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Yep, treat each half as a seperate door - that goes for mortice locks as well.

If its what I'm thinking of, then its a "latching" mechanism that engages a restraint fitted to the frame - allowing the door to open a fraction, a bit like a door chain would. Most are secured by the plastic collar that surrounds the knob. Get a screwdriver under it and gently prise it off...

Bit of a long shot, but I've a customer who's 2 sets of timber french doors that are draughty. They have asked if a seal can be fitted to the inside of the doors, secured to the face of the door. I've found a likely candidate from Hafele, its on Page 8 of the attached document - Ref...

Should also be asking what cylinders are going to be used in the door mechs. Look for 6 pins minimum with anti-snap measures. You could always buy a nice wooden door and paint it white to match your windows - much more secure :wink:

If its a 3 lever lock, then it's a very simple opening for a locksmith, who will have you in within minutes of arriving. Once in the lock needs changing for a 5 lever BS rated sashlock that meets insurance guidelines for the property. If you are doing the work, ensure you obtain written...

The screws holding the cover in place are facing the keep - so no chance of taking it apart. It looks like a destructive approach to remove it, but I'd try a set of mole grips on the knob first and use brute force to turn it.

Use a screwdriver to manually lift the snib mechanism through the slot.

I'm going to take a guess that the mortice sashlock is euro driven, and that Mckenzie is stamped on the face of the euro cylinder. The abloy is likely to be a rim cylinder. All can be picked, all can be destroyed - but the locksmith stands the best chance of getting you in with the least...

It will work out far cheaper to call a locksmith than repair the doors after a joiner has been at them.

Then you'll need to toe/heel it - a job better left to someone who knows what they are doing. As an interim solution, you could adjust the frame keeps to enable easier locking of the door.

Get a local glazing repair firm to take a look and give you a quote.

That could also be a worn key thats causing the problem!

You don't state why you need to replace the lock - is it broken/faulty, or you've lost keys. Both could be resolved without changing the lock.

If you cannot remove the key with the door open or closed, then its the cylinder at fault. Sounds like the cam has slipped (its the black section in the middle of the cylinder), preventing the key from doing a full turn. Replace it - many threads on this subject.

Sikkens TSI Interior (colourless) is also worth considering. I've just used this on some oak Veneered doors as the finish looks brill.

As big-all has indicated above - ensure the broken bit is vertical (same position as if you'd just put the key in without turning it), and then insert a spare key into the other side of the cylinder and push. This should push out enough of the broken bit to remove with pliers.

How old is the mechanism? If it's fairly recent - I'd be chasing the installer. Budget between £120-£150 depending on type of mechanism, and thats supplied and fitted. Call a couple of local UPVC repairers or locksmiths and get them to quote you.

I can confirm the support for RCAP. I recently found an error in one of the calculations, and this was quickly rectified with all my data migrated across to a new version FOC. Excellent service.

Add a couple of glazing shovels to your bag, and use these to spread the door away from the frame in order to manipulate the mechanism with a screwdriver (or kitchen utensil as mentioned above - good idea :idea: ). You can buy purpose made door spreaders, but unless you're likely to come...

Replacing the barrel will only remove the need to use a key from the inside of the property. You will still need to lift the handle from both sides to lock the door. Using a thumbturn will also make the door less secure, particularly if there is a letterbox in the door.