Aspects and patina of the parts:

The parts are oxidized, cleaned and protected with a colorless anti-rust product. They are then waxed and polished. We thus obtain an aged “gun barrel” appearance (dark brown tint) which meets our concern for authenticity and which may vary slightly from one piece to another.

Some chest locks because they are very ornamental (S2/A, S5, S6, S7) have been stone polished as was done in the past on beautiful pieces, before being protected.

We do not recommend painting this locksmith, as this would have the effect of hiding the work the material.

Fixing the parts:

The chest locks are supplied with forged square heads wood screws (except for the S10 lock which is 19th century).

The straight hinges, vertevelle latches, gate viewer are supplied with large forged nails whose shaft and tip must be turned into the wood.

For all other parts, we can supply, only on request, small 25 or 30 mm forged nails (see price list).

These nails are well suited to small pieces such as slide bolt latch, window spring loaded swing latch, ornamental plates, thumb latches...

Another solution can be the use of slotted round head wood screws. We do not supply those screw as they are widely available commercially and in all sizes. (you will simply have to oxidize the head with acid to obtain the aged look)

Direction of operation:

The chest locks, spring bar latches, window spring latches have a right or left closing direction which must be indicated to us.

We speak of right-hand closing when the bolt closes in the right direction and vice versa. (when facing the chest lock which is normally mounted on the pull-to-open side of the door)

Chest locks and latches are designed to normally be fitted on the “pull-to-open side” of the door.

In certain exceptional cases we will wish to mount them on the push side in which case adaptation work will be necessary. (the direction of the bevel of the bolt of a chest lock must be reversed, the bolt of a flail lift latch must be angled etc.) We will need a dimensioned cut of the door unit.

Sketch I : Overlap door pulling to the left. The chest lock closes on the right.

Sketch II : Flush door pulling to the right. The chest lock closes on the left.

Overlay doors:

Doors are called overlapping or surface-mounted doors, when in the closed position and on the pull side to open, the plane of the door projects from the plane of the frame. (as opposed to flush doors)

This may require adaptation of certain parts. Check and communicate this X dimension to us.

Accessories and fasteners hammered through wood:

Certain parts are called “hammered through”, this is the case of certain window latch hooks, door thumb latch handles, slide bolt latch stirrups, hinge nail axle shafts, large forged nails. This assembly is traditional and ensures excellent durability over time.

The accessories and fasteners must be hammered through the wood (provide pre-holes) and then be turned twice over itself, first using a pair of pliers and secondly using a hammer to be crimped into the wood like a staple.

When it is not possible to have the hardware fully pass through the wood (in the case of an already installed joinery), you can saw the accessories or fasteners to the right length, make a few harpoon like tooth notches and hammer them into the wood gently.

Lock features:

It is important to clearly define the features you need on a door.

The table below allows you to visualize these different functionalities:

*By closure; we mean keeping the door in the closed position without being obliged to lock it. (this is for example the role of the beveled half-turn bolt on a lock which does not condemn the door but allows it to be kept closed)

**The latches are operated on the push side by a latch lift handle or thumb latch.

Lock mechanisms and security:

They are traditional, also identical to the mechanisms back then, finished and adjusted by hand together with their keys which operate them and are completely operational.

We do not equip our lock shells with modern cylinder mechanisms.

However, for exterior doors, it may be possible to conceal a modern cylinder locking system by using one or more mortise locks with a dead latch embedded within the thickness of the wood. Since these modern cylinder locks do not have a beveled latch, they will only be used for their key-operated locking function. They are not visible; only the cylinder entries are visible, and we can conceal them inside small shuttered boxes that we make. This allows the door to be equipped with traditional and ornamental hardware (lift latches, handles or thumb latches, chest locks).

Despite this, we offer a pair of "lever" handles on diamond-shaped plates designed to operate a modern mortise lock with a beveled latch. (Please consult us for details.)

Lift latch handles:

They are intended to operate on the pushing side (generally outside) of flail or spring bar latches.

They are mounted on a threaded square allowing the operation of a seesaw motion.

The spacer must be sawn to the thickness of the wood +1 mm to avoid friction of the rocker on the wood.

Behind the nut which is square, saw off the end of the threaded rad which protrudes.

When the lift latch handle must be mounted in the center of the door, it is then necessary to check that

the length of the latch is sufficient in relation to the width of the door. Do consult us.

Window spring latches:

These parts are generally mounted on mullioned windows and their interior shutters when they are too high to be operated directly by hand. They can be maneuvered either by a cord or by a cane fitted with a hook. On the same chassis (window), spring latches on the upper part and slide bolt latches on the lower part, their design must match.

Finally, what is best to avoid:

• Choosing pieces that would only be used “to look pretty” and would have no function or would be redundant.

• Look for “rusticity”, while old locksmithing is ornamental, has a role of embellishment, and seeks neither to be discreet nor to be rustic.

• The impression of “standardization” that could be obtained by fitting the same parts on all the doors. On the contrary, it is necessary to personalize according to the doors and the rooms into which they open.