Delve into the world of locks, where understanding terminology and mechanisms is key to finding the perfect fit for your needs. While locks once safeguarded treasures like spices, today they secure our possessions from prying eyes. Let’s unravel the intricacies of lock selection and empower you to make informed choices.
Decoding Lock Terminology:
Before delving into lock designs, familiarize yourself with key terms essential to lock discourse:
- Full-Mortise Lock: Concealed within furniture, this lock type requires precise mortising for installation, ensuring a seamless integration with your project.
- Selvage: Often evolving in meaning, the selvage denotes the edge of a lock from which the bolt extends or the distance from the top edge to the center of the pin.
- Bolt: The rectangular piece extending into furniture in door and drawer locks, or the main lever inside chest and box locks, securing the item.
- Strike: Attached to lids, strikes feature protrusions for the main lever to catch, ensuring a secure lock.
- Half-Mortise Lock: Flush with the workpiece’s surface, these locks were prevalent in 18th and early 19th-century furniture, offering a seamless aesthetic.
- Backplate: The face of the lock, typically screwed to the workpiece, housing the lock body’s interior workings.
- Keyhole: The aperture through which the key interacts with the lock, with the keyhole’s position affecting the backset.
- Backset: The crucial measurement between the selvage and the center of the pin, essential for installing or replacing locks.
Unlocking Lock Designs:
Explore the diverse landscape of lock designs, each tailored to specific applications:
- Desk-Lid Locks: Recognizable by their angled selvage, these locks accommodate desks’ rabbeted edges, facilitating seasonal adjustments.
- Door and Drawer Locks: Offering versatility, these locks feature dual key slots, allowing horizontal or vertical installation, catering to drawers or doors.
- Chest and Box Locks: Unique in orientation, these locks necessitate a strike for secure locking, with only one key slot, typically installed horizontally.
Navigating Lock Selection:
Consider various factors when selecting locks, including woodworking proficiency, project requirements, and period authenticity. Pay attention to keyhole placement and escutcheon positioning, ensuring compatibility with your chosen lock size. Whether safeguarding spices or valuables, rest assured there’s a lock suited to every task.
As you embark on your lock selection journey, let knowledge guide your choices, transforming mundane hardware into guardians of your prized possessions.