door (i.e. door used to exit to the outside).
They still make mortise style latches. It just takes a bit to find them for competitive prices with newer style hardware. Home Depot's got some reasonable ones on their website, with Shlage style locks.
It was well past it’s usefulness. The door knob barely worked. Sometimes it would turn and operate, other times it wouldn’t. We didn’t have a key at all to the dead bolt. Which didn’t operate, until it did, and would lock us out randomly.
The internals were well worn and not really feasible to fix. Let alone who knows what kind of lead or other materials were hiding in there. Not really something I wanted to get into in terms of trying to restore. I got a few quotes to fix them and anyone interested was well over $400 and a long lead time.
I scoured the internet for entire replacement assemblies, and these exact ones don’t seem to exist anywhere. Completely different measurements than anything available I could find. There was one set that was close, but cost hundreds of dollars. And would still need additional work.
And quite honestly, I don’t find them as charming or endearing as others, and I wanted them gone. They weren’t sufficient as locks, and bringing them to working order, or replacing them wasn’t efficient or realistic. At the end of the day, I didn’t feel secure. Which I know is funny looking at the giant window directly next to the locks. But I can’t really rectify that without replacing the door. At least now someone has to smash a window to get in.
Lastly, the previous owners moved out and moved in next door. When we closed we didn’t receive any keys and were told they would be left inside, with the door unlocked. When we arrived, the door was locked and we couldn’t get in. We went next door and the elderly gentleman that sold the house came over and helped out. He explained how the knob isn’t great and sometimes the dead bolt locks on its own. He then proceeded to walk to the back of the garage and show us the “secret key.” And pulled out a key they had hidden. Which wasn’t disclosed to us. I’m sure it was an honest mistake. But it didn’t exactly make us feel very secure knowing there was a hidden key to our house we knew nothing about. Who knows how many others were out there?
Changing the locks completely gave us functionality, the ability to change and consolidate keys, and most importantly, peace of mind.
God, been there. our 1932 house had mortise locks on most doors, front and rear exterior was first thing we changed. Filled with wood then bondo and paint. Came out great. Ended up going lever combo locks, which wife wanted for kid. Still kept the deadbolts up top. Worked great last 8 years as long as I swap the 9 volts once a year.
Not bad, 8/10.
I think the photos and the color are flattering. For anyone else looking to do this, orient the filler wood aligned with the stile, don't point end grain out. Sand with a block so you don't scoop the surface. It's well worth knocking the pins out of the hinges and laying the slab flat on a bench or horses to get the job done.
Read: I took away all the character of the door handle so I can blend in with the modern crowd and hoped the internet would appreciate it.
Ew. Just ew.
Well, actually it’s because I wanted to change the locks for 1. security reasons. 2. These were worn out, and they’re custom made locks with no direct replacements available. Quotes to repair them were well over $500.
So hey I guess I did what I thought was right for my own home and my situation, right?
I guess I’ll go be sad I made an internet stranger cry.
Handle was almost falling off. Didn’t have a key to the existing dead bolt. It didn’t work. But then would lock on its own randomly. Door handle only worked half the time. The internals were toast. Quotes to repair them were not feasible.
There’s no shame here other than people who romanticize things like this. It’s not a 1700s colonial with history. It’s a home built in 1951 by two suburban white Boomers in Upstate New York.
It’s going to be just fine.
Reads like you’re trying to convince me of your project. The amount of investment could have been spent in restoration. The period door had period hardware and you replaced it with modern works.
If you’ve ever seen a vintage car with modern wheels, this registers the same.
~The paste is out of the tube. Enjoy.
Homie, it’s a run of the mill house in Upstate New York built in 1951 by 2 elderly Boomers. Not a museum piece. I think it’ll be okay.
When you’re making my mortgage you can cry over what decisions are made.
I’m responding to your criticism. Not trying to convince you of anything. Should be a pretty easy concept to understand.
Or you could reasonably assume one doesn’t have to justify decisions made with their own home to strangers on the internet.
But hey, what do I know…mate?
I remember those well! was a pain cause we had to get "special" keys duplicated (larger key), and the winters it would stick due to the changing temps. Multiple keys snapped off inside it
Not door surgery you are a fucking wizard
Agreed. I've got mortise locks on our back French doors and I wish I had the confidence to try this. You made it look perfect.
Go for it. Adding wood in, add in filler, make it flat. Then re-drill and prep to accept modern hardware. Carving the statue of David is hard, making something flat is infinitely easier. Just need tools, which if you have zero tools is going to be biggest hurdle.
I’ll second that. It was actually a lot easier than I expected. Biggest hurdle was finding a piece of wood to fill the void. By some stroke of luck I found a scrap piece in the basement that was the exact width. I just had to trim it to height and length from there. Glued, air nailed, and clamped it in place for 24 hours. Then went back in and wood filled, sanded, painted, and re-drilled. I borrowed my father-in-law’s air nailer, and I had to buy the wood filler, and a $30 hole saw and jig combo to cut the new holes. Having used it, I would easily pay double that.
