Need help finding parts for antique (1940s) Sargent mortise lock

NathanOhio

I am looking for a yoke and set screw for this lock. I have tried the local locksmiths but nobody had the parts.

Any ideas?

Grayhair

If it’s the one I think it is, you’re out of luck; either the yoke or screw or maybe both were die-cast and didn’t hold up. Even if you found someone with a huge scavenge bin, the yoke-and-screw would be long gone. They were hard to find 40 years ago.

Pschiffe

Grayhair wrote
If it’s the one I think it is, you’re out of luck; either the yoke or screw or maybe both were die-cast and didn’t hold up. Even if you found someone with a huge scavenge bin, the yoke-and-screw would be long gone. They were hard to find 40 years ago.

Agreed, the thumbnail shows what they look like, click on image to enlarge; but unfortunately l-o-n-g discontinued. Image from aftermarket supplier, The Graham Mfg. Co., Derby, CT who went out-of-business c.1950.

Pete Schifferli

[unknown]

Grayhair

Pschiffe wrote
Agreed, the thumbnail shows what they look like, click on image to enlarge; but unfortunately l-o-n-g discontinued. Image from aftermarket supplier, The Graham Mfg. Co., Derby, CT who went out-of-business c.1950.

Pete Schifferli

Graham brings back memories since I cut thousands of their blanks. They may have made the “V-metal” blanks I cut; wish I had a box of those today!

[unknown]

Grayhair

Sorry, I just realized many (most?) readers may have never heard of V-metal.

During World War II, “V-metal” (V for Victory) was used to conserve metals critical to the war effort. With brass in short supply, key blank bows were often made from a more available metal (like pot metal) while the rest of the blank was brass. The two metal pieces were joined in a dovetail and the joint was secured by a V-shaped stamp.

Pschiffe

Grayhair wrote
Sorry, I just realized many (most?) readers may have never heard of V-metal.

During World War II, “V-metal” (V for Victory) was used to conserve metals critical to the war effort. With brass in short supply, key blank bows were often made from a more available metal (like pot metal) while the rest of the blank was brass. The two metal pieces were joined in a dovetail and the joint was secured by a V-shaped stamp.

The thumbnail shows a WW2 era Ilco “Victory” key blank which has a steel bow and brass blade, click image for larger version. The dissimilar metals were joined by the “V” incising as described. Although I’ve never seen one, Graham likely had them as well and perhaps used aluminum for the bow.

Pete Schifferli

[unknown]

billdeserthills

NathanOhio wrote
I am looking for a yoke and set screw for this lock. I have tried the local locksmiths but nobody had the parts.

Any ideas?

[ATTACH=CONFIG]14944[/ATTACH]

If you want to keep using this lock it isn’t too hard to just drill and tap the faceplate, and install a long enough screw to hit the mortise cylinder & retain it.

Otherwise, why not just use a yoke from a different mortise lock & adapt it to fit?

[unknown]