Do any of you know why or if the tumbler in a door knob can shift
causing it to not let the door be opened? I was just locked out and I
didn't even lock the door when I stepped outside for a few minutes. It
seemed like it was the deadbolt but I really think it is the door knob
lock. I had the locks changed a year ago by a locksmith rather then
changing out the door knobs and deadbolts.

On 6/18/2011 12:04 AM, Cheryl wrote:
Do any of you know why or if the tumbler in a door knob can shift
causing it to not let the door be opened? I was just locked out and I
didn't even lock the door when I stepped outside for a few minutes. It
seemed like it was the deadbolt but I really think it is the door knob
lock. I had the locks changed a year ago by a locksmith rather then
changing out the door knobs and deadbolts.

Likely not the tumbler- most likely one of the metal tabs or fingers
that make all the parts link together. Take it all apart and put it back
together will probably fix it, for awhile at least. Locksmith that did
the work should have spoken up if the internal parts were worn. Did they
give you a warranty on the work? I'd call them anyway, and describe the
issue. Just for sake of goodwill, they may give you a price break on a
follow-up service call.

As cheap as residential-grade knobs and deadbolts are, rather than mess
with a locksmith, I just went to the big-box and bought enough sets
keyed alike, and swapped them all out. Only reason NOT to do that, IMHO,
is if you have some fancy entry door latch set that does not use
easily-available parts.

--
aem sends....

On 6/18/2011 12:32 AM, aemeijers wrote:
On 6/18/2011 12:04 AM, Cheryl wrote:
Do any of you know why or if the tumbler in a door knob can shift
causing it to not let the door be opened? I was just locked out and I
didn't even lock the door when I stepped outside for a few minutes. It
seemed like it was the deadbolt but I really think it is the door knob
lock. I had the locks changed a year ago by a locksmith rather then
changing out the door knobs and deadbolts.

Likely not the tumbler- most likely one of the metal tabs or fingers
that make all the parts link together. Take it all apart and put it back
together will probably fix it, for awhile at least.

Can you take it apart if the door won't open? It won't even open from
the inside. I'm not exactly sure how I'm going to replace them without
being able to open the door.

Locksmith that did
the work should have spoken up if the internal parts were worn. Did they
give you a warranty on the work? I'd call them anyway, and describe the
issue. Just for sake of goodwill, they may give you a price break on a
follow-up service call.

As cheap as residential-grade knobs and deadbolts are, rather than mess
with a locksmith, I just went to the big-box and bought enough sets
keyed alike, and swapped them all out. Only reason NOT to do that, IMHO,
is if you have some fancy entry door latch set that does not use
easily-available parts.

Thanks. I have been looking for the receipt from the locksmith and
can't find it. I'm not that organized with paperwork other then certain
more important things.

I only got a locksmith rather than change out 2 knobs and 2 deadbolts
was because I was rushed and needed to do other things while it was
done,and I was leaving on vacation a day after I was afraid someone had
copied my key. This time I will replace them all myself with new ones.
I'm just afraid to leave the house now. LOL

On Jun 18, 1:12*am, Cheryl wrote:
On 6/18/2011 12:32 AM, aemeijers wrote:

On 6/18/2011 12:04 AM, Cheryl wrote:
Do any of you know why or if the tumbler in a door knob can shift
causing it to not let the door be opened? I was just locked out and I
didn't even lock the door when I stepped outside for a few minutes. It
seemed like it was the deadbolt but I really think it is the door knob
lock. I had the locks changed a year ago by a locksmith rather then
changing out the door knobs and deadbolts.

Likely not the tumbler- most likely one of the metal tabs or fingers
that make all the parts link together. Take it all apart and put it back
together will probably fix it, for awhile at least.

Can you take it apart if the door won't open? *It won't even open from
the inside. *I'm not exactly sure how I'm going to replace them without
being able to open the door.

Locksmith that did the work should have spoken up if the internal parts were worn. Did they
give you a warranty on the work? I'd call them anyway, and describe the
issue. Just for sake of goodwill, they may give you a price break on a
follow-up service call.