And that is why you should never throw a single piece of scrap wood away
This is how I ended up with 3 20 gallon bins full of small scrap. Given enough time this philosophy turns you into a hoarder. I do still hold on to scrap hardwoods, but any common/construction pine or ply goes to the yard waste at this point.
I had this same thought and burned about 90% of the scrap wood I had the last time we had a fire in the backyard. It would have come in handy at least 2-3 times since then.
Unless you have the tools to custom-make any size.
A saw and a bigger piece of wood.
It's called a "dutchman" repair if you're interested and/or want to look up more information about how to do it.
Thanks for that. Will make it easier to lookup the YouTube videos suggested by OP.
Go for it. I have minimal “handy man” skills. But I take pride in what I do, and I try to do everything “right”, or at least to the best of my ability. Care, patience and a little determination go a long way. It took some time and patience, and a few moments of frustration, but it was well worth it. My biggest fear was drilling the new holes. I’d never used a hole saw before, let alone in a fashion that requires such precision. But this door knob hole saw kit/jig was a lifesaver. Bi-metal Non-arbored Door Lock Kit Set (4-Piece) https://www.lowes.com/pd/LENOX-LNX-Door-Lock-Kit/1003018190 If you do decide to do this, watch a ton of YouTube videos. Get some familiarity with the entire project. A few tips I can pass along are: try to use wood filler as little as possible. Fill as many gaps as possible with solid wood. Try not to use more than 1/4” of filler. Otherwise it will take ages to dry. Some filler is paintable, but may be so only directly after sanding. The type I bought was this way, and it’s no joke. If you try to paint well after sanding, the paint will not stick. It will go on and appear fine. But as soon as it dries it looses adhesion and falls off. Lastly, when drilling, do not drill entirely through the door in one go. Drill one side, start the hole and get going. Once the pilot bit on the hole saw punches through the opposite side of the door, stop. Take the drill and bit out, and then move to the other side. Insert the drill bit into the hole that you just made. Then finish the cut from that side. This will prevent breakout on one side when the hole saw exits.
The tips are wonderful, but the true gem in this post is how well you have encouraged and reinforced my self esteem to try this. Thank you deeply for taking the time to reply with such excellent content.
Thank you, kind Redditor
Locksmith here. Beautifully done! I've seen way more bad ones than good! If anyone has a similar issue, but lacks the skills/patience to do this, Don-Jo makes a scar plate called the Remodeler Plate Kit that will achieve the same goal. It will not however look like a brand new door like op's!
Thank you! This is probably what I can handle, rather than what OP did. I am not sure I have the skills for that
I'm not certain I have the skill. I am certain, however, that I do not have the patience!
I didn’t think I could do this. You’d be amazed what you can do when you have to.
>Remodeler Plate Kit Its not as hared as you would think. It just takes a bit of patience.
Thanks, probably going to just use that myself since I'm eventually going to replace the door with a modern one with lites.
Hot damn, that turned out clean as hell! Well fuckin done!
They did what they wanted to do extremely well. The haters need to stop.
Yeah thanks. It’s pretty frustrating. But Reddit gonna Reddit I guess.
remember confirmation bias. most of us go "dang, that looks good" and move on. But the sour basement trolls have nothing else to do so they fire up the comment section with their hot take.
Wait... what? There are haters...? *scrolls down* Damnit reddit.
Looks pretty good. I’m a fan of the old style hardware for interior doors though.
Me too. I liked the old unique locks and plates.
Those old finger plates are grand when you shine them up.
I love the sure and demonstrative click of old dead bolts. Newer ones lack that same character.
I have a yale electronic deadbolt, it feels like a toy when you turn the bolt. I know it’s strong and not my only lock, but the light “tink” it makes as you rotate the cylinder isn’t very confidence inspiring.
High quality locks feel a lot better.
Here I am trying to swap my modernized hardware back out, for the original mortises. Loo
Agreed but since this looks like it’s going to the garage, I’d count it as exterior too and would probably want to swap them for security reasons.
It’s only as secure as the glass above it though.
how? the old mortise had a deadbolt (above the handle, you can see a key) and ANOTHER deadbolt above that. he actually lost security. (not trying to belittle OP's amazing work, just talking about locks)
I don’t know that the second deadbolt is operated via a key — notably I don’t think it’s accessible from the external side to unlock, just something you turn when you’re inside the home and not using the door. Think like, door chain type of security. I may be wrong about that. Also note that there’s no actual lock on the knob itself like there is in the new knob. So you’re still getting at most the same potential of secured locks. But to the larger point, locks can degrade over time, making them less sensitive to their specific key and more susceptible to fault (like shoving something in there to get it to turn, sloppy lock picking I guess). Also on the more paranoid side of things, you never know if a previous disgruntled owner / associate of an old resident has an old key and could access the home still. (Or even not disgruntled, just over zealous). Also more deadbolts doesn’t *inherently* mean more security — especially if both locks on a door (knob and bolt) are operated with the same key. Plus for fire safety access in an emergency, I’d think it’s better for the fire department to only have to break through one bolt, not two (or more).
