A lot can be gleaned from a rowhouse’s entrance. The heft of the door, the weight of the knob in your hand, whether the key fits smoothly into its slot or, more often, fails miserably to turn. Capitol Hill, Logan Circle, and some sections of Shaw still have their original locks, many of them over 100 years old. That is history. That is also a liability when the mechanism breaks down. Let us see how a DC locksmith helps to address this issue.
What a good technician knows straight away
Without even picking up a tool, he observes the lock mechanism. A DC locksmith working on an older entryway sees it as a small history class. Is it a mortise lock set in the door, or is it a rim lock fastened to the inside of the door? Do the screws have slotted heads or Phillips head screws, since slotted heads indicate that they are original or at least older than today’s standards?
These details change everything. A modern cylinder swap that takes fifteen minutes on a 1990s door can turn into a two-hour job on a 1905 mortise. The mortise pocket inside the door is cut to specific dimensions. You cannot just drop a big box store replacement into it and call it a day.
Why preservation matters more than people think
DC has around fifty historical districts, and many rowhouses are located within those districts. Modification of any external hardware may need to be approved. Even internally, changing a pocket door lock to a modern one could affect the resale value significantly. Historical neighborhoods are willing to spend extra money on original hardware.
This is why it is important for you. A tech that casually mentions “we will drill it out” is costing you twice in the process. First, while paying at the counter. Second, during closing time, your agent needs to explain the absence of original hardware.
The careful method
A slow and methodical approach works in this way. Begin by applying a graphite or dry Teflon lubricant. Never use WD-40 for an older lock. It leaves gunk and attracts dirt.
Now attempt to pick the lock. Old-fashioned mortise locks with warded pin tumblers can be opened using a warded pick. However, pin tumbler mortises require some patience but do open normally.
If the lock does need to be taken out, it needs to be taken out whole. The case of the mortise will be disassembled, cleaned, and inspected. The springs may be replaced. Sometimes the wards that have been worn down may be repaired.
The part worth remembering
Patience is a virtue with old doors. A lack of haste leads to success with old doors. If you bring a drill before inspecting the strike plate, your loss will be irreversible. A saving of one hundred dollars today could lead to a cost of two thousand dollars within five years for its restoration.
Asking questions and observing for five minutes is generally sufficient to find the answer.
Featured Image Source: https://media.istockphoto.com/id/1410656518/photo/the-master-installs-the-core-for-the-door-lock-installation-work-with-the-door.jpg?b=1&s=612×612&w=0&k=20&c=fE8OJ81RTWcqjsS1q2VfNftfvcaKdXenN3RIi2UeZd4=
Ryan Thorne 