wrote in message
oups.com...
Changing the hardware on five BR, bath and closet doors in part because
I hate the color. The new strike plates are a different size than the
old, which look like someone used a router or something and did a
really nice job of cutting just the right groove in the door fram. I've
never used a router, but my first attempte to use a chisel came out a
little sloppy. How else can I cut out a notch for the strike plate??
Thx.


Most pre-hung doors today have routed recesses for hardware. Best bet is to
learn how to chisel properly. It takes a little practice. First you mark
out the location and score it with a utility knife. That makes for a clean
outline. Next, is to sharpen the chisels. Brand new out of the box chisels
need sharpening to do their best work. Lap the back flat, then work on the
bevel. Using a bevel guide works best. You need a set of four grits of
stones or you can use the "scary sharp" method of sand paper on a sheet of
glass.

Once sharp, you can just go in by hand and scrape away the material. At best
you need a very light tap with a mallet.