I’ve recently purchased and installed a Mortise lock from an architectural salvage store. The lock works great except there are two buttons on the lock just below the strike. This feature, when working correctly, should lock the outside knob, but not the inside. My lock, however, locks both knobs (If you push the button and close the door you are stuck with removing the door from its jamb). I’d like to repair it, but cannot find a website or source that shows how. Any suggestions?
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take it apart on the bench, the mechanism is not that complicated, you should be able to see and analyze the problem....
I'm remembering finding this problem and went first to the spindle. A split (in/out) spindle was necessary so one side worked indepentent of each other. Make sure the spindle centers out on the operating mechanism.
If you have a split spindle and are having problems, adjust the spindle depth and hope for the best.
If the buttons work to lock/unlock, the above could be the fix.
This however, from a dumb carpenter.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
Re-read what David says, its not that complicated inside of them, I've done a few and its usually very obvious.
Doug
Just did the same thing.
You proabaly need a split spindle. If you look closley in the square hole of the lock set you can see there are 2 halves to it. It's hard to see real well. Try sticking a large screwdriver in one side and see if only one half will turn then it's for sure.
The split spindle I had is 2 threaded peices, split in the middle. Mine had to be cut down a bit off each end and I had to turn it a couple times to adjust it.
Good luck,
Cor.
Memories.........
I haven't had an opportunity to play with one of those locks since I was a kid - maybe almost 50 years ago. There wasn't a lock in the house I hadn't taken apart to see what was what.
Jump in there and play with it. If a curious child could - you can too.