Help with an old door lock?

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calantha

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I took apart my front door handset / knob and foolishly didn't pay attention to how the pieces went together. Can anyone here help me put it back together? I can post pictures of what I've got.

The machanism is fairly old, probably 1940s era.
 

Stuff

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First rule for locksets is don't over tighten.

Assume this is a mortise lock? The inside knob connection is usually complicated. Modern Baldwin drawing below.

mortbreakdown.jpg
 

calantha

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First rule for locksets is don't over tighten.

Assume this is a mortise lock? The inside knob connection is usually complicated. Modern Baldwin drawing below.

mortbreakdown.jpg
Not a mortise lock.

Last picture is the cut-out looking at the inside of the door door. It's a little hard to see. The inside doorknob goes at the bottom. The lever from the outside handle is in the middle. The latch that goes into the doorframe is at the top.

Middle picture is the inside of the trim piece that goes on the inside of the door. The yellow thing is a screwdriver handle propping it up. Oops, the picture is sideways. The part at the left is the top.

Top picture is the pieces. Plus the blade of the screwdriver.
 

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calantha

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BTW I don't actually use this as a lock. I have a separate deadbolt on this door. I just need the knob to open it from the inside and the handle to open and close it from the outside.
 

calantha

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I got it!

I put it back together and it works from both the inside knob and the outside lever.

The only thing I'm uncertain about is that the little cylindrical piece (middle of the five pieces) has a notch at one end, and I don't see what that's for. I don't know if it matters which way around it goes.

And it looks like its a Schlage lock. At least the cast-metal trim piece is, so I assume the guts of it are as well.
 
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calantha

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Now I'm back to the original problem, the reason I was taking it apart in the first place. It won't open. I suspect the latch is stuck in the strike plate and can't be retracted.

It's possible some dry weather will shrink the wood a little and give it enough play to get unstuck, but until then, what are my options?
 

Reach4

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Does turning this thing operate the latch? You could probably use some suitable lock lube.

Sometimes pushing or pulling on the door while operating the lock lets the latch move easier.

img_6.jpg
 

calantha

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Yes, turning that pulls the latch in. It worked when I had the door open the other night. But isn't working with the door closed.

I'll give it another shpritz of silicone lube for luck, and try more push/pull of the door.

If I do get it open again, can I disassemble it so I leave the lock cylinder but remove the latch part? In other words the doorknob becomes just a handle to pull with?
 

Reach4

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If I do get it open again, can I disassemble it so I leave the lock cylinder but remove the latch part? In other words the doorknob becomes just a handle to pull with?
While I have only fixed a few locks myself, it seems clear to me that you could do that.
 
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Hey, wait a minute.

This is awkward, but...

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