Can I Modify a Doorknob Locking Function

2693 Views 18 Replies 7 Participants Last post by mj12, May 5, 2016

gciriani

Discussion Starter · May 3, 2016

2

I rent office space that is accessed through a door that tends to lock. I would like to modify the doorknob if possible, so that customers are not accidentally locked out. The landlord is opposed to let me replace the doorknobs, and gave me a quotation of $285 with the locksmith it uses. (they claim it has to be a special doorknob, there would have to be many copies made, or it would have to be compatible with a passepartout)

I hope the pictures load correctly. The doorknob has a key entry on the outside, and on the inside of the door there is a piston which can be both rotated and pushed in. To have the door unlocked, the piston has to protrude outside. What happens is that frequently a customer while leaving may push the piston in and then the door is locked.

Would there be modification I can make to the doorknob mechanism to keep the door unlocked with the piston pushed in?

See less See more

1 - 19 of 19 Posts

paintdrying

· #2 · May 4, 2016 (Edited)

You can modify it so that the twist will not lock the door. As for pushing in the piston I do not think so. You maybe able to file off that tab but I am not sure. I swear some lock types should be illegal.

rjniles

· #3 · May 4, 2016

You should be able to remove the button from the inside knob.

gciriani

Discussion Starter · #4 · May 4, 2016 (Edited)

mj12 said:
You can modify it so that the twist will not lock the door.

I don't think the twist of the knob locks the door, only pushing in the piston does. Perhaps I do not understand your idea. Can you please explain?

gciriani

Discussion Starter · #5 · May 4, 2016

rjniles said:
You should be able to remove the button from the inside knob.

I'd like to be able to lock it at the end of the day without using the key, as I walk out, by twisting the button.

gregzoll

· #6 · May 4, 2016

Pay the price to get a new lockset that has the ADA type handle on it, that would stand up better if someone would try and break in, then the worn out unit that is on the door.

You can write it off on your taxes at the end of the year at the full amount.

rjniles

· #7 · May 4, 2016

gciriani said:
I'd like to be able to lock it at the end of the day without using the key, as I walk out, by twisting the button.

It would seem your 2 wants are mutually exclusive. You want to use the lock button but not you clients.

Reactions: 1

gciriani

Discussion Starter · #8 · May 4, 2016

gregzoll said:
You can write it off on your taxes at the end of the year at the full amount.

It still is a little too expensive: at $285 that the landlord wants to charge for the job, after deducting for the my approximately 20% tax bracket, I save $57, and it still costs $228.

rjniles said:
It would seem your 2 wants are mutually exclusive. You want to use the lock button but not you clients.

I didn't make myself clear: the problem is the push button locking feature. Regular Schlage or Kwikset doorknobs don't lock by simply pushing, while mine does. A doorknob that locks only by twisting the button wouldn't lock accidentally.

AllanJ

· #9 · May 4, 2016 (Edited)

There are many different locking mechanisms for doorknobs, some of which are easier to modify and some of which are easier to engage than others.

You might be able to put a small thin block at the upper corner of the door jamb so the door does not close completely so as to possibly lock. Drill a small hole in the door jamb so a pin or nail in the block will hold that in place. At the end of the day you remove the block and lock the door.

I have never seen a doorknob that both allows customers to lock accidentally by pushing the button and allows you to lock at the end of the day by twisting the button. You might dismantle the lock set to see if the reason the button remains depressed when simply pushed is due to dirt or wear.

Reactions: 1

gciriani

Discussion Starter · #10 · May 4, 2016

AllanJ said:
Drill a small hole in the door jamb so a pin or nail in the block will hold that in place. At the end of the day you remove the block and lock the door.

I like low tech solutions. As an alternate I was thinking of making a plug for the hole of the latch.

I have never seen a doorknob that both allows customers to lock accidentally by pushing the button and allows you to lock at the end of the day by twisting the button.

