doors
I have a very old door with a very old lock, pictured here:
It doesn't close because the previous owner stuck some wood in the latch, and there doesn't seem to be any place for the lock. I'd like to replace this, but I'm not sure if it will be possible. The screws on the face plate are painted over, and it seems to be pretty far in there, and the strike plate is totally painted over.
Will it be possible to replace this with a more modern door handle? Any ideas? Thanks!
You say
The new coats of paint are not too thick so it's not the paint job.
and this is a common misconception. Yes, it looks like the paint is negligibly thin but it actually adds up. When a door is constructed it has size that allow for painting it once, maybe twice, and then a new layer of paint will prevent it from closing.
You should have cleaned the previous paint off the door edges.
You can replace the doorknob hardware with a ball latch/strike plate. These can be easily pushed open and are often used for places like pantries where you don't need privacy and may have your hands full when trying to open/close the door. You'll also want to replace the doorknobs with dummy versions that don't swivel.
This is not a recommendation for a specific vendor, sample images only. Click on the images for the original source.
Best Answer
How can I remove a Mortise Lock and deadbolt from a door?
The paint's no problem. Cut around the door knob escutcheon with a sharp utility knife, so it doesn't rip chunks of paint off the door. Do this anywhere there's paint-glue holding in metal parts. Scrape the paint out of the groves in the tips of the flat head screws using a screwdriver or the knife if you have to.
How do I replace mortise locks with bored cylindrical locks?
That post says don't. Replace it with another mortise lock. Other posts mention having a hard time finding a match for their hardware, you might want to see if you can get yours working again.