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How I solved it…
By Matt Raw – Locksmiths of Knutsford
»»Firstly, I was pleased
to hear from fellow locksmith
readers following my article
in the last issue of The
Locksmith. Some readers
raised interesting points
from that article regarding
the fitting of multipoint
locks in solid wooden doors:
standard lever mortise locks
are generally much more
robust than MPL gearboxes.
This is partly due to their
smaller size, the simplicity
of the internal moving parts,
and also the thicker antidrill plates. Badly fitted lever
locks, such as those fitted
with no room for the wood
to swell or contract, can also
become ‘crushed’ in the
door. This is usually much
more simple to rectify than
a big and long strip lock,
and correct fitting in the first
place would also prevent
expansion/contraction
problems in the smaller lock
body.
In this issue, I would like to
look at two tools that should
be in every locksmith’s bag,
and how to get the best out
of them. We’ve all been to a
job (where a key has stopped
working), taken one look
at the lock and decided it
looks old and worn; maybe
the brass has flaked off in
patches, or perhaps in its
entirety! Such things can
give us an obvious clue as
to the condition of the lock,
door, hinges etc., and we may
decide that replacement is
necessary. But what if there
are no external indicators
of this nature… and why
would I even want to know?
Well, this all depends on
what kind of locksmith you
are. If you’r