[OP]
Contributor
I'm building an entry door. I'd like to use a full mortise lockset, but in hours of searching, can only find options that are either very commercial/office-building looking, or very antique/reproduction (with skeleton keys, etc). I just want a "normal" high-quality residential entry door lockset (with modern keys). Where should I be looking?
Member
Google "Baldwin"- Have seen some of their locksets that were full mortise
Contributor
If you search for residential full mortise entry set, or entry latch, you will find miles all the way from $50 options that I would run from, up to $600+ options.
Contributor
Here are a couple of options:
https://www.g-u.com/en/products/door...oor-locks.html
And these guys offer both Euro and US locksets:
http://www.allaboutdoors.com/Product...-Mortise-Locks
And be sure to take a look at the multipoint locksets, like used on European doors, which offer several advantages over the single point locks most of us are used to.
John
Member
You also look at an "interconnected" lockset. This basically takes a cylinder leverset and then connects it to a cylinder deadbolt. Not as heavy duty as a commercial mortise set, but easier to install and definitely cheaper. Don't go to a locksmith for this stuff. You'll want to find a "hardware supplier" to buy from.
Member
https://www.omniaindustries.com/prod...tise-locksets/
Availabe from Hardware Hut and others. The stock cylinders are Schlage, easily upgraded to Medeco by your local locksmith.
Member
Try Emtek, Baldwin, or Bravura, if you can't find what you want online PM me and I can order it from the factory for you.
Contributor
I put a Baldwin in the entry doors on the house I built for my Parents in 1973. It probably hasn't missed many days of being used multiple times a day, and still works just fine. My 102 year old Mother has never asked me to do anything to it, and I'm sure she would have if it needed anything. I go in that way most days, to check on her.
If you're going with a full mortise lock, you might as well use ball bearing hinges too. I'm not sure if they are Baldwin, or Stanley, in those same doors, but they still work fine too.
Member
https://www.rockymountainhardware.com/
I used three of their mortise sets on my exterior doors. Couldn't be happier. Incredible quality, but it comes at a price.
Contributor
I noticed Lowes had several on their closeout table last weekend.
Bill D.
[OP]
Contributor
Ed, I think the $1,000 option may be overkill.
Thank you all very much for the suggestions! I just needed some names to search. Found a website selling an Emtek set that I think I really like.
Member
I'll be polite and just say this: Emtek is complete junk...I install the *edited* all the time for people who want looks but won't pay for quality...Originally Posted by James Dempsey
that being said, most of the "boutique" companies (Rocky Mountain, Sun Valley Bronze, etc.) use Accurate for their internals (e.g. the real part of the lockset, everything else is just fluff) and Baldwin parts for things like the deadbolt cylinders and striker mechanisms for their passage/privacy products.
Baldwin is probably your best bet...I've found their products to be about the best there are in an all around analysis of things (pay attention to my comment about what Rocky Mountain and Sun Valley Bronze use)...for such a thing as a full mortise lock body I'd stay a country mile away from Emtek
Last edited by Michael Pyron; 09-27-2018 at 7:00 PM.
Contributor
That is disappointing hear about the quality of the Emtek mortise locks. We have Emtek privacy door hardware, and have had zero problems over the 7 years we have had them. We also have Emtek cabinet and bathroom hardware that is very nice, and well made.
Chris
Member
I have sold/installed over 3000 in the last ten years, Emtek and had very few issues, warranty service is excellent.
Baldwin actually has declined rapidly since Stanley took over.
If you're willing to spend the money on Rocky Mountain, Accurate or Progressive will make whatever you want, but the OP didn't want to spend the money.
Sargent makes a wide selection of lever trims available in most every finish, if a handle set isn't desired.
Member
I don't sell the junk...am in no way affiliated to any great degree with anybody who does (e.g. I deal with salesman who sell the stuff along with a lot of other brands).
yeah, Baldwin has gone downhill...still better by a large margin than Emtek.
Emtek striker mechanisms use spring loaded half spindles that are problematic on 1 3/4" doors that have the edge (properly) beveled...they use an added plastic thingy that wraps around the mechanism to "help" keep parts aligned...
Baldwin uses through spindles of full length with a pivoting striker mechanism that allows for a beveled door edge...they use sub assemblies to mount the seen trim to which is orders of magnitude superior to the process Emtek uses...
*I don't really care what a salesman of a given product says about something they make a profit off of* I've been installing hardware on houses in general for the last 30 years...and structures in the multi-million $ range for the last 8 (read that as in general only the best hardware options chosen...the last builder I knew that supported Emtek has finally admitted how junky they are and in the future will be using something else that meets his criteria (e.g. below SVB and certainly above Kwikset)
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