I'm looking for a mortise latch for a bathroom door

[Brazen]

I have an old house with all mortise latches. This includes a bathroom door, which does not have a lock. I would like a doorknob with a regular push-button lock on the inside and can be unlocked with a toothpick from the outside. I can't find any mortise locks like this. I would also settle for a cylinder style lock, but I can't find one that takes a standard doorknob shaft (so I can keep the antigue glass door knob to maintain the style of the house). Any help? Thanks.

 

[amdskip]

I googled and I couldn't find anything, that is a hard one to find.

 

[DrPizza]

You've lost me. How are you going to keep the antique glass door knob, and still have that little hole that can be unlocked with the little piece of metal like a toothpick?

Are you talking about a latch like the one on the bottom left of this page:
http://hardware.hardwarestore....-mortise-locksets.aspx ?

If that's the case, then you'll probably have to change the mortise to something that's lockable from the inside (and somehow unlockable from the outside.)

If you search hard enough, you might be able to find something like this:
http://www.guidelocks.com/bathroom-locks.html
(top picture is missing, but bottom picture should give you an idea)
that will allow you to use a different knob.

I'd search for you, but I'd need a picture of what your other existing hardware looks like, as well as how large the opening is cut into the door for the mortise. If it's a solid door and you've got the tools, it's probably not out of the question to cut out an area for a larger mortise. You'll need a drill, (something to make sure the drill is square to the surface, and chisels.

Here's a good starting place for you to look though:
http://www.vintagehardware.co....ocks%20&%20Latches.htm

(edit: I think about the 3rd one down might be similar to what you're looking for.)

 

[Squisher]

The only privacy mortise latches I've seen require a key to be turned. My old house used a skeleton key.

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

look on ebay, but I really doubt you will find a mortise lock with a privacy lock button

 

[BackFlow]

Your local lock smith store would be a better place for this question.

Pocket door privacy lock

Pocket door locks

 

[DrPizza]

I forgot to add - the solution we used in the past was to simply put a nicer looking eye latch on the inside.

 

[bctbct]

You might find a supplier near you that sells used antique locksets.

 

[Brazen]

Originally posted by: DrPizza
You've lost me. How are you going to keep the antique glass door knob, and still have that little hole that can be unlocked with the little piece of metal like a toothpick?

Some door knobs have the push button in the backplate, and likewise the hole on the other side it in the baseplate, so you could replace the knob and the locking mechanism is unaffected. In fact I just found some where this is the case, but it is a round backplate (our existing backplates are square) and it is not a mortise latch/lock so it would not be a drop in replacement.

Are you talking about a latch like the one on the bottom left of this page:
http://hardware.hardwarestore....-mortise-locksets.aspx ?[/quote]
More like the one just right of that. It's the bigger style mortise latch.

I'd search for you, but I'd need a picture of what your other existing hardware looks like, as well as how large the opening is cut into the door for the mortise. If it's a solid door and you've got the tools, it's probably not out of the question to cut out an area for a larger mortise. You'll need a drill, (something to make sure the drill is square to the surface, and chisels.

It's already the large style mortise latch.

Originally posted by: Squisher
The only privacy mortise latches I've seen require a key to be turned. My old house used a skeleton key.

Yeah, and I could put one of those in and just keep the key stuck in on the inside, and maybe leave a key hanging by the door on the outside in case of an emergency. In fact, that sounds like it would have some character to it, but having that key hanging on the wall might look stupid.

Originally posted by: DrPizza
I forgot to add - the solution we used in the past was to simply put a nicer looking eye latch on the inside.

My wife suggested that, but it seems hackish, and could be a safety issue.

-

As I mentioned above, I did find a privacy latch here: http://www.vandykes.com/product/02007391/
The knob is actually pretty close but it can be replaced with a knob that uses a standard doorknob shaft so that doesn't really matter. The issue here is that since the locking mechanism is a part of the backplate, I would have to keep the round backplate and I would prefer to keep a square backplate that matches the other doors. Vandykes looks like a good place to keep looking, though.

Currently, this may be my best option: http://www.vandykes.com/product/02012788/
It's a deadbolt that has a thumb knob on the inside, but can be opened with a screwdriver on the outside.

 

[bctbct]

You should be able to find one that works on the door preps you have.

Text

 

[herm0016]

i worked in a custom door manufacturing plant.

I have seen mortise locks with buttons on the escutcheon plate that goes behind the door knob. If i am thinking right you want this, and not the larger escutcheon with the key slot. i have only seen one or 2 like this, and you may have to go with a thumb turn type with a skeleton key for the outside. you should be able to re-use the Crystal knob and just have a small hole the size/shape of the key right in the wood to make it nearly invisible at first glance, then have the thumb turn on the inside. check out any sort of junkyard for home parts you have around, most larger cities have a place like this that will take in stuff from houses that are being redone or torn down, old claw foot tubs, fixtures, moldings, hardware.. sometimes you will even find an entire staircase or baluster system from an old house.