Joseph Meehan wrote:
MiamiCuse wrote:
I have a mortise lock and recently the dead bolt part will slide out
without turning the cylinder lock. This will cause the bolt to be
stucked on the dummy side of the double door and the door won't open.

I took it apart and found the problem. There is a spring/hinge
thingie that is broken...here is a picture of where it should be:

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-...6/P1000485.JPG

If you look at the full size image I have drawn a red line where the
hinge used to be connected and now it is broken. I then took the
hinge apart and this is what it looks like:

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-...906/spring.jpg

Is there a replacement part for this? Is this a genetic part I can
order? I put everything back then took the entire mortise to a local
locksmith and described the problem to him and he said I need to
replace the entire mortise which will be a special order and $135.00.
I said it is only a hinge and he told me the mortise lock are made to
be replaced in whole and not in part and I should not even try to fix
it if I take it apart I will just "hurt" the internal mechanism. Really?
MC

I would take it to a good local locksmith.

And I would call around first. Start the conversation like this.

I need a ten cent spring and I'm willing to pay $20 for it. I just
need the spring - I'll replace it myself. Can you help me out?

I'm sure you could track one down on the internet, but it'd be tough to
know you're getting exactly (or close-enoughly) the spring you need
without comparing them side by side.

You could also try making one yourself. Take a suitably sized spring
and heat it up (anneal it) so you can work it. Form it into the shape
you need, heat it back up and quench it to temper it. It's a
*******ized technique, but it should work and it's easier than starting
from scratch. Here's the correct way:
http://home.earthlink.net/~bazillion/intro.html
and a Google search:
http://groups.google.com/groups/sear...o+make+springs

R