door hardware question

[Stephen Edwards]

Back in the old days when I was first learning carpentry, about a 100 years ago it seems, when you purchased a door lock package it included the knobs, the plunger, the strike plate and what I was taught to call the "keeper". Perhaps that was just local terminology from Down East in NC. Whatever is the proper term, the "keeper" was a piece of matching metal that fit inside the mortise in the door jamb, behind the strike plate, to hide the drilled/chiseled mortise into which the plunger fits when the door is closed. So, when the door is open you don't see wood behind the strike plate mounted to the jamb. Instead, you see this metal piece that the plunger fits into. It gives the door jamb a "finished" look.

Recently, I had a job to finish and install a fancy entrance door for someone. The hardware that the customer provided with the door doesn't have those pieces that I call the keeper. If I remember correctly none of the door locks that I've installed in the past few years have the keeper in the door hardware kit. Granted, I don't do a lot of door installs.

Does anyone know where I might be able to buy the keepers for both the main door handle and the matching dead bolt. Is there an online source where I can find those "keepers" individually? If there's another term that I should use while searching for this piece, I'd appreciate input on that, too. These particular ones need to be a pewter or brushed silver color.

Thanks for your time and info!

[Walter Plummer]

Hello Stephen. I think the correct term is dust box. At least thats what we always called them. You are right, they used to be metal but the last ones I ever used were black plastic. I think they were in commercial locks. If there is a commercial door supplier in your area they might have them.

[David DeCristoforo]

You can still get the metal ones but they are hard to find. Schlage seems to be the only one that still has metal ones.

https://www.handlesets.com/index.cfm?testdebughandlests=n&productview=Gallery&manufacturer=Schlage&mfrcategory=&cpncode=&mfrsubcategory=&srccode=&page=search%3Abrowse&keyword=&categoryid=173&finish=&productid=&nonstockid=&narrowApplication=Strike%20Plates

Also, check this out:

http://shop.ebay.com/items/?_nkw=strike+plate+dust+box&_sacat=0&_trksid=p3286.m270.l1313&_odkw=dust+box&_osacat=0

It looks like someone's snatching them off a job site and selling them at a premium because they should only cost about $.50 Who ever would have thought there would be a "grey market" for strike plate liners?!?!