Kwikset 335 15 RND PCKT DR LCK Round Bed/Bath Pocket Door Lock in Satin Nickel

Bought a Johnson Hardware lock set similar to this 7 - 10 years ago that's served us well over those years as it still does. Just the same this turned up in a search for those lock sets and piqued my interest enough to hold off on my JH order. Found it locally, examined it and was very very impressed with the design and quality of the whole mechanism. After examining and playing with it for 20 minutes at Turner Hardware in Carrollton Tx I decided to give the it a shot. Bought through Amazon since TH couldn't get the satin nickel finish I needed. Installed two last night on the pocket doors of a bath I've recently remodeled. Initial fits were too snug for comfortable operation. I happened to have a wood tool put out by skill in the 60s from my father with three blades that extend from a plate and can be adjusted for infinite diameters from 1.25-3.00. I used this to enlarge the door handle hole ever so slightly from both sides over a couple iterations and the operation is now easy and smooth on both doors. (Trick is to open the tool to just a 1/32 larger than the hole then slide the tips of the blades in and use a slow rpm. Couldn't use the center bit in an existing hole obviously. What this really did was enlarge the hole on each side of the door until the plates that cover the door could 'center' better along the sides of the shaft mechanism.) Based on the few negative reviews on this posting regarding lack of easy operation, the issue is the lack of accuracy in the creation of the door holes originally. Not the lock set.. Tool sets were available back in the day to create these holes in perfect alignment but weren't used correctly in 100% of the cases / at all. The lock set by itself in your hand operates smoothly and is a brilliant design made from what I consider high quality materials and tolerances. Ingenious.

This Kwikset pocket door privacy latch makes a great conversion to the existing 2-0 hinged door bore installed for our toilet closet pocket door project. What's not shown is the strike plate and a black rear facing plastic cavity housing that you must carve out on the strike jamb first before the metal strike plate. I used a 7/8" flat wood bore bit for the initial hole in the center and then used a Dremel tool with a 1/8" flute wood bit attached to the 2' flexible wand to carve out all my pencil marks. Otherwise you need sharp chisels and much patience to not splinter up your jamb. It took me a total of 90 min to install these 2 pcs with my 3 chisels and dremel tool, including spending time sharpening my chisels. If i had it to do over, I know i could have it done inside 30 min as there are multi levels to carve out so it fits perfectly. Make your pencil marks carefully with a sharp pencil.Aside from the traditional square latch with a small turn knob, this one has a larger turn knob and makes for a very smooth latching feel. Between the two designs, it's just preference if you like to leave the door slightly out vs from a fully seated position to just grab the inlet or grab the edge lever to close. This Kwikset lever will snap into place for a flush look and then you push in again to release the lever to grab by. One small issue you will most likely encounter with this conversion kit, the old door knob had a larger radius housing as most will, and the original door paint did come off onto the old knob, as probably the paint was not completely dry when originally installed and it left an unpainted ring around the new housing. So now I just touch it up as best as possible with matching paint.One word of advice- before you order this product, you must inspect very carefully that your existing hinged door is perfectly flat and has a perfectly straight edge leading to the strike jamb. Lay a 6' straight edge diagonally in both axis. If the straight edge touches the door completely along both diagonals, the door is perfectly flat and will work nicely, not rubbing wood components inside the pocket or stop moulding....provided your pocket frame was installed in plumb walls. Not a single wall inside my toilet closet was plumb. FYI-new unfinished 2-0 hollow wood doors are approx $20 at Home Depot or your local home improvement center, and will require boring the 2 1/8" hole and edge bore.