Doorknobs- old to new to old again

[JacquieJet]

A new question for you all-
Most of our doors have suffered the loss of their original doorknobs. We only have three doors that have retained their original knobs. A PO who renovated seems to have removed the mortise sets and patched up the doors and installed modern knobs. The doors are all white (as they were originally- they were never stained wood), so it's tough to know just how extensive the patches are. They seem to have been done well at least- there is no cracking around the knobs and the doors close properly. Really, my only issue is the aesthetics of having different knobs.

So, a few approaches that I'm weighing out. First, I could get a new knob that looks similar to our existing original knobs elsewhere- the inner workings would be "modern style" so the swap out would be straight forward. They wouldn't be an exact match, but close. HoAH sells it.

Second option would be to remove the knobs and dig/cut out the patches and re-install mortise knobs. I have found the knobs and plates on eBay that are an exact match to mine, but they don't have the inner workings. I'd have to cobble them together. My concern with this is that I'm worried I'll damage the doors when I dig out the patch- they already have some splits elsewhere on the door, and they aren't especially thick doors. I'm worried I could do irreparable damage... I'm not that handy.

Third option is to use the antique door knob plates, but somehow combine them with a modern knob set overtop? Is this even possible?

Thoughts?

[Gothichome]

JJet, my thoughts, just replace with the modern near match knobs. Undoing the fillings from the original set may cause you grief and you won’t have to patch the holes from the removed new set. No will notice the difference.

[1918ColonialRevival]

Re-installing the mortise locks wouldn't be that tough, but I wouldn't "dig out" filler. Rather, I would drill it as if I were mortising the door for the first time using an appropriate sized spade bit, then use a wood chisel to achieve the appropriate depth for the faceplate of the mortise lock. Once you've done it a couple of times, it's not too hard.

Alternately, you could just get the original hardware and put it on the door for aesthetic purposes. I know a lot of people use the HoAH hardware, but it usually ends up being more expensive than finding originals and the quality usually isn't what the originals were.

[Manalto]

Re-installing the mortise locks wouldn't be that tough, but I wouldn't "dig out" filler. Rather, I would drill it as if I were mortising the door for the first time using an appropriate sized spade bit, then use a wood chisel to achieve the appropriate depth for the faceplate of the mortise lock. Once you've done it a couple of times, it's not too hard.

The handyman who reinstalled my upstairs bedroom doors did exactly this and he did such a beautiful job patching the hole that had been cut for the modern door knob, I'm considering just keeping the doors' natural wood finish. In other words, as 1918 said, it can be done and it's not that big of a deal.

[JacquieJet]

As always, you guys give awesome advice and insights. Thanks everyone!
As an aside, my house just received an official heritage designation this week! Woohoo!

[phil]

If you chisel the epoxy or whatever the filler is it might crack or chunk out but who cares if you are filling anyway. a spade bit might be ok You can use a router but there is a danger that someone put screws and stuff in there to retain the patch and if you hit them with a router it might get interesting. one way to cut them may be with a router and a template. or just a chisel.

I've been just mixing epoxy with about 50 percent wood dust and that works fine. you can gob the stuff on as thick as you want , no real shrinkage. the stuff I use hardens overnight but takes a few more days to harden, becomes very hard eventually. some brands dry faster. it gives me a good hour of working time. starts as pretty much a liquid.

fitting lock sets and the holes can be trying. the fit is important so if you dont feel you are up to that I'd get help. especially with outside doors where you have weather to deal with the fitting can be trying.

most of the older knobs take a 1/4 x 1/4 shaft and some are threaded into the knob. I think fitting an old knob to a new style lockset might be the easiest. how about if you saw a locksmith and told him what you wanted. I suspect that someone makes an adaptation from the typical striker arrangement to fit the square shafts so then you wouldn't be reinventing the wheel and you can use most old knobs. maybe you can leave the striker and striker plate alone. less fitting that way.

the older knob's faceplates seem to often have a little short piece of pipe or a collar ( for want of better terminology) attached to the trim plate so how the knob looks without it might be a concern if you are fussy about that. sometimes the innermost part of the knob is sort of fitted under this. to be really right I guess the knobs and face plate are best if matched but you can fudge things. you might check the outside diameter of the part of the knob nearest the door and compare that to the inner diameter of the collar on the faceplate. It sort of supports the knob so if you start switching parts you might see an issue, or maybe not.