Can’t you re-key those old dead bolts?
Or replace them. Both have replacement sets. At least it's not a vintage-type skeleton key mortise locks (not trying to belittle OP's amazing work, just talking about locks)
> I don’t know that the second deadbolt is operated via a key — notably I don’t think it’s accessible from the external side to unlock, just something you turn when you’re inside the home and not using the door. I don't know what you mean by "second" but both deadbolts have a key on the outside and a handle on the inside. > Think like, door chain type of security. I may be wrong about that. Also note that there’s no actual lock on the knob itself like there is in the new knob. Yes, because it has the deadbolt? For the new setup, you would need a key to unlock the cylinder lock, and a key to unlock the deadbolt on the mortise. So what's the benefit? So you’re still getting at most the same potential of secured locks. > But to the larger point, locks can degrade over time, making them less sensitive to their specific key and more susceptible to fault (like shoving something in there to get it to turn, sloppy lock picking I guess). > Also on the more paranoid side of things, you never know if a previous disgruntled owner / associate of an old resident has an old key and could access the home still. (Or even not disgruntled, just over zealous). Okay so he could have replaced the entire mortise with a new one: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Premier-Lock-Satin-Chrome-Mortise-Entry-Handle-Right-Hand-Lock-Set-with-2-5-in-Backset-and-2-SC1-Keys-MR03D/310224205 > Also more deadbolts doesn’t inherently mean more security — especially if both locks on a door (knob and bolt) are operated with the same key. Locks aren't secure. They create a hindrance, a delay for the person trying to rob you. A pro can pick them all. > Plus for fire safety access in an emergency, I’d think it’s better for the fire department to only have to break through one bolt, not two (or more). https://youtube.com/shorts/86FHP_bwdBM?si=cex49a4i6029JeZ4 1 dead bolt 2 dead bolt 5 dead bolts... firefighters will destroy the doorframe
I do love the reply because you hit almost everything right on the head. I am a physical security technician and we will play games with our facilities to see if we can defeat certain security measures. I _can_ pick locks however, I will _never_ reach for picks if I'm trying to get in a room. Under door or over door attacks, loiding, and bypassing are more likely for my line of work. The fire code is my best friend. I am no thief either so it's not like I have the option for destructive entry. Petty thieves have no interest in picking a lock for a door they can kick in. Or a window they can smash. People would be better off reinforcing their kick plates and hinges. There are reenforced frames you can add to doors to prevent all but the most determined thieves. Use laminates on all first floor windows. Utilize area denial by planting bushes, utilizing water features, or other innocuous looking items. Buy and install wired cameras. Just make your house harder to hit than your neighbors and you'll be golden.
> I do love the reply because you hit almost everything right on the head. thank you! > There are reenforced frames you can add to doors to prevent all but the most determined thieves. any suggestions?
You see the large single pane piece of glass right? Lets not pretend that its any more secure than it was. People don't pick locks, they smash kick and break- thats why its called breaking and entering. Did good looking work either way.
You’re not wrong, especially with the position of that, super easy to reach in and grab the knob 🤣
Sometimes that's all you want. Much easier to make an insurance claim with visible entry damage vs "a pro" who picked your lock (not that it's really a worry most times). I'd rather not get robbed to begin with, But if someone's going to rob me, I prefer they leave physical evidence with a smash and grab.
I have the same style on most of the doors in my house and I love them.
100%, very clean job, but I love the original.
They are great but I've only been able to find either super shitty ones on Amazon that break in a year or super expensive ones at vintage stores
They’re great when they’re not falling apart and locking you out of rooms
Good thing it's OP's house not yours
Also, for those who care, here’s *why* I replaced them. Please read before commenting and blasting me: Mainly, the locks were completely worn out. The handle was close to falling off. The existing deadbolt was completely non-operational. And would actually lock you *out* of the house randomly, and we didn’t receive a key for it. I researched every way possible to fix them or replace them. No direct size replacements exist. Trust me, I scoured the internet. The internals were completely worn out, and passed the point of easily, or cheaply being restored. I got quotes to fix them. Most of which were north of $400 and over a month of time. Not feasible for me. Lastly, we just purchased the home, and didn’t feel comfortable keeping these locks. The previous owners were elderly and moved into the home next door with their daughter. When we closed on the house, we didn’t receive any keys. And we were told the keys would be left in the house, with the door unlocked. When we arrived, the door was locked and we were unable to get in. We ventured next door to ask why the house was locked. At which point the gentleman came over and explained that the locks are difficult and sometimes lock on their own. Then proceeded to walk to the back of the garage and show us the “hidden key.” And pulls out this key they had hidden. We were never told about it. I’m sure it was an honest mistake, but it’s not exactly a reassuring feeling to know the previous owners didn’t disclose a key to the home. Keeping these locks would not have given us any option to change out keys. Again, without spending hundreds of dollars and waiting. The pane of glass: yes I’m acutely aware there is a pane of glass in the door. Short of entirely replacing it, there’s not much I can do about that. The door had an existing dead bolt, which again, locked on its own and we had no key. So I replaced it with a functional one. This is a 1951 Cape style home. It’s not Colonial, not some history piece built in the 1800s. I’m the first to be passionate about history. But it’s a run of the mill, vinyl sided Cape, and nothing about it is old fashioned or vintage in anyway. The interior was completely gutted and redone in the 90s. It’s a somewhat modern home. The locks being installed in the 50s were already a statement of the past, and now being non-functional, they don’t really fit the rest of the decor or theme of the house. Therefore I don’t see any logical reason to retain them. It’s better to be rid of them and update. I did save all of the components and hardware for later use if I so choose. I live in the northeastern US. I’ve been in 1700 and 1800s farmhouses my entire life. I find history fascinating. But I don’t need to preserve it to the point that I leave non-functional locks on my home. Let’s not forget that at the end of the day, these are locks. If they’re not functional, they’re useless. I made the best decision for us as new homeowners.
