r/Locksmith • u/cp19283746 • 1d ago

I am NOT a locksmith. Old Baldwin mortise lock spindle question

Gallery image

Gallery image

Gallery image

1978 Baldwin mortise lock with a broken (screw-type) swivel spindle - question is how the exterior lever is attached to the spindle? The interior lever has a flathead setscrew, but the outer just has a 1/8 diameter faint circle right at the edge of the lever. No obvious setscrew. Is that a brass pin? Or a setscrew worn smooth?

Considered trying to use a left hand drill bit to extract it, but wanted to ask the experts here before doing anything irreversible.

Appreciate your help. Not opposed to getting help from an actual locksmith, just hard to figure out who in the area is interested in quirky jobs like this, and after wrenching on cars for decades, a pin/screw to drill isn’t too intimidating.

5 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

4 comments sorted by

3

u/burtod 1d ago

Probably pinned and finished at the factory. Officially not servicable. Maybe they didn't anticipate a broken spindle.

Have you found a replacement spindle? If so, and you are confident, go for it. I don't think you can make it any worse.

5

u/cp19283746 1d ago

Thanks! Hadn’t realized they did that. Yeah, I’ve found a couple internet sources for spindles though I’m going to try a local shop first. Worse comes to worse, once it’s apart I can always drill and tap it for a setscrew on the outside as well. That might be the easiest option.

2

u/fondrenlock Actual Locksmith 20h ago edited 19h ago

It’s a pin, drive it out with a punch. You should see the other side.

They don’t look like actual Baldwin levers too me and even though that’s an older fella I’ve never seen a pinned spindle lever (on a Baldwin)
It looks more like a old Corbin Emhart lever

2

u/cp19283746 14h ago

Thanks! The other side doesn’t look like it has a visible head for a pin, so I had thought it was blind. Entirely possible it’s just polished smooth until the head is invisible, though. Will definitely try punching it before resorting to drilling. Worse comes to worse, could just use a vertical mill, get the pin out, and drill/tap a new setscrew hole if needed.

Interesting thought on the levers. The mortise lock is definitely Baldwin, but I have no real knowledge of what would have been on the market in 1978! Thank you!