Who makes a good lockset?

[BarnyardEngineering]

Looking for something to replace the worn out Weiser combination deadbolt knob at my parents' house before something breaks and leaves me locked out permanently. The knobs feel like they're barely attached and the mechanism keeps sticking.

Anything you find at the hardware stores and home centers these days is junk. Feels just as floppy and loose as the knob I have now.

 

[Ultradog MN]

Medico if you have bug bucks.
Otherwise Schlage is a decent brand. Find
them at any big box store.
Like a Buick instead of a Pinto.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

The Schlage I bought for my house is a floppy piece of garbage. It was the most expensive lockset they sold at the Home Depot. The handle feels like it's going to fall off every time you touch it. The ones in the store are the same, but at the time I was locked out of my house and desperate.

The old lock was another Weiser with the integrated deadbolt. This one seized without warning and the key snapped off in the lock.

This post was edited by BarnyardEngineering on 07/17/2023 at 06:15 am.

 

[wp6529]

I standardized on Schlage a long time ago. Decent mid level quality and common availability. I bought the whole commercial re-key kit for like $50 back when I standardized on them so I just re-key them myself to my standard key rather than wait for someone in the store to try and wreck a few units.

 

[Steve@Advance]

Search 'commercial lockset' on Ebay or Amazon.

Much better prices than buying at a retail store.

That's what I've been using here at the shop, especially the restroom doors, high traffic destroys a residential lockset in no time!

Just check the backset and door thickness carefully before buying.

 

[Stephen Newell]

Go with Schlage and you probably will never need to replace the lock again.

 

[Mule Meat]

Medeco or Yale

 

[Geo-TH,In]

I avoid any locket that you can open from
the inside without unlocking and find
yourself locked out when you try to back
inside.
I don't recall the brand to avoid.

I used to buy quick set.
I think they went out of business.
I buy a quick set clone.
They are easy to change which I do when I
get a different Tenant

 

[Russ from MN]

We have Schlage and Quickset, they have both been good.

 

[Cliff(VA)]

Most of the common locksets are pickable with simple tools or a bump key. Any idiot can learn to use a bump key they purchase off ebay. They are really only good keeping out the honest. Medico has
more complicated locks that are much harder to pick if security is your concern.

That being said, I have Schlage and Baldwin (same keyway) locks on my doors. They are reasonable quality and function well. Most of the major brands have differing grades of locksets for different
price points.

The problems you are describing sound to me like a good lubrication of the mechanism with graphite and tightening of the screws would solve your problems without buying new. Weiser used to be a good
brand. If you cannot do that on your own, it would be a simple locksmith visit.

When buying a lockset don't expect to get something good for nothing. You will just end up with junk. Also make sure the door fits tight and has a strong frame. The frame is usually the weak link.

You might try buying your lockset at a locksmith. They usually have the higher-grade locks.

Good luck!

Cliff(VA) now (NC)

 

[Geo-TH,In]

Did you know a pipe wrench on a door knob will
will give you access and make very little noise?
I don't have a deadbolt lock between my attached
garage and house. I accidentally locked myself
out of the house while I was inside my garage. My
truck was inside the garage.
I easily got the door open between the garage and
kitchen with a pipe wrench.

It's a scary feeling knowing how to break in a
house with a pipe wrench and make zero noise.
I Recommend a deadbolt too.

Some say locks are to keep honest people honest.

Try using a pipe wrench on your old lock and
post back.

 

[Ultradog MN]

Revisiting this thread to see what others
suggested.
Just did a search for Medeco (spelled it
wrong below) and found this article from
consumer reports that you might want to read.
Here is a photo of the extended strike plate
they mention.
I put these on all three doors on the house
and garage. Got them at Home Depot.
They come with 3 screws.
Nothing will stop a break in but these will
slow a perp down long enough for you to grab
some pretection hardware.

Click here

 

[Ultradog MN]

Just tried to edit in modern view but couldn't.
Should be comes with 3 inch screws.
Quirky software here. Can't edit and it strips the inch symbol out of your posts.

 

[Mule Meat]

(quoted from post at 09:12:41 07/17/23) I avoid any locket that you can open from
the inside without unlocking and find
yourself locked out when you try to back
inside.
I don't recall the brand to avoid.

I used to buy quick set.
I think they went out of business.
I buy a quick set clone.
They are easy to change which I do when I
get a different Tenant

When I was working part time doing maintenance at the apartment complex across the street. I started using doorknobs that would not lock and only the deadbolt would. If a tenant left their apartment they would need a key if they wanted to lock their door. Doing it that way cut out 100% of people locking themselves out accidentally.

 

[Geo-TH,In]

I like that idea of using just a deadbolt to lock
the door..

 

[sotxbill]

schlage are famous for the built in fire exit... They let you out even when locked... BUT.. now your locked out. Other locks will switch to the unlocked position (you must turn the handle to do this) when you exit, so you can... get back in... but then you must physical lock the door and NOT turn the handle when you exit, or lock it from the outside. I have had to come back several times and remove the schlege locks. Most of the newer locks are now bump and pick resistant, so they claim.

 

[wp6529]

Be sure to assess security as a whole before spending $$$ on Medeco or whatever high security locks. Not much point in a super lock if the door itself isn't strong enough, there are easily opened windows, etc.

Out here in the middle of nowhere, locks are of little concern as someone (if they could even find our place) could chainsaw a hole in the wall at their leisure and nobody would notice as there are no neighbors nearby and such noise would not be out of place anyway. Generally we don't even bother locking anything here.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

(quoted from post at 05:04:51 07/18/23) Be sure to assess security as a whole before spending $$$ on Medeco or whatever high security locks.

I am not so much concerned about security as I am about quality. As long as they don't feel like the handles are going to come off in your hand when you use them.