Residential & Commercial Security - Locks, Keys & Dead Bolts - Removal of Dexter door knob assembly

I have read the only thread posted relating to my question and did not get the response I needed.

I purchased an old door this morning that has a Dexter door knob assembly, brass plates on both sides (10.5 length x 3.5 wide) the inside plate is 8 inches long. This may be called a door strike plate. I am not sure of the proper name.

I was able, by accident, to pull the inside door knob off. However, I am not sure how to pull the knob facing the outside out of the cylinder hole. There are no screws like I am use to seeing. I am very frustrated at the moment and need help and advice. I am a rookie at this and will need step by step instructions. I am not familiar with door knob assembly lingo, so please define what you mean when you use a word like "rose" "pull or loosen the rose". Thanks.

Sounds like you have a Dexter mortise lock. I have never worked on this brand before but perhaps some general points common to mortise locks will help.

After you removed the inside knob, you should have seen the spindle-the part the knob goes on-is this threaded? Most spindles of this type can be removed by tapping it through the lock. The outside knob is typically fixed to the spindle and if it is not corroded, you can pull the spindle out by pulling on the outside knob.

The plate on the edge of the door should have two screws in it that can be removed to access the mounting screws and the cylinder set screw.

The other thing you may run into is the plates secured to the door by a threaded piece where the spindle and knobs go through.

Is any of this helpful or similar to what you have?

Hey schiejr, I've never heard tell of Dexter ever having made a mortise box lock...at least not here north of the border.

My guess would be that the rose (what you see left on your door after the knob is removed) needs to be gently pried off to reveal the connecting screws. If it's a pressed on rose, most have a small starting point somewhere around the edge that will fit your smallest slot screw driver.
If it does'nt pop off fairly easily, then it might be threaded on (though that would be very hi tech for the Dexter line)
But if it were threaded, it would still have a small hole at some point around its edge to engage a proper wrench.

Regards

I have never heard of one either but the size of the plates made me wonder if there was not an old one I have never heard of.

I just had another thought though-perhaps these are the Kwikset mortise lock conversion plates with a Dexter knob set. I am not sure of the escutcheon plate dimensions on those. 8 inch plate on door edge is right for an old mortise lock prep though. Thoughts?

I originally had read that to mean that they were escutcheon plates, but on re reading it, I agree that it sounds like a conversion plate used to cover an old mortise cutout.
That'd also explain why escutcheon plates were used as well.