Source of QUALITY Tubular Door Latches?

[nickds1]

I'm fed up with these things breaking all the time, invariably due to the nasty cheap alloy casting round the shaft that cracks at the corners.

Over the last few years, I've had to replace 5 of these in our house, the latest this morning when I had to remove a door architrave to get to the latch to let our dogs, who were going mental, out of their overnight room...

I don't seem to be able to find ones that are not complete rubbish - I'd happily pay a few bob more for decent ones.

The ones I'm after have a 75mm case depth, 55mm backset, 25mm x 57mm plate, 22mm mortice hole.

I've been looking at http://www.topclasscarpentry.com/catego ... Latches/2/ - they all look the same to me...

Recommendations?

 

[[email protected]]

Ironmongery direct

 

[Graham Orm]

Hard to know until you're 3 years in. When I find them disintegrated it's usually because the hole they are in is too tight and they have been forced in. But you are correct, a lot of them out there are junk.
I always tell customers to oil locks and latches periodically. Especially locks, a drop of oil can transform a sticky lock.

 

[Steve1066]

I use this lot give them a call reel helpful
http://www.hertings.com/

 

[foxhunter]

The prices should tell you something!

I always recommend a flat pattern mortice latch. Like this http://www.easylocks.co.uk/union-2677-f ... -3279.html but it may be difficult to adapt the tubular mortice to a rectangular one. As there will be different backset and faceplate measurements.

Visit a locksmith shop. If you are in the western end of Kent it is not far to Reigate.

 

[Setch]

Yep - foxy is bang on about using a mortice latch in preference to a tube latch. IMO there simply isn't enough space in a tube latch for a robust contruction, and for the money a union 2677 is waaay better quality. Just make sure you snug the cap screws, they can work loose with similar results if they aren't done up very tight.

 

[jimmy rivers]

I'm fed up with these things breaking all the time, invariably due to the nasty cheap alloy casting round the shaft that cracks at the corners.

+1

So with you on this one nickds1. ONLY yesterday I got locked upstairs, the wrong side of a fixed rebate. A real headache and now a door to patch up and paint :?

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Hard to know until you're 3 years in. When I find them disintegrated it's usually because the hole they are in is too tight and they have been forced in. But you are correct, a lot of them out there are junk.
I always tell customers to oil locks and latches periodically. Especially locks, a drop of oil can transform a sticky lock.

I've always understood that locks should never be oiled, only graphited - you can buy graphite puffers for the purpose.
I confess to having oiled them on occasion, though - no harm seems to have come of it.

 

[Hitch]

Glad its not just me then!
Bought a replacement for one i had to break open with a size 11.... brand new out of the packet and it had tight spots and didnt retract fully.

 

[foxhunter]

I've always understood that locks should never be oiled, only graphited - you can buy graphite puffers for the purpose.

These tubular latches are OK oiled, it must be lightweight though. Graphite should be used where there is a key involved. Oil in locks with levers and pins will attract dust. Whenever we are asked to make a key for an old lever lock it always has more fluff than my belly button and in the case of the lock the presence of oil is most noticable.