{21 feb 2007}
Every single door in our house had a mortise lock. And I do mean every one - even the hall closet doors. So whoever originally lived here must have liked to keep everything buttoned up.
I actually really like them. We suffer from doorknobfallingitis in our current bathroom due to an old door and a new doorknob. At least the doorknobs will all stay securely in place this way.
But the mystery is this. The entire house has skeleton key locks. But only one key was found in the house. I've heard that many of these houses all operate on one skeleton key (making it convenient for the key holder but not very secure in general) so I wasn't surprised to find a single key. What is mysterious is that the key doesn't open any of the locks! So where did that key come from? Its not like the prior owner had much of a penchant for keeping decor so I don't think it would have been for decorative purposes. Spoooky.
I've read that a locksmith can fashion a working key from the lock. Anyone do this with success? Any suggestions of Brooklyn locksmiths that won't look at me as the crazy lady I am when I carry a box of mortise locks into their shop?
Hey - we have a china cabinet with a mortise lock, that uses a skeleton key. Well of course the key was lost in the move.
ReplyDeleteWe were able to have a locksmith come out and get us a skeleton key that fit the lock - it was about $75, IIRC. HTH!
Interesting article. I think a locksmith (or any type of technician job that requires home visits) would be an excellent study in human behavior, sociology, psychology, and the like. You get to see how people live and how they react to adversity. It is important to find an honest and reliable locksmith. Some companies run a criminal background check on all employees to help ensure their people are trustworthy. If you are nervous about hiring a locksmith, ask about the background check policy when you call a company for help.
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