As cheap as residential-grade knobs and deadbolts are, rather than mess
with a locksmith, I just went to the big-box and bought enough sets
keyed alike, and swapped them all out. Only reason NOT to do that, IMHO,
is if you have some fancy entry door latch set that does not use
easily-available parts.

Thanks. *I have been looking for the receipt from the locksmith and
can't find it. *I'm not that organized with paperwork other then certain
more important things.

I only got a locksmith rather than change out 2 knobs and 2 deadbolts
was because I was rushed and needed to do other things while it was
done,and I was leaving on vacation a day after I was afraid someone had
copied my key. *This time I will replace them all myself with new ones.
* I'm just afraid to leave the house now. *LOL

LOL...

Sounds like the latch FUBAR'D itself...

Unscrew the two screws on the inside holding the door knob to the
door,
then remove both halves of the knob, then manually open the latch...

I suggest obtaining a replacement knob first...

~~ Evan

On 6/18/2011 1:43 AM, Evan wrote:

LOL...

LOL! I understand it sounds funny and especially to be almost locked
INSIDE my house because I'm afraid the same thing is going to happen to
the back door since it was re-keyed the same as the front, but it
freaked me out not to be able to get in, and then once in from an
alternate door, not able to get OUT from that door.

Sounds like the latch FUBAR'D itself...

Unscrew the two screws on the inside holding the door knob to the
door,
then remove both halves of the knob, then manually open the latch...

I suggest obtaining a replacement knob first...

I'm so glad there's a chance to get this thing open from the inside.
I'll be getting replacement door knobs and dead bolts tomorrow. Thank
you for the instructions.

Cheryl wrote:
On 6/18/2011 1:43 AM, Evan wrote:

LOL...

LOL! I understand it sounds funny and especially to be almost locked
INSIDE my house because I'm afraid the same thing is going to happen to
the back door since it was re-keyed the same as the front, but it
freaked me out not to be able to get in, and then once in from an
alternate door, not able to get OUT from that door.

Sounds like the latch FUBAR'D itself...

Unscrew the two screws on the inside holding the door knob to the
door,
then remove both halves of the knob, then manually open the latch...

I suggest obtaining a replacement knob first...

I'm so glad there's a chance to get this thing open from the inside.
I'll be getting replacement door knobs and dead bolts tomorrow. Thank
you for the instructions.

I had the same thing happen to the door between the house and the
attached garage. At first I thought the wife had played a joke and
locked me out but she could not get the door to open from her side.

I put on my garden shoes (it was raining) and grabbed my tools out of
the garage and walked around. I took the handle apart and was able to
manually unlatch it from with in the door handle hole.

It did not take me long to figure out it was the latch mechanism that
had worn out. Fortunately I had a spare from my property managing days.
I installed the new part and the door has worked flawlessly ever since.

Let me guess.... Kwikset brand, and on the door from the
kitchen to the garage?

(I'm a locksmith with 25 + years in the trade, and this is
the common one.)

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"Cheryl" wrote in message
m...


Can you take it apart if the door won't open? It won't even
open from
the inside. I'm not exactly sure how I'm going to replace
them without
being able to open the door.

Cheryl wrote in news:4dfc23b6$0$9980$882e7ee2
@usenet-news.net:

Do any of you know why or if the tumbler in a door knob can shift
causing it to not let the door be opened? I was just locked out and I
didn't even lock the door when I stepped outside for a few minutes. It
seemed like it was the deadbolt but I really think it is the door knob
lock. I had the locks changed a year ago by a locksmith rather then
changing out the door knobs and deadbolts.

Few possible reasons - China, Mexico, Taiwan

"Cheryl" wrote in message
...
Do any of you know why or if the tumbler in a door knob can shift causing
it to not let the door be opened? I was just locked out and I didn't even
lock the door when I stepped outside for a few minutes. It seemed like it
was the deadbolt but I really think it is the door knob lock. I had the
locks changed a year ago by a locksmith rather then changing out the door
knobs and deadbolts.