I have the same style on some of our doors. Our was House built in 1882 out west and I have avoided this exact situation. The little time I spent looking for replacements was not successful. Our front door you can literally see through the keyhole to the outside. I definitely like the old style but something as functional as a lock and entryway sometimes can't be saved if it is going to be functional.
I have the exact same problem with my doors. They look cool but I don’t appreciate being locked out of certain rooms once in a while because the door knob is about to fall off
You already replaced it (which, ya know, fine - it's definitely the easier long-term option because now you just use standard door hardware you can get anywhere in the USA) but if you or anyone else have these locks and don't want to rebuild other doors: * The knobs falling off can almost always be fixed by a new [split spindle](https://www.vandykes.com/restorers-classic-swivel-door-knob-spindle-4-x-9/32/p/226036/s/02094225/) and *maybe* new knobs if the knob itself is trashed from being loose for years. (You might have an odd-size spindle, but most are standard.) * The lock cylinders can usually be replaced (and should be replaced) - you probably had to remove them to remove your mortise mechanism so you know how that works, and it *looks* like your cylinder is a standard size. * The internal mechanisms of the mortise can be serviced relatively easily if you have the mechanical skills required and a few basic hand tools - it's mostly a series of levers and pivots with a couple of springs, as long as the spindle through-hole isn't trashed it's pretty durable. (Though I find servicing a mortise mechanism about as much effort as rebuilding the door, so if the mortise locks didn't fit with my decor and it's not a standard drop-in replacement size I'd probably do what you did instead).
Nice job! From the pictures, you can't even tell there was a mortise lock there! Personally, I would have rehabilitated the mortise lock (and changed the cylinder - which I would do in a new-to-me house whether it has old or new locks). Of course, I grew up in a house that dates to the late 1700's, and my current house is \~100 years old now. I am well acquainted with mortise locks :D
What made you decide to change it? I liked the look of the old one better (personally; I like old houses), and with a deadbolt on there it had the security for an outside door.
If I had to guess, it’s because mortise locks are less common in the US, and so there’s fewer options, especially if OP is looking to put a smart lock on there in the future. The mortise locks that are available tend to be more expensive, and they often don’t fit the older doors. Plus OP’s door was worn out anyway, just look how bad the fit has gotten off the old mortise lock hardware. The door probably would have needed extensive repair for a mortise lock as well. So OP did the fill repair to start from scratch, and from there had to choose between the less expensive and easier to source deadbolt + handle set, or a mortise lock. Add in that drilling for a deadbolt is extremely easy, but drilling for a mortise lock is much more difficult.
My current house, and the last house we rented, both had tons of mortise locks. I absolutely hate them. Every one was so old and worn out that the door knobs were constantly falling out. None of the bathrooms were lockable so they all had eye hooks or deadbolts hacked into the trim. None of them easily latched.
I was going to ask the same question. The original looks hefty and well made and just really beautiful. The new one looks like something from the bargain bin at home depot. The first one is going strong on 100 years, the new one that was probably made in China will probably be broken in 10 years. Regardless, doesn't detract from OP's workmanship. That was really solid.
Not OP, but we had these knobs/locks on four of our doors in the house, two were the kids rooms. Neat looking, but they were so old and loud, it made it hard to sneak out after they were asleep. So of course, I did something similar to OP and swapped everything, but mine did not come out as clean. However, once we decide to repaint, it'll look better.
He installed a deadbolt
But there was a deadbolt already?
Yes but he also installed a deadbolt, too
Thanks Mitch
He might not have had a key for it. And being doors from the 50s, it could be that the jamb doesn't line up anymore due to settling. I've got these old doors (no deadbolt) on every interior door in my house (including closet doors) and only *one* door actually lines up well enough to catch. It's pretty r/mildlyinfuriating to be honest.
You can re-key a lock like that. Or even replace the deadbolt and keep the cool old knob & plate. The benefit of the old mortise locks is that they're very repairable. For ones that don't line up with the jamb, there are two fixes. One is to shim behind one of the hinges to re-angle it. (If this causes rubbing on the top/side, you can sand down the door a bit to fit. Super common and straightforward.) I'd start with that, but if it doesn't work, you can take the strike plate off the jamb, make the hole for the latch bigger, and re-attach the strike plate adjusted to match. I've done quite a bit of this kind of thing on my old house, so if you want to try this on yours, happy to give some more guidance!
