How to Take Out a Mortise Lock

A mortise lock is any type of lock that requires a pocket (otherwise known as the mortise) to be cut into the door. The mortise lock is then fit into this pocket. Mortise locks are mostly found in older buildings. However, there is currently a resurgence of mortise locks in the United States due to the fact that they are potentially stronger than a bored cylindrical lock.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Piece of wood
• Phillips screwdriver

1. Open the door.

2. Put a piece of wood in the door to prevent it from closing.

3. Unscrew the door handle's faceplate screws on the interior side of the door.

4. Pull out the handle and faceplate from the interior side of the door.

5. 

   Pull out the spindle.

6. 

   Unscrew the screws that are holding in the mortise lock body (Seen on the left side of the picture) and remove the lock body.

7. Unscrew the screws that are holding the box keep (found on the right side of the picture above) and remove the box keep.

Tips & Warnings

• Installing a mortise lock properly requires knowledge of woodworking tools and is not recommended for the average homeowner.