I get what you mean about missing the old-school feel. I switched all my rentals to keyless for convenience, but honestly, the “thunk” of a solid lock does feel more secure. Tenants love the tech, though—less lockouts, fewer calls. Salvage yards are hit or miss for hardware, but sometimes you score something with real character. Those repro plates never look right to me either… they just don’t have the weight.
That “thunk” is half the reason I haven’t made the switch yet. Is it just nostalgia, or do those old locks actually hold up better? I keep wondering if a keyless pad would look totally out of place on my 1920s porch, or if I’m just being stubborn. Have you noticed any issues with the keyless ones in terms of weather or battery life? I keep picturing myself standing in the rain, phone dead, staring at a blinking keypad…
And yeah, salvage yards are a gamble. Found a brass knob last year that weighed more than my cat, but then the next time it was all hollow junk. Why do the repro plates always feel like they’re made of tinfoil? Maybe it’s just me, but I swear the old stuff just has more… presence. Do you think tenants even notice, or is it just us obsessing over the details?
That “thunk” really is satisfying, isn’t it? I get what you mean about the old hardware feeling more solid—there’s just something about the weight and finish that modern stuff can’t fake. I’ve had a keyless pad for about a year now, and honestly, battery life hasn’t been an issue (yet), but I do worry about it freezing up in the winter. As for looks, I was surprised how quickly I stopped noticing it, but I’m still not sure it fits the vibe of my 1930s door. Do you think there’s a way to blend new tech with vintage style, or is it always going to clash?
- Had the same dilemma with my 1920s bungalow—keyless pad looked out of place at first.
- Ended up swapping out the default faceplate for an oil-rubbed bronze finish. Helped it blend in a bit, though it’s never gonna look exactly like the old mortise lock.
- For winter, I’ve had mine freeze up once—quick blast with a hairdryer did the trick, but it’s a pain if you’re in a hurry. I started putting a little silicone spray around the edges before cold snaps. Not perfect, but helps.
- If you’re handy, some folks build a little wood cover or box that matches the door trim. Saw one where they used reclaimed wood and it looked pretty slick.
- Honestly, after a few months, I stopped noticing the clash. The convenience wins out most days, but yeah, sometimes I miss that heavy old latch. There’s just something about it...
I’ve run into the same aesthetic issue on a few of my rentals—those keyless pads just never quite blend in with older doors, no matter what finish you go with. I’ve had some luck tracking down vintage-inspired covers, but they’re not always practical if you want to keep things weatherproof. The freezing thing is real, especially up north. I’ve tried the silicone trick too, and once even wrapped a sock around the lock overnight during a cold snap—looked ridiculous but got the job done. In the end, most tenants love the convenience, and honestly, fewer lockouts has saved me a lot of headaches. Still, I get nostalgic for those old solid brass locks sometimes... they just felt right.
