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Home Repair (alt.home.repair) For all homeowners and DIYers with many experienced tradesmen. Solve your toughest home fix-it problems. |
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#1
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Broken doorknob
One day my front door suddenly wouldn't open. I can unlock the knob and it
turns, but the latch doesn't retract. I took off the doorknob, and I can see that the spindle pushes in the thing it's supposed to when it turns, but it has absolutely no effect on the latch. I never had any warning of this problem. The knob worked fine before. I can't figure out any way to get the latch to retract. There's no way to push something against it from the outside, and I can't get anything around it from the inside. The best option I can think of is to remove the door from the hinges (not an easy or attractive option for me). Is there a simpler way? Reb |
#2
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Broken doorknob
"Reb" wrote in message ... One day my front door suddenly wouldn't open. I can unlock the knob and it turns, but the latch doesn't retract. I took off the doorknob, and I can see that the spindle pushes in the thing it's supposed to when it turns, but it has absolutely no effect on the latch. I never had any warning of this problem. The knob worked fine before. I can't figure out any way to get the latch to retract. There's no way to push something against it from the outside, and I can't get anything around it from the inside. The best option I can think of is to remove the door from the hinges (not an easy or attractive option for me). Is there a simpler way? Can't see the guts of your doorknob from here, but it may just be gummed up, especially if you just had a weather change. I'd squirt a little silicone in there and see if it frees things up. Remember that when things get stuck, it sometimes helps to push them the wrong direction- stick a screwdriver blade in the side you didn't push on, and tried to get the striker or bolt to go deeper, then reverse direction. There is ALWAYS a way to get stuff apart, if putting it back together isn't a concern. You could always attack the shell of the striker assembly with a sharp drill, and chew enough away that you can drill a hole in the bolt to stick something in and apply sideways force to. Unless your door is very strange, new locksets or deadbolts aren't that expensive. aem sends.... |
#3
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Broken doorknob
I think my only option really is going to be removing the door from the
hinges. I managed to knock out the pins (man, that bottom one is a bear to get to), but even with the pins out, the door won't budge. I threw myself against the door from the outside, but to no avail. And then I'm thinking, wow, if it's this hard to get off the hinges, I bet it's really tricky getting it back ON the hinges. I hate to admit defeat and call in a male from the family to help me with this, but I guess it's not a good idea to remove my front door when I'm not sure I can get it back up. |
#4
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Broken doorknob
Sounds like your door swelled up or the frame shrunk, binding the door
and lock. Once you get it open, shave the rubbing part of the door with a plane. Good luck. Stretch |
#5
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Broken doorknob (update)
Problem solved!
I ended up having my nephew work on it. He was able to retract the latch using a flat blade screwdriver and a knife between the door and the striker plate. He moved the latch a tiny bit at a time using the screwdriver while the knife held the latch in place to keep it from snapping back each time he lifted the screwdriver. It only took him a few seconds, and he managed to do it without damaging the door, the frame, or even the striker plate. He pointed out that he got lots of practice as a kid, sneaking into my (locked) bedroom to snoop around when I was at school. All's well that ends well, I suppose. "Reb" wrote in message ... One day my front door suddenly wouldn't open. I can unlock the knob and it turns, but the latch doesn't retract. I took off the doorknob, and I can see that the spindle pushes in the thing it's supposed to when it turns, but it has absolutely no effect on the latch. I never had any warning of this problem. The knob worked fine before. I can't figure out any way to get the latch to retract. There's no way to push something against it from the outside, and I can't get anything around it from the inside. The best option I can think of is to remove the door from the hinges (not an easy or attractive option for me). Is there a simpler way? Reb |
#6
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Broken doorknob (update)
When you replace it, use a real brass (not colored steel) doorknob, it
has antibacterial properties.-Jitney |
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