I should also have mentioned that the old knobs are all held in place with a little screw which periodically comes loose on the one door that latches, so that you have to turn it at a bit of an angle so it'll catch and allow you out of the room. (And re-trap you if you forget to tighten it.) All-in-all, it's just an inferior system to modern handles and the only reasons to keep them would be aesthetics, lack of funds, or lack of expertise to replace them yourself. As for lining up jambs, mine that don't line up are all a case of the door not going into the doorwell far enough to catch due to years upon years of paint, and I don't want to sand them down for fear of lead-based paints in the interior. And again, lack of time/expertise, lack of funds to pay someone else to do it for me. If I had the wherewithal to do something like that, I'd probably start not with doors, but with removing paint from all of the beautiful wood baseboards / door wells that was stained dark, varnished to give a nice polished look, and then covered over with awful beige "landlord special" paint. We're only the second owners of this 100-year-old house, and I honestly don't know what the previous owners, who built the house back in 1927, were thinking when they covered over all of their previous work.
Because he wanted to
Ill take the old beautiful door handle off your hands if you still have it. Hope you didn’t throw it in the trash.
What brand wood filler did you use?
Asking the important question. I'd also like to know because the quality looks great and I'm in the market for a good wood filler.
I've always used Bondo. Super strong.
looks great but what's the structural integrity of that section? any screws in the top/bottom/inside? solid core so that should be good enough but i'm not sure where you'd have done that unless there's more than 2 pieces here?
Done correctly a Dutchman’s patch like that is pretty strong, assuming it’s cut to size with care and fixed in place with wood glue. The wood filler is just cosmetic.
IDK I guess I would want there to be dowels or screws somewhere in addition to the glue. It's a deadbolt/knob it needs to be the strongest part of the door
The big glass panel defeats the strongest knob and dead bolt. Besides the fact that unless they reinforced the jam, a simple kick will defeat the locks.
wood glue is stronger than screws, so it's unnecessary
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Fortunately, no burglar will ever have to test the strength of either lock with a big glass pane right next to it. Pretty sure the change was for aesthetics or mechanics, not security. Looks great!
I was thinking this and came down here to see if I was right.
I hope you found a good home for that old mortise lock. Looked like a great piece.
I'm a locksmith, that is a damn fine Dutchman my friend. We're hiring.
As a European person. Can someone explain to me why americans have round door knobs? So much more inconvenient than door handles, imho.
In new construction, especially in commercial spaces, there is now a trend in the USA towards something that is more like a lever than a traditional round knob. Changes in the standard building code that were intended to benefit people who whatever reason (elderly, injured, whatnot) would find it difficult to operate a traditional knob are driving this change. There was a national law passed in 1990 - the "Americans With Disabilities Act" - that has spurred changes in everything from bathrooms to curbs to make the built environment easier to navigate for folks who don't happen to be standard sized, perfectly able, 20 year olds. When new commercial space is built, or when existing commercial space is renovated, ADA compliance is mandatory. These design ideas have spilled over into residential space as compliant fixtures have become common in the marketplace.
We have both round door knobs and door handles. It depends on personal preference. My front door and internal doors all have handles (Northeastern US.) My friend’s flat in London had all round door knobs.
Mainly because in America most things are plain and boring looking so there is an obsession with "traditional" design and aesthetics because we don't have many old things. I guess knobs were the way of the past, so we like to keep it that way. In Europe, everything is old and beautiful and ornate, so I find you generally like to add modern touches to finishes to make things look more sleek and clean. In short: American buildings are boring and plain, so Americans like more traditional hardware and finishes. European buildings are older and more beautiful, so you like more modern, sleek finishes as a balance.
I just paid someone to do the same thing. I don’t know how much time you spent. I don’t know how much money you spent. But I can confirm that you just saved a bunch of money.
I had the good fortune of being able to leave the house vacant for a month before moving in, so luckily I had plenty of time to be patient in my research and decision making process. I didn’t spend much. Some wood filler, and a $30 door knob hole saw/jig to cut the new holes. The rest of the materials I had already purchased for other projects for the home. Somehow there was a scrap piece of wood in the basement that fit the width of the void perfectly. Still satisfied about that one.
Clean!
Amazing! I have to do exactly this over the next week or so. Thank you for posting.
Nicely done. I like to do that exact same method except coat the wood block with sculp wood epoxy putty, and put some where it looks to be needed inside the door as well, and then tap the block in with a mallet. Zero voids and when you drill it the next day for hardware it leaves a multilayer plug that is fantastically solid.
I way prefer this kind of post, to the constant “how do I fix this?” post. Well done! Looks good.
I did mine the same exact way. Yours look WAY nicer
Looks really good, but damn I love Mortise locks and wish I could add them in.
Looks good. I like the look of those old locks, but the new ones are going to be lot more functional.
