What's it #3

  • April 14, 2020 10:09 AM
    Message # 8897936
    Deleted user

    The picture is of the lock mortise in the door of a 100 yr old tall clock. The silver "thing" on the right is a piece of wire stuck into the right side of the mortise at the lower end and free at the upper end. It seems to exert no tension; i.e., it can be bent flat against the side of the mortice easily and will not spring back. It is probably away from the wall only because I was probing to see what it might be. It also appears to be independent of the lock mechanism, which does not have any indentations or tabs to engage the wire. 

    Any ideas other than a stray piece of wire that got trapped during assembly? 

    1 file
  • April 15, 2020 12:08 AM
    Reply # 8900789 on 8897936
    Tom Shirley (Administrator)
    What does the side look like?  Does it extend through?
  • April 15, 2020 7:02 AM
    Reply # 8900959 on 8897936
    Deleted user

    A shim of sorts to tighten the far end of the lock in the mortise?

  • April 15, 2020 9:30 AM
    Reply # 8901240 on 8897936

    If you look at the point id say its a brad nail.

  • April 15, 2020 10:26 AM
    Reply # 8901377 on 8897936
    Deleted user

    Tom, the wire does not go through the side. Unless the hole is so tiny that I can't see it, it doesn't look like it was driven through from the outside.

    Bill, it's possible, but why use a very thin wire rather than a piece of shim stock?

    Dana, no, it's not a nail. Very thin wire.



  • April 16, 2020 6:48 AM
    Reply # 8903086 on 8897936
    Tom Shirley (Administrator)

    Did the lock mechanism have some sort of spring in it? Thinking this may have been part of a spring the broke off.

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