Residential & Commercial Security - Locks, Keys & Dead Bolts - Hallway Door Knob broken - can't open door
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abarsi
03-23-06, 08:09 AM
I have a hallway door knob that turns, but it doesn't unlatch the catch. I tried removing the door hinge pins, but that did not give enough leeway to pull off the door. I tried putting a coat hanger around the catch and pulling, but the catch did not move out of the striker plate.
The house is 52 years old, and probably so is the door knob. There are no visible holes, recesses, brand names, loop pins - anything! on the outside, and I can't get to the inside.
Help!
Ann
The house is 52 years old, and probably so is the door knob. There are no visible holes, recesses, brand names, loop pins - anything! on the outside, and I can't get to the inside.
Help!
Ann
cuedude
03-24-06, 05:05 AM
I have a hallway door knob that turns, but it doesn't unlatch the catch. I tried removing the door hinge pins, but that did not give enough leeway to pull off the door. I tried putting a coat hanger around the catch and pulling, but the catch did not move out of the striker plate.
The house is 52 years old, and probably so is the door knob. There are no visible holes, recesses, brand names, loop pins - anything! on the outside, and I can't get to the inside.
Help!
Ann
Hello Ann, Welcome to the board. I have a couple of thoughts. First, and this may sound crazy, but have you tried pushing on the door as you turn the knob? Sometimes the strike will jam from too much outward pressure. Or sometimes it will jam as the door may have sagged. (You would have to lift on the door as you turn the knob).
If these don't work for you, my suggestion is call a locksmith. The door is shut pretty well right now, and you have found out the process is not simple. I say let a locksmith handle it, and risk tearing up your door trim. If he does, it's on him and not you. Besides, he may have some special handmade tools just for the occasion.
Good luck with this. However, let us know what happens?
cuedude
The house is 52 years old, and probably so is the door knob. There are no visible holes, recesses, brand names, loop pins - anything! on the outside, and I can't get to the inside.
Help!
Ann
Hello Ann, Welcome to the board. I have a couple of thoughts. First, and this may sound crazy, but have you tried pushing on the door as you turn the knob? Sometimes the strike will jam from too much outward pressure. Or sometimes it will jam as the door may have sagged. (You would have to lift on the door as you turn the knob).
If these don't work for you, my suggestion is call a locksmith. The door is shut pretty well right now, and you have found out the process is not simple. I say let a locksmith handle it, and risk tearing up your door trim. If he does, it's on him and not you. Besides, he may have some special handmade tools just for the occasion.
Good luck with this. However, let us know what happens?
cuedude
abarsi
03-24-06, 05:19 AM
After going to my local home fix-it center and receiving the advice from them to just take a hammer to the knob to whack it apart (I don't think so!!!), I came home and looked at it again.
We decided to use two skinny screwdrivers - one would move the latch back a hair, and while it was still in there, we'd wedge the other one in to move it just a tiny bit further. Then remove the first and re-wedge it....... It took probably 6 're-wedgings', but the catch finally had moved back far enough to clear the striker plate. On opening the door, the catch and a spring went flying.
We put on the new doorknob backwards - that is, with the screws on the faceplate facing outward, so that if this ever should happen again, we'll be able to disassemble the knob from the outside.
Thanks for you help,
Ann
We decided to use two skinny screwdrivers - one would move the latch back a hair, and while it was still in there, we'd wedge the other one in to move it just a tiny bit further. Then remove the first and re-wedge it....... It took probably 6 're-wedgings', but the catch finally had moved back far enough to clear the striker plate. On opening the door, the catch and a spring went flying.
We put on the new doorknob backwards - that is, with the screws on the faceplate facing outward, so that if this ever should happen again, we'll be able to disassemble the knob from the outside.
Thanks for you help,
Ann