Comments on How to Tighten a Loose Doorknob

Sometimes you are not able to tighten the screw down because the threads on the screw are rusted. In this case, take the screw out and use the screwdriver to scrap away rust. Maybe you could oil the screw, but that might mean that the screw would just come out more often. So, I'd stick with just trying to scrap away the excess rust. Worked for me anyway.

We had an entry knob that kept binding. The plate was loose, and it would catch to the bolt when it tried to throw closed. Upon examination, the wood was stripped out, so that only one would turn freely, not binding into anything. As it turned out, someone had replaced it with a smaller size (10 threads vs 8 as the other had). It seems that the screw that comes with most lock sets (such as Schlage) is not a standard wood screw. I wanted to replace both with new screws, but the trip to to the hardware store found that these are not available separately. I found that the same style (a wood screw with the threads extending all the way to the thread instead of the unthreaded shank) is used in hinge sets, so I bought a 3 inch hinge. From what I found in stock, this appeared to be the cheapest way to get the same size screw. They did have the same diameter and thread in a one inch, but I didn't want to oversize it from the 3/4 inch, for when the set is replaced. So, now I have the screw. Then, I got a kit with the locktite "Titen" thread mender to fill in the threads. It was a brand new package, but the stuff was already heavily congealed, so it required some coaxing from the tube, but I was finally able to gloop enough out to fill the hole, although this required taking apart the lock set and getting access behind the plate (not as easy as the package recommended when it said "just squirt it in"). This seemed to fix the problem for now. I wish there was a better way. It's the first time I have attempted this, so we'll see how it goes.