Flip Kwikset left-hand lock knob to right-hand keyhole reversal

I should note this is a keyed "entry" lock, with no screws in the keyed half of the lock. If the keyhole reverses, it must be via some sort of lever or tab as there is no way I can even see to get the knob off.

I think the door entry lock part number is Kwikset 25513-001.

Where can I find PICTURES or DIAGRAMS of the procedure to flip a Kwikset entry lock from the left-hand keyhole position to a right-handed lock?

This PDF of the type of instructions that come with my Kwikset entry lock does not explain how to reverse an upside down keyway.

Oh my, I just realized I have to REMOVE THE LOCK CYLINDER in order to switch the Kwikset lock from a left-hand upside-down keyhole to a right-hand right-side up keyway! So much for the "Easy Installation" and "Fits All Doors" on the package! :(

Why doesn't Kwikset just LABEL their package for left-hand doors only?

The knob entry lock looks much like the photograph here

I'm shocked that I have to order this Kwikset cylinder removal tool just to get the lock to fit a right hand door.

Assuming left hand and right hand doors are each half the doors in the world, it seems inconceivable to me that we'd need a hundred dollar tool for half the houses of the world!

I must be missing something simple.

Do YOU know where SIMPLE instructions might be for switching a Kwikset entry lock keyway from upside down to right side up?

I give up. I tried for hours to remove the lock so I could put it right side up instead of upside down in my right hand door.

It seems I lack a three-dollar tool.

Instead of ordering the tool, I'm so very frustrated with this 50 dollar Kwikset lock that I'm returning it to the Home Depot tomorrow.

What I learned so far is to never ever again purchase any door entry lock that doesn't SAY whether it's a right or left-handed lock!

Otherwise, half the time, we'd be buying the WRONG lock!

I suspect Kwikset did this on purpose but for the life of me, I can't figure out what perverse thoughts were in their mind to torture us so.

I'm not sure, but...

...why Kwikset? Schlage is nearly the same price, and MUCH better quality - you can feel the difference just by turning the knob, heavier metal, parts less "sloppy" - even if you aren't in any way mechanically inclined.

I'm not really of a criminal bent, but I have my suspicions that I could easily break/bypass your Kwikset lockset with only a good pair of boots

- I suspect one swift kick would knock the outer knob right off the door.

Of course, if you don't have a deadbolt, there's no point worrying about it... any kid with a library card can get in your door.

nate

I learned how to disassemble Kwikkies from the locksmiths who trained me. I don't know of any web sites to help out.

Where did you buy the locks? Maybe someone there can help?

I've never net searched this question. I use a cylinder removal tool which I got from my wholesale parts house. You have to remove the center shaft, and snap the cylinder out. Snap it back in (right side up) and replace the center shaft.

Oh, so it sounds like you found some instructions.

They probably randomly ship right or left hand locks. So, it's guess and miss if they will fit.

I didn't look at your link, but a "kwikset puller" is probably different than the cylinder removal tool that I use. My cylinder removal tool cost less than a dollar at my parts house.

You're missing that Kwikset sells a very simple tool for reversing the cylinders. And you're also missing that some folks work at locksmith shops and learn from other locksmiths.

Ah, now we get some more information. You bought the locks at Home Depot. Well, that makes you a frugal home owner. If you were interested in having it done, you could likely find a locksmith who would come out and do the install for you. And then he (she?) could do the cylinder removal for you. Actually, it doesn't surprise me that you're not a locksmith customer. If you were, you'd have the job all done by now. And you wouldn't be posting repeatedly to usenet looking for free advice.

By trying to save a buck on buying your own lock, you wasted several hours of your life. What is your life worth? What is your time worth? Was that a good use of your time? Spend hours to learn something you'll need twice in your life?

Just call a locksmith and be done with it.

I used to like Schlage, when they had the two piece exterior knobs. The new ones with the one piece knob are garbage. I bought a couple of them to install for a customer, and had to take em back.

And even worse the Home depot Kwikset locksets are the total bottom of whatever little quality Kwikset has.

You just want the key to be "right side" up? How do you know which side is the right side? :)

Why can't you just rotate the whole lock 180 degrees?

