Striking Door Jambs

The following is something I've learned during my years as a locksmith technicians. It will make this particular job to look more professional then other what other locksmith technicians usually do when they install a deadbolt or a door knob strike plate. The procedure starts by screwing the plate onto the jamb at the beginning followed by using a knife blade around the edges of the strike plate instead of marking it with a pen.

The next step starts by unscrewing the strike plate and digging out the wood in between the cuts that were made. This process seemed to help getting sharper edges for the strike installation particularly in aging houses which probably have multiple coats of paint on the door jamb the will fall apart if an attempt digging through them will be made. I am fully aware that there are many strike tools around the industry, but even those will cause a mess if the door jams has been painted many times in the past.

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Mortise Lock Cylinder Removal

Mortise cylinder locks are held in place by a set screw in die edge of the door. From my previous experience as a locksmith technicians, sometimes, it's hard to get at this set screw unless the door is open. If the set screw is to be removed, the cylinder can be unscrewed from the outside by using a pair of slip joint pliers. 

There is usually a thin ring between the cylinder and the door that can be easily pried off with a screwdriver that will give you a better hold on the cylinder. With the pliers, you will have to get a good grip on the cylinder and turn it counter clockwise. The cylinder will screw out and with a screwdriver you can access and push the latch bolt back. 

Unfortunately, removing the cylinder with this method will strip the threads, and a new cylinder would need to be installed. Sometimes if the crack in the door is wide enough, like many older doors designs, a small piece of spring steel can be used and bent on the right angle of approximately 1/8" on one end, and use it to loosen the retainer screw. This will prevent from the threads on the cylinder to be stripped.

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