Two words: Kwikset Smartkey

Red Green wrote:
wrote in news:4dfc23b6$0$9980$882e7ee2
@usenet-news.net:

Do any of you know why or if the tumbler in a door knob can shift
causing it to not let the door be opened? I was just locked out and I
didn't even lock the door when I stepped outside for a few minutes. It
seemed like it was the deadbolt but I really think it is the door knob
lock. I had the locks changed a year ago by a locksmith rather then
changing out the door knobs and deadbolts.

Few possible reasons - China, Mexico, Taiwan

I will go with - plastic parts

On 6/18/2011 2:59 AM, Ned Flanders wrote:

I had the same thing happen to the door between the house and the
attached garage. At first I thought the wife had played a joke and
locked me out but she could not get the door to open from her side.

I put on my garden shoes (it was raining) and grabbed my tools out of
the garage and walked around. I took the handle apart and was able to
manually unlatch it from with in the door handle hole.

It did not take me long to figure out it was the latch mechanism that
had worn out. Fortunately I had a spare from my property managing days.
I installed the new part and the door has worked flawlessly ever since.

In all my years I've never seen this! Anyway, I finally got the old
doorknob off. It was a struggle from both inside and outside. And yes,
there are a lot of plastic parts in there. But the culprit was the thing
that goes into the door jam had broken off the rest of the mechanism and
I had a hard time getting it out of there. I just whacked and twisted
all the pieces trying to break them into smaller pieces that would pull
through the knob opening.

On Sat, 18 Jun 2011 13:07:25 -0400, Cheryl
wrote:

On 6/18/2011 2:59 AM, Ned Flanders wrote:

I had the same thing happen to the door between the house and the
attached garage. At first I thought the wife had played a joke and
locked me out but she could not get the door to open from her side.

I put on my garden shoes (it was raining) and grabbed my tools out of
the garage and walked around. I took the handle apart and was able to
manually unlatch it from with in the door handle hole.

It did not take me long to figure out it was the latch mechanism that
had worn out. Fortunately I had a spare from my property managing days.
I installed the new part and the door has worked flawlessly ever since.

In all my years I've never seen this! Anyway, I finally got the old
doorknob off. It was a struggle from both inside and outside. And yes,
there are a lot of plastic parts in there. But the culprit was the thing
that goes into the door jam had broken off the rest of the mechanism and
I had a hard time getting it out of there. I just whacked and twisted
all the pieces trying to break them into smaller pieces that would pull
through the knob opening.

Congratulatinos.

Welcome to locksmithing.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"Cheryl" wrote in message
m...

In all my years I've never seen this! Anyway, I finally got
the old
doorknob off. It was a struggle from both inside and
outside. And yes,
there are a lot of plastic parts in there. But the culprit
was the thing
that goes into the door jam had broken off the rest of the
mechanism and
I had a hard time getting it out of there. I just whacked
and twisted
all the pieces trying to break them into smaller pieces that
would pull
through the knob opening.

In article
,
Evan wrote:



Those Kwikset latches don't like to actually be used every day...

~~ Evan

Yeah, my cheap-ass Kwiksets are only 30 years old. Have to shoot a
little WD-40 in there every 3-5 years just to keep them working
smoothly. How awful.

On Jun 19, 1:33*pm, Smitty Two wrote:
In article
,

*Evan wrote:

Those Kwikset latches don't like to actually be used every day...

~~ Evan

Yeah, my cheap-ass Kwiksets are only 30 years old. Have to shoot a
little WD-40 in there every 3-5 years just to keep them working
smoothly. How awful.

Yeah, you probably aren't in and out of your doorway 30+ times a
day...

The parts inside the metal latch piece literally are made of
plastic...

How lucky that you don't heavily use your doors...

~~ Evan

P.S. You could get a real lock set for your door that would actually
last 30 years under the usage the OP put her lock through but it
would cost more for each lock than the entire contractor pack of
Kwikset locks you have on your house originally cost...