I noticed my local lock shop does have the old style lock arrangement made of new parts so I guess if it is worn out and you dont feel like tinkering with repairing old stuff that might be an option. If I remember right the striker was made of nylon, not really vintage looking but functionally ok.
I've never heard of HoAH , Hoo hoo yes but that's something different I tried looking it up but I got some adult pictures

the epoxy and wood dust looks a lot like wood because it's at least half made of wood
even though it is being painted I'd still want to try to make the putty similar in case someone else wants the wood to show. I'd tape one side off, fill one half then flip the door and do the other so it didn't all run away on me. You can get epoxy putty that is similar consistency to plasticine too. some might care about the height of the knobs others may not.

I found a lockset with a deadbolt and knob and the outside handle is wrought iroln with a latch. quite old maybe a commercial door . I got a chunk of the door with it, no key but that one is super duper quality and nickle plated brass. I'm trying to decide if I could make it fit in a regular thickness door.. the key can be cut to fit it. I thought of maybe thickening the door so I could use it.

the easy way out is to call in a locksmith and perhaps the experience is worth it, it really is a trade. fitting doors can be tricky because everything has to work and the tolerances of misfit are not huge. If it isn't too urgent and it is an indoor door then at least you can walk away for a rest if it frustrates you. I fix all sorts of things , I have good mechanical skills and wood working skills but they still frustrate me sometimes. I can usually get there but sometimes I just get to the point where I need to walk away for a bit.

[Gothichome]

As always, you guys give awesome advice and insights. Thanks everyone!
As an aside, my house just received an official heritage designation this week! Woohoo!

Well that’s great news, now your efforts restoring the home will be protected long into the future.

[JacquieJet]

I've never heard of HoAH , Hoo hoo yes but that's something different I tried looking it up but I got some adult pictures

the epoxy and wood dust looks a lot like wood because it's at least half made of wood
even though it is being painted I'd still want to try to make the putty similar in case someone else wants the wood to show. I'd tape one side off, fill one half then flip the door and do the other so it didn't all run away on me. You can get epoxy putty that is similar consistency to plasticine too. some might care about the height of the knobs others may not.

I found a lockset with a deadbolt and knob and the outside handle is wrought iroln with a latch. quite old maybe a commercial door . I got a chunk of the door with it, no key but that one is super duper quality and nickle plated brass. I'm trying to decide if I could make it fit in a regular thickness door.. the key can be cut to fit it. I thought of maybe thickening the door so I could use it.

the easy way out is to call in a locksmith and perhaps the experience is worth it, it really is a trade. fitting doors can be tricky because everything has to work and the tolerances of misfit are not huge. If it isn't too urgent and it is an indoor door then at least you can walk away for a rest if it frustrates you. I fix all sorts of things , I have good mechanical skills and wood working skills but they still frustrate me sometimes. I can usually get there but sometimes I just get to the point where I need to walk away for a bit.

Oh Phil! Hahaha!!! HoAH is just my abbreviation for House of Antique Hardware. Don’t google hoo hoo!!!!
I love the antique lock sets too. Maybe some day I’ll get one for my front door... but that’s not going to be any time soon. I’ve got way too many projects to get to first!!

[JacquieJet]

As always, you guys give awesome advice and insights. Thanks everyone!
As an aside, my house just received an official heritage designation this week! Woohoo!

Well that’s great news, now your efforts restoring the home will be protected long into the future.

Thanks, Gothic! This has been in the works for a while now, but it’s so satisfying that it’s finally done! Hopefully our little house will be preserved and protected for years to come.

[phil]

As always, you guys give awesome advice and insights. Thanks everyone!
As an aside, my house just received an official heritage designation this week! Woohoo!

That's something to be proud of. How will affect the value? Ive wondered about doing the same but others near me say dont because it limits the potential and thus the value. on the other hand it could save it from destruction at some point. there was a local story where a neighboring city near me was trying to give a house away free, with the condition it was moved. The house already had heritage status but new owners still bought it for the lot. It made me doubt the integrity of the program and the financial sacrifice the original owner may have made to assign such status. In some cases cities have funds they can offer I think they would paint the outside of my house but then if I wanted to change the outside color at anytime or do modification that are visible,I would need the city's permission. You kind of do need that permission to pull a permit anyway. I have a friend that has the designation and lives near me , he said dont do it. he bought the house with the designation already assigned and just lifted it so it is possible. It probably just had to be passed by council first.