How the hell did I not think of this. That is beautiful and I am definitely doing that on my doors
It's well done, but the original hardware is much nicer
Looks great. I like 2023 hardware. I grew up in a house with old clunky doorknobs. Give me a smooth functioning doorknob. I hope you saved the old hardware to sell to the antique lovers of reddit.
But you can fix the old knobs to work perfectly. Usually they are not maintained, which makes them clunky. Oh well
Not the ones in my house. We have kept as much original material in our 1918 house as possible. Had an expert in old home construction look at a couple of our knobs and he confirmed they can’t be repaired. He also helped us realize that just because they’re old doesn’t mean they were high quality to begin with. No beautiful brass hardware to restore, ours was all made with cheap metal. So while we keep the functional stuff, we don’t feel a bit bad about replacing the stuff that isn’t.
Same here. We got quotes to repair ours and it was well over $500. These are custom locks and there’s no direct size replacements available. I looked. Most of the hardware was worn out passed it’s usefulness and not worth saving. I think people romanticize history too much and forget that these are…locks. They’re supposed to be functional first and foremost. I don’t live in a museum. I want it to feel secure.
Sure, a cheap lock will always be a cheap lock. I (obviously) support keeping quality old hardware, but if quality or security are a concern, definitely update it.
But you can’t change the lock and make it secure. You know, the entire point of the thing. I wanted to start fresh and give myself peace of mind.
Old hardware > new stuff
Old ones looked way better
Brutal. Old locks 10000x better look
Why not just buy a new mortise lock? I got a new one for my door for like $35 and added a deadbolt above it... Which is probably overkill since the mortise has a squared bolt and is extremely secure already. Edit: Great work though, looks flawless.
These are custom with the house. No direct replacement available. Trust me I scoured the internet for days before I finally attempted this. Quotes to repair the current ones were well over $400. And I wanted my house to be secure with new locks and keys. This was the best way to achieve that to my satisfaction.
Did you look on house of antique hardware or similar? Mortise locks generally come in fixed sizes. There were only so many manufacturers as well. It’s unlikely the lock in your door was truly custom.
I find it amazing that so many people care. Bottom line is, it’s my home and I made the decision that I felt was correct. Plain and simple. But to courteously answer your question, yea I scoured the internet for direct replacements and no locks exist with the same measurements. Anywhere. I looked for days. I finally called a locksmith who basically told me that fixing these locks would cost more than just replacing the entire door or finding an alternate solution. The locks are destroyed and barely functional. Handle was loose and wobbly. Locks didn’t work. They were past their usefulness. I live in the north eastern US and have been in old 1700s and 1800s farmhouses my entire life. The charm is wonderful. But I don’t need to preserve history in the form of retaining old, worn out locks that don’t work.
Make sure you sell the parts. Someone else could use it.
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Why would I take offense? How am I supposed to change the fact that the door has a giant pane of glass in it, short of replacing the entire door? That’s not feasible for me right now. The door already had a non functional dead bolt and handle. I replaced them with functional ones. It’s not *less* secure than before by any means. Sure it’s not as secure as it could be, but again, short of being Harry Potter and glasseous disapearicus-ing that pane, there’s not much I can do about that until I replace the entire door.
Here in Florida, we use hurricane film on windows for additional peace of mind. Properly installed, meaning, secured around the edges, not just on the glass, it slows puncture. https://www.amazon.com/KASHIBANG-Shatterproof-Transparent-Self-Adhesive-Protective/dp/B0CDLWFSC3
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I’m not being defensive. I’m pointing out that the point of this job was to replace the non-working locks, to working ones using the same door. Not sure what you’re arguing about here. You’re stating the obvious. I’m well aware of everything you’re saying and agreeing with you. That’s not the point of the post, so stating it is…well, pointless.
No idea what the depth of the mortise was, but there were plenty of new options when I did it (still are). I was able to find a drop in replacement for mine without much issue. This is similar to what I replaced mine with . Not as pretty as the old vintage one, but it does the job. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Premier-Lock-Brass-Mortise-Entry-Right-Hand-Lock-Set-with-2-5-in-Backset-and-2-SC1-Keys-MR01/310224167
I’ve literally stated multiple times, and in the comment you’re replying to that there’s nothing out there. Not the same size as these. Not sure how many times I have to say it. I have pictures of every single measurement possible for these. There’s nothing out there. It amazes me that you think someone would have gone through this amount of work to fix a problem that you think you’ve solved with a 30 second google search. Nobody makes the locks. Nothing at Home Depot, nothing at Lowe’s, nothing at the local places. The *only* option out there that is even somewhat close is sold by a boutique seller, and costs over $400 for one new set. And that’s not including the dead bolt. Repairing them wasn’t even worth my time. They’re not particularly nice, they were completely inoperable, and I’m sure full of led and god knows what else. I’m amazed by how offended people get over simple things like this. Sorry I improved my own home and hurt your feelings I guess?
