On 05/08/2019 18:38, Murmansk wrote:
I was asked to replace all the door handles in someone's 1970s bungalow.

They had nasty brass lever handles and had bought a load of stainless steel lever handles from BQ.

I discovered that the square metal shafts linking the handles of the new ones were a tiny bit bigger than the square holes in the tubular latches on the doors and had to replace all the latches too. The shafts fitted the new latches perfectly.

Were latches made with smaller holes in the 70s - is this some kind of imperial V metric thing?


We bought a property with Everest windows and doors. I found that the
front door would not close properly as you could not raise the handle to
drive the bolts home. I took the door and the lock itself to pieces but
did not solve the problem until I used the square metal shaft from the
back door which I noticed had two flats on the square shaft where it
passes through the lock. I filed similar flats on the front door shaft
and the door now locks properly. The previous owner could never have
locked the door properly! The property was built in the 70s. I have not
needed to look at the internal door shafts, but if they are to small for
new handles I would probably attack the latch with my file so I could
use a larger shaft.

--
Michael Chare