All doorknobs in this building are like that, so it's not dirt in one of them. You can see the mechanism in the second picture, on the right: there is a track for a tab and which goes straight along the shaft, and another track that goes diagonally, so the button can both travel longitudinally and twist.

paintdrying

· #11 · May 4, 2016

Your other option is to bring an identical lock . Along with your old lock and key to a lock smith. The locksmith will be able to rekey the new lock same as the old.
Be careful about removing that lock from the building. Your landlord could have good reason for not wanting you to use your own locksmith

Reactions: 1

zolakk

· #12 · May 4, 2016

gciriani said:
I like low tech solutions. As an alternate I was thinking of making a plug for the hole of the latch.

All doorknobs in this building are like that, so it's not dirt in one of them. You can see the mechanism in the second picture, on the right: there is a track for a tab and which goes straight along the shaft, and another track that goes diagonally, so the button can both travel longitudinally and twist.

Could you stick something in the square area to stop it from going all the way down while still allowing the twist motion to lock?

Reactions: 1

paintdrying

· #13 · May 4, 2016

I looked at one of my locksets. That piston is mounted on a shaft. You could remove that button that sticks out past the knob, would be hard to twist the shaft and that button would never go back on. I would not modify that lock

Reactions: 1

gciriani

Discussion Starter · #14 · May 5, 2016

zolakk said:
Could you stick something in the square area to stop it from going all the way down while still allowing the twist motion to lock?

Unfortunately the twisting motion can only be accomplished with the button pushed all the way down.

I ended up inserting a removable plug in the hole where the latch is supposed to catch.

gregzoll

· #15 · May 5, 2016

gciriani said:
It still is a little too expensive: at $285 that the landlord wants to charge for the job, after deducting for the my approximately 20% tax bracket, I save $57, and it still costs $228.

I didn't make myself clear: the problem is the push button locking feature. Regular Schlage or Kwikset doorknobs don't lock by simply pushing, while mine does. A doorknob that locks only by twisting the button wouldn't lock accidentally.

Actually a lot cheaper than having to replace everything in the office, because the existing handle can be knocked off with a 5# mini-sledge.

You get to write it off on your taxes. It is a 100% deduction, does not go by your tax bracket. Not expensive when it comes to running a business. If you are that tight on money, you may as well just stand outside on the sidewalk then.

gciriani

Discussion Starter · #16 · May 5, 2016

gregzoll said:
Actually a lot cheaper than having to replace everything in the office, because the existing handle can be knocked off with a 5# mini-sledge.

The doorknob in question is the outside door. There is an internal door with the same lock, so no problem there for forced entry.

You get to write it off on your taxes. It is a 100% deduction, does not go by your tax bracket.

I don't think you understand how a tax deductions work. If your income is $1000 and your tax bracket is 20%, you take home $800 after taxes. However, if you have an expense of $100 that can be written off 100%, your taxable profit is $900; you are taxed on the latter and you take home $720. Therefore you are worse off by $80 rather than $100. All you have saved is $100 times the tax bracket of 20%.

gregzoll

· #17 · May 5, 2016

I think that I understand how deductions work for a business, than you realize.

It has nothing to do with how much you take home or what your tax bracket is, when writing off items like this for a business.

You really need to go take some accounting classes.

jomama45

· #18 · May 5, 2016

gciriani said:
The doorknob in question is the outside door. There is an internal door with the same lock, so no problem there for forced entry.

I don't think you understand how a tax deductions work. If your income is $1000 and your tax bracket is 20%, you take home $800 after taxes. However, if you have an expense of $100 that can be written off 100%, your taxable profit is $900; you are taxed on the latter and you take home $720. Therefore you are worse off by $80 rather than $100. All you have saved is $100 times the tax bracket of 20%.

Just a head's up, there's no point in arguing with a poster like this, I think they actually enjoy being wrong. It's obvious you know how it works, save your sanity........:thumbsup:

Reactions: 1

paintdrying

· #19 · May 5, 2016

You guys start talking taxes I am intimidated, where is my safe space. Someone call my wife, I will be here scraping paint

Reactions: 1

1 - 19 of 19 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.