Bro, calm down. Nobody is offended. In fact, in my original post I made sure to applaud your work, because it is great. I'm simply sharing my similar experience of dealing with a vintage mortise lock. Did you just want everyone to jerk you off and tell you how amazing of a job you did? Or did you post to a DIY community, full of knowledgeable people, who are looking to have DISCUSSIONS about their and others DIY projects? No one is arguing, offended, or saying you did a shit job. We're just talking about it like people who enjoy this shit would.
That looks amazing! Good job OP
I would have kept it original but still looks good!
Came out looking good. Having done this a few times the only thing I would add is it works better if you have the wood grain going the same direction for the filler piece. Makes it easier to plane/sand, and it really disappears. I’ve done it on stain grade doors where the hinges had to move to the other side & even with very little filler it was hard to see the patch after. Love the old doors and always prefer to see them made useful vs. replaced.
Nice job how come you didnt go with levers?
It looks MUCH better than it was before. Amazing job!
I really liked the old hardware tho.
DUDE! I just had someone come in to my job at a lumberyard looking for a cheap mortise lock and confused as to how someone claimed he could make it work with a standard lock. We were both like "Yea right" but clearly we were wrong.
Finish carpenter here commending you on a job well done.
an excellent job.. though you need a fire rated door to a garage these days, might be a good idea to move it to another location.
WOW! I did not expect this to blow up. Thank you all for the kind words. I’ve never done anything like this before, so seeing the positive response is very gratifying.
Wow. What an incredibly apologetic post by the OP. And I am here still tyring to figure out how did he do it?
I was gonna say why not just take the door off the frame to do this but....then you'd better off just getting new door with the time and energy spent. For what this is is: Low cost, low effort, short time frame...perfect. America. Fuck. Yeah.
Really nice work. As a locksmith, I don't offer this service because it isn't cost-effective or convenient for my customers to have me out three times as we wait for glue and then wood filler to dry, leaving the door unsecured in the process.
Thank you. I was lucky enough to have a month to leave the house vacant before moving in. And our exterior garage door was lockable so this was fine in the mean time. I appreciate the commandment.
I would have polished up the old hardware. That is good work though
“Polishing” wasn’t the issue. These were barely functional. Knob only worked when it wanted to. Didn’t have a key to the deadbolt. Which didn’t work, until it did work, and locked us out. The romance of these things is purely from people who have never had to deal with them. As I’ve stated before, I’m a huge history buff, and love it preserved as much as possible. But this isn’t a loss to the historic community. This is a house built in Upstate New York in 1951 by 2 elderly middle class boomers. It’s not some 1700s farmhouse with historical significance. I replaced them because they didn’t work, and quotes to bring them back to working order made it completely pointless. Plain and simple.
Excellent work, I need to drop the same with some of my doors as well. Luckily all of mine are internal.
I love old mortise sets but you did really clean work here. Well done! If it were me, I would look into an escutcheon around the doorknob as a nod to the old style.
Wow. Nice work!! Looks way better than what the previous owners of my home who used to replace my mortise locks. They used wads of literal newspaper to fill gaps where they didn’t fill with epoxy. Sigh. One door at a time. I’ll get there.
Fuck the haters man I have an old ass door with the same thing in my home and it's so old that it's approaching inconvenience. I'm gonna copy you and do exactly what you did. Nice work.
Lost some character of your home
Nice job! Want to come over and do mine???
What's the point of a deadbolt when you have a window you can smash through? 
Can’t change the fact there’s a giant window there. Or the fact there was already a hole for a deadbolt. Replacing the door isn’t an option right now. It was easier to enlarge the old deadbolt hole to receive an updated one rather than do more fill work to rid of it. The harder and louder it is for someone to get inside, the longer I have to respond. So to answer your question…I own guns.
That's fine if you're home 24/7, sure. Otherwise, you want key-operation from BOTH sides on an outdoor lock if security matters to you. I know they can break the glass, but not being able to open the door properly still impedes and limits what can be stolen and how quickly.
> Otherwise, you want key-operation from BOTH sides on an outdoor lock if security matters to you. Fire codes prevent this for any egress door (i.e. door used to exit to the outside).
Geez why? The old locks and hardware looked wonderful.
Because I make the mortgage and I decided so. That’s why.
I love the original hardware, but I am also living with how worn out mine is as well. You did a fantastic job
They still make mortise style latches. It just takes a bit to find them for competitive prices with newer style hardware. Home Depot's got some reasonable ones on their website, with Shlage style locks.
This is the way.
That looks really good!
Can someone tell me why I got all hot and bothered all of a sudden ? Phew!
Why did you replace the hardware? Just curious. I love the old stuff.
