# Trouble removing a split/'sectional' door knob spindle



## roboth

Ah, looks like I got it! I looked at some photos and realized that one piece had a curved end to hold it in, so I grabbed each piece separately with two pairs of needlenose pliers, and after a lot of yanking one of them popped free!


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## uncommon doors

Sweet,

I was going to recommend shooting some bolt loos'ner in there.


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## sam02135

Hello ... thanks for posting this up... I'm having the same problem with my sectional spindle to a mortise lock as the interior door knob is only held on by the 'set' screw and the door knob does not screw onto the spindle as intended given that is why the spindle is threaded. This makes the handle too loose as the spindle will move in and out but never tight.

So seeing your post ... I will need to use a pair of pliers to separate the 2 sections of his spindle and the two pieces are held by a pin. Is this a pin that you need to physically split apart to "disengage" so that I can take one piece off first before the other "bent" half would come out? I see your photo where there is no pin in there but maybe that is a set screw that I need to unscrew? I need to replace this sectional spindle because the threads are worn and replaced so that I can screw the handle knob onto it to secure it tighter. Thanks..


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## sam02135

I figured it out... the sectional spindle that I have does not have a pin or set screw to keep the 2 sections together. It seem like they were attached somehow but it was only grease. The two pieces split.. taking one off that is not curved will enable the other curved piece to come out.

Since the spindle threads are worn I will need to find a replacement piece. The only way to keep the inside knob snug with the spindle and lock is to have the knob be able to screw onto the spindle. My threads on the spindle is worn.

I hope others can use this information. Going to lock smith and try to figure out if they have the same one with the right revolution per inch (RPI) so that the existing knob will fit correctly.


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## GrayHair

You may need a new inside knob. :sad: If the threads on the spindle are in bad shape, it's likely the threads in the knob-shank will be in similar condition. The spindle usually being steel and the knob shank usually being softer doesn't help.


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## discosowner

I too have an old mortise lock circa 1923 with a thumb latch on the outside and a knob with both a "deadbolt" latch on the inside of the door and the "lock/stop" buttons on the door's face/edge. I bought a new spilt/separate spidle...the one with two "halves" where one of the halves has a "hook" on the end. How do I get the spindle back into the door?? Am assuming the end with the hook on it goes in towards the outside of the door where the thumb latch is; then once both spindle halves are in place, I screw my inside knob onto the (now together)split/separate spindle end where there is no hook. I just can not for the life of me figure out how to get the hooked end into the (?)cam to make the thumb latch work.....do I put the halves in SEPARATELY; placing the hooked half in first and fiddling with it till it makes the thumb latch work then add the other half of the split/separate spindle? Have tried to do that and can not figure out where to position the hooked half of the split/separate spindle. I've replaced all my other problem spindled- doors with no problems...have become a pro at that.... but they all have knobs on BOTH sides of the door with stop buttons. The inside doors which actually lead to the OUTSIDE of the house have a latch/deadbolt to lock my door from the inside..I can also lock the door from the inside using the "stop" buttons in the face/edge of the door without turning the inside latch/deadbolt itself. The outside knob is made inoperative by EITHER pushing the buttons in the face/edge of the door OR by using the latch/deadbolt on the inside of the door. When coming in from the outside of the house and the outside knob is locked, (whether from turning the inside latch/deadbolt or from pressing the "locked button" in the face), a key is used in the "deadbolt" on the outside of the door to retract the deadbolt or "locked button" so you can enter the house. If you have only used the "stop/lock button" to make the outside knob "locked", you can still get into the house by using a key in the outside "deadbolt"; if you are INSIDE 
and have only used the "stop/locked" button to make sure the door is locked from the outside and have not used the actual dead bolt latch on the inside of the door, you can just turn the inside knob and the door will open from the inside even if the "lock button" in the face/edge of the door has been pushed. SO I have learned how those suckers with the "stop" buttons and "latch/deadbolts" work WHEN there are knobs on EACH side of the door and have "regular", (not split/separate"), spindles but the thumb latch on the outside and the regular knob on the inside and the split/separate spindle fix is got me mystified. Anyone got some steps you could walk me through? Am I right in thinking the hooked end of one of the halves of the split spindle is headed outwards towards the thumb latch? And, if so, what the heck do I do to get the un-hooked half inserted headed out towards the thumb latch while still having the ends coming into the house stable enough to screw on my inside doorknob? Do the halves with the hook on the one end BOTH go through the "cam" at the same time and some how I fiddle with the hooked half till it fits onto the mechanism to make the thumb latch work? Or do I put the hooked half in first till I can make the thumb latch work, (and if so does the hooked part go through the "cam" or beneath it somewhere???), then try to slide the other half into the "cam"? Know this is long and full of questions but am determined to get this done and am hoping someone has some sort of instructions /suggestions or even fotos/diagrams of how to get this baby to work. Thanks for reading my long-winded tirade...here's hoping someone out there has a clue. Two different locksmiths here in Little Rock, AR said, "none of the new locks will fit the holes in your door; you'll just have to get a whole new door and a new lock". Mind you, ALL the deadbolts that are on all my doors leading outside use the same key/ have the "same" deadbolt...it's just that darn thumb latch & split/separate spindle on my from the door that is making me crazy.


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## marcuspl

I just performed surgery on my front door, which has one of these latches. I was having difficulty getting the threaded spindle removed as well, and thought i'd post these photos in case it helps anyone else. 

Spindle is two parts. One is straight - the other hooks out on the back side of the mechanism. spreading it open on the door knob side, and then wiggling the flat side free worked for me. Also including a pic of the inside of the mechanism in case that is useful. It's all just really cool. These things were built like tanks. 

To put it back - work in reverse. Insert the hook end first where you feel it hook around the back side of the mechanism. Then put the flat side in and wiggle it until the pin aligns and it's secure. Screw the door knob back on and you're good. 

For removal of the whole thing - i went in the following steps: 1) remove door knob (loosen set screw and unscrew knob). 2) remove inside deadbolt knob. 3) remove 2 bolts holding the outside latch/handle and set that aside. 4) remove 2 side by side screws that line up with the outside lock. 5) remove outside lock by twisting and unscrewing it. 5) remove door knob spindle as mentioned above. 6) remove top and bottom screws on the side of the door holding the gear box in place. After this - you can slide the gearbox out.


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