Non Standard Locksmith Services Marlow
Non Standard Locksmith Services
Not all doors and locks are standard – but that’s what makes the job interesting!
I went to a customer the other day who was concerned about the security of their door lock. When I got there it was an old cottage with a back door that opened outwards, meaning the latch was visible to the outside world and therefore vulnerable. Additionally the door was set back in the frame ie not flush with the front edge of the frame. The age of the cottage meant that nothing was geometrically straight or at right angles so the answer wasn’t going to be to simply rehang the door. Some lateral thinking was required. The solution turned out to need several elements combined together:
- To fit a metal plate on the outside surface of the door so that it protects the latch and stops anyone slipping the latch to gain entry without the key.
- To bring the lock out so that the latch lines up with its keep on the frame to reliably and securely catch every time. I put 4 small nuts behind the brass plate to lift it forward of the door surface.
The combination of these individually small measures was sufficient to achieve the desired result – the lock was now positioned so that it was perpendicular to the position of the keep in the door frame. The latch now aligned perfectly with the keep without having to lean on the door to push it home and the latch was protected from any intruders forcing entry.
I found the job immensely satisfying – working out how to solve the problems.
This is a demonstration of the how a good locksmith’s job is not just about changing locks and opening doors. There are occasions when knowledge and experience are needed to be able to figure out how to solve an unusual situation. Of course it helps enormously to have a wide range of locks, parts and sundry items to hand