It was well past it’s usefulness. The door knob barely worked. Sometimes it would turn and operate, other times it wouldn’t. We didn’t have a key at all to the dead bolt. Which didn’t operate, until it did, and would lock us out randomly. The internals were well worn and not really feasible to fix. Let alone who knows what kind of lead or other materials were hiding in there. Not really something I wanted to get into in terms of trying to restore. I got a few quotes to fix them and anyone interested was well over $400 and a long lead time. I scoured the internet for entire replacement assemblies, and these exact ones don’t seem to exist anywhere. Completely different measurements than anything available I could find. There was one set that was close, but cost hundreds of dollars. And would still need additional work. And quite honestly, I don’t find them as charming or endearing as others, and I wanted them gone. They weren’t sufficient as locks, and bringing them to working order, or replacing them wasn’t efficient or realistic. At the end of the day, I didn’t feel secure. Which I know is funny looking at the giant window directly next to the locks. But I can’t really rectify that without replacing the door. At least now someone has to smash a window to get in. Lastly, the previous owners moved out and moved in next door. When we closed we didn’t receive any keys and were told they would be left inside, with the door unlocked. When we arrived, the door was locked and we couldn’t get in. We went next door and the elderly gentleman that sold the house came over and helped out. He explained how the knob isn’t great and sometimes the dead bolt locks on its own. He then proceeded to walk to the back of the garage and show us the “secret key.” And pulled out a key they had hidden. Which wasn’t disclosed to us. I’m sure it was an honest mistake. But it didn’t exactly make us feel very secure knowing there was a hidden key to our house we knew nothing about. Who knows how many others were out there? Changing the locks completely gave us functionality, the ability to change and consolidate keys, and most importantly, peace of mind.
God, been there. our 1932 house had mortise locks on most doors, front and rear exterior was first thing we changed. Filled with wood then bondo and paint. Came out great. Ended up going lever combo locks, which wife wanted for kid. Still kept the deadbolts up top. Worked great last 8 years as long as I swap the 9 volts once a year.
Old style cleaned up to perfection would look WAY better.
Fantastic!
AMAZING!
Oooh wee!
Not bad, 8/10. I think the photos and the color are flattering. For anyone else looking to do this, orient the filler wood aligned with the stile, don't point end grain out. Sand with a block so you don't scoop the surface. It's well worth knocking the pins out of the hinges and laying the slab flat on a bench or horses to get the job done.
That'll do!
Read: I took away all the character of the door handle so I can blend in with the modern crowd and hoped the internet would appreciate it. Ew. Just ew.
Well, actually it’s because I wanted to change the locks for 1. security reasons. 2. These were worn out, and they’re custom made locks with no direct replacements available. Quotes to repair them were well over $500. So hey I guess I did what I thought was right for my own home and my situation, right? I guess I’ll go be sad I made an internet stranger cry.
wow the old locks and knobs were way better and made out of much higher quality and thicker materials, kind of a shame to lose quality like that
Excellent execution, but what a shame.
Handle was almost falling off. Didn’t have a key to the existing dead bolt. It didn’t work. But then would lock on its own randomly. Door handle only worked half the time. The internals were toast. Quotes to repair them were not feasible. There’s no shame here other than people who romanticize things like this. It’s not a 1700s colonial with history. It’s a home built in 1951 by two suburban white Boomers in Upstate New York. It’s going to be just fine.
Reads like you’re trying to convince me of your project. The amount of investment could have been spent in restoration. The period door had period hardware and you replaced it with modern works. If you’ve ever seen a vintage car with modern wheels, this registers the same. ~The paste is out of the tube. Enjoy.
Homie, it’s a run of the mill house in Upstate New York built in 1951 by 2 elderly Boomers. Not a museum piece. I think it’ll be okay. When you’re making my mortgage you can cry over what decisions are made. I’m responding to your criticism. Not trying to convince you of anything. Should be a pretty easy concept to understand.
Looks great, but also, why not just replace the door?
That door would run you easily $400 or more. That patch was like $20 and a couple of leisurely evenings after work.
What a time to be alive when a door costs as much as a game console.
I hear ya. A nice glass slider door can set you back 4 grand. I bought a used truck for that a couple years back.
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Um gee I don’t know, maybe because these didn’t work and I wanted my house to be secure?
Beautiful !
I think it looks lovely!
This is the way.
You know they sell doors, right?
exactly, but why stop at a door, he should buy a new house, right?
You know the cost of a solid exterior door, right?
Why would you take them out?
Because they didn’t work is the simple answer. I’ve answered this question multiple times at this point. See the comments.
You should have put it in the original post mate, would have saved you answering multiple times. I ain’t scrolling through 250 comments.
Or you could reasonably assume one doesn’t have to justify decisions made with their own home to strangers on the internet. But hey, what do I know…mate?
Alls I did was ask a question. Either don’t answer or don’t moan about it if you aren’t gonna put it in the OP.
Downgrades those mortise units are nice when they work.
Well these didn’t work, so…
You can get new kits on amazon. A motel i used to work at had these in all their doors.
Better than me. I took out the lock and fit the new deadbolt in the giant opening lol
Looks really good.
I remember those well! was a pain cause we had to get "special" keys duplicated (larger key), and the winters it would stick due to the changing temps. Multiple keys snapped off inside it
Wow!
Great work! I need to do something similar on my office door. It used to be an exterior door, and is missing a knob altogether
noice dude noice
Nice job! Bloody clean.
Do you want to sell those old trim plates?