Every second house in my n'hood has a door that swings one way, and every first and third house, the door swings the other way. (or opens from the other side, depending on how you phrase it.) And I'm sure they all have Kwikset locks like I do. Do you want me to check which side of the keyhole goes up in my neighbors' locks?

For me, I think the key's teeth point up. Is that good or bad?

Where is it written what is up and what is down?

I believe the doorknob has to be turned the opposite direction also, depending on what side of the door the lock is, and that that would be true even if the keyhole were reversed top to bottom. Isn't that true of your previous lock? People learn to do that automatically with time.

On all of them I've dealt with, you just separate the lockset into the three main pieces, install the plunger/latch into the edge of the door, stick the outside part (knob or deadbolt) in from the exterior side of the door, mate the interior part (knob, deadbolt, or turn lever) onto the rod from the front part, then spend a lot of time getting the screws started. Tighten everything up, and you're done.

The only difference between l-h and r-h locksets is which way the plunger/latch points, and they're generally made to fit either way. No need to pull the cylinders or anything like that. Locksets that only fit one way are usually clearly marked as "l-h only" or "r-h only".

Gary

good. If the key's teeth point down, someday half a century down the road when one of the tumbler springs breaks or loses tension, you could be locked out of your house when one of the tumblers jams. If the teeth point up, then gravity will help the springs and as long as the lock isn't gummed up, it will open with the correct key even if there are

*no* springs inside.

nate

Hi mm,

Thank you for the advice.

Yes, I want the key to be "right side up". :) That means the flat part of the key blade is downward and the notched part of the key is upward.

If I rotate the whole lock/knob assembly 180 degrees laterally, the keyhole is on the INSIDE of the house instead of the OUTSIDE. If I rotate 180 degrees horzontally, I'd need a two-foot-long entry door latch coming out from the hinge side instead of a five-inch entry door latch protruducing from the door-lock side of the door. :)

I hope that explains things a bit. Good luck to you,

Hi there Stormin Mormom, I do appreciate your expert advice.

The old lock jammed probably because the old five-inch long entry latch bent inside somewhere.

So, just before Home Depot closed for the evening, I stopped by, asked for help, and picked up a four-lock set (two deadbolts and two entry lock knobs) for about fifty dollars. I figured it would take all of a half hour to replace something as "simple" as a lock (I know.... I know ... it wasn't so simple in the end but I didn't know that so it didn't play into my decision tree).

To be frank, I could have bought just one lock or even just one five-inch latch. The main reason I didn't buy just the latch is that I didn't know what else would break so I wanted to replace the whole configuration. The main reason I bought four locks instead of just one is I wanted to do a good job by replacing them all, instead of just repairing the one broken entry lock. I want one key for the whole house (including deadbolts and entry knobs).

I started the job by nightfall assuming it would be done before dinner and as you can tell, it was midnight before I finally gave up for the night.

I guess I COULD have called a locksmith to install the four locks, but they'd have to get here before midnight to do me any good. Again, since I erroneously believed the "fits all doors" and "easy installation" claims of the package, I erred by not realizing that it didn't fit all doors (not without removing the cylinder) and the installation instructions were silent on this key task!

In the end, I simply installed a new five-inch latch and put the old lock back on. It's not as good a job, but I will have to get the right tool first.

Thank you for your expert advice.

My intention was to replace the lock and deadbolt on the outside door

Hi Stormin Mormom,

Thank you for your advice. I will try to buy the one-dollar cylinder-reversing tool that is described at

Following those instructions, I was easily able to pop out the center shaft but I was unable, with a screwdriver, to pop out the cylinder.

I assume I can pick up the cylinder removal tool at a local hardware store?

I took the advice of the Home Depot salesman. I didn't inherently have any gut feelings either way for Yale, Schlage, Kwikset, etc.

I do now have a very bad instinctive "feeling" about Kwikset. Basically, they lied blatantly on their package. That puts them at the very bottom of the pile now for me as that shows they don't have any ethics.

That in and of itself does not mean their locks are any worse than the competition. It just means I deplore their marketing practices and I can easily vote with my dollars in another direction.

The key question is whether the OTHER manufacturers are as bad? Are they?

Which manufacture is most honest about how "easy" it is to install their locks in the proper configuration?