Anybody use the Emtek Locksets? Need to find a source to match a house that we finish the basement on. House might be 6-8 years old. Any special tricks to install or just a simple install?
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No first hand info for you, but give this site a try. They might have a match.
A FAC on this site also tells you what is compatible, as in key blanks.
http://www.kwiklocks.com/kwiklocks/emtek.html
Edited 9/27/2005 7:17 pm ET by RalphWicklund
Thanks Ralph, The link got me what I needed. The type of lock-set (Milano Lever).
Did you catch the Broncos last night?
We use them on the front entries of our more expensive houses... Not much I can tell you except I believe that they use the same key blanks as Schlague and Baldwin. We get them at the local contractor's supply. Sorry - not much info but to say they are not uncommon around here.
I installed Emtek throughout my own house, including 2 entries. Seems pretty solid, although there's higher-grade definitely if you want to spend more.
Installation was pretty straightforward.
Good source here in New England below (they'll UPS to you anywhere):
http://www.capecodbrass.com/emtek/index.htm
You probably already know the manufacturer's site:
http://www.emtekproducts.com/
I am looking for a solid brass eggshaped knob set for all the upstairs doors in my house. Maybe you can answer this for me since I can't find specs online for the EMTEKs. Are the screws hidden behind the rosettes? Are the privacy buttons like Baldwin which has little ones in the interior rosettes and a small emergency tool hole in the outside rosette. So far, I have not seen that you can buy a bed/bath (split brass/chrome) set. Do the knobs install like a Baldwin so that I could buy one full chrome set and a matching brass set and just combine the two? Any other input on the EMTEK? I am getting ready to buy and at about $40 per set, rather than $50+ for Baldwin, it looks like a good deal. Thanks for the help.
We use Emtek exclusively. The screws are hidden behind the rosettes. They are relatively simple to install. There is a notch in the cylinder and be sure to set it underneath in order to hide your set screw. I find that they are really finicky as to the torque of the set screw. To tight and the lock binds when the handle is turned and to loose the whole lockset becomes loose. I went through close to two hundred (passage, privacy, dummy, and entry) sets in the last two years and have had most problems with keyed entry sets. I've had to change out two out of fifteen because of the knob binding and the client forcing the knob and ruining the lock.
Can you tell me what Rosettes look like on the privacy sets? Does it have the little button on the inside and the emergency tool hole on the outside like the Baldwin? Are the screws hidden or exposed? thanks!
I just bought a bunch of Emtek leverset. Little button on the rosettes for the privacy lock, with a hole to push a nail in from the other side as an emegency release. Very nice units, but the mounting screws are expsed on the rosettes
Bummer about the exposed screws - their website and all the vendors do a pretty good job of hiding that in pictures. I'm going with polished brass egg-shaped knob and, at least from pictures, EMTEK's have better proportions than Baldwin's in my opinion. If you have ever used Baldwin, how do the EMTEK's stack up in overall quality of operation, looks, finish, etc? For sure they are probably easier to install than Baldwin, but these are for my own house and I'll be the one who has to stare at them for the next twenty years.
The Baldwins I checked out in HD last night seamed almost sloppy to me - the knobs were loose in the rosette as if the inside mechanism has some wear on it. They were the sample units and in all fairness, had probably been worked back and forth by thousands of people. But so have the Schlage and Kwiksets, and they felt tighter even if they look cheap.
I agree on the exposed screws, but I still like them. Thy have a nice feel -- real heft to the handles and nice action. By selecting the handing on the lever sets you can select which side the screws will go on. In my case this covered about 80% of the exposed screw issue. I'd buy them again. I will note that the bolt hardware was wider than the factory hole in my new dooors (the hole that goes from the edge of the doorframe towards the handle) as well as in my existing doors. Moderate pain in the neck.
The Baldwins I liked were from their Estate Collection and were about $150 a set!. I mail ordered my Emteks from ccbrass.com for about $40 a set. Best price I found.
Carlos
I bought mi
So the mechanism is nice and tight - no wobble once they are put together? I can probably live with exposed screws since the doors are open most of the time. The only place they would always show is on the dummies - a few of which I would need for double closet doors.
What's the difference between Baldwin Images and Baldwin Estate beside $100? I looked at the site and Estate does not necessarily mean that its a mortise lock.
Have you looked into Rocky Mountain? http://www.rockymountainhardware.com/
I like their fit and finish better than Emtek, but I can't remember about the screws.
I just went through seven units of the lever sets and found the same thing as ceb.
Quicksilver has a lot more experience than I do, so take your cues from him.I will say, though, that while I haven't had any serious problems with the Emtek, it's run through my mind more than once that "you get what you pay for" as I've tightened up things that have loosened, or otherwised fussed with the hardware. I bought Emtek because I figured I didn't need to spend a fortune on hardware, and the stuff looks nice new, but I'm not sure it'll wear as well as some of the more expensive stuff. Just a hunch--as I say, overall the stuff's been fine and no real "problems," more just annoyances on some of the passage sets.
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Hummm - I thought EmTek was more pricey and supposed to be good stuff???? We use it only on exterior lock sets though, and on the mid to upper end homes only.
I thought the price/quality thing kinda went Qucikset -> Schlage (sp?) -> Emtek. Baldwin used to be used more on upper end homes, but they have a reputation that some have to be adjusted, thightend, etc, and I find them more time consuming to install. BTW - quickset for starter homes only.
Van Dyke's uses Emtek, however they don't identify them in the catalog.
http://www.vandykes.com
I use a lot of them. Good stuff.
But your Q about install depends whether you are talking typical 2-3/8" backsaets or the mortise in old style units.
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