Please, please, please do NOT replace your knobs with new hardware. Those knobs belong to that house. It would be a horrible shame to lose that originality and character. I would contact someone who specializes in restoring (not updating) old homes. They will be able to help you solve your dilemma. Nicole Curtis The Rehab Addict would be the perfect person to ask. You might be able to email her for a solution. Also you might check with a locksmith who specializes in antique hardware.

VIsiting Nana here and also locked in. They turned the knobs around also and do a semi annual screw check. An aside: family visit from New Zealand, 4 year old boy loved knob so much, he smuggled it into his suitcase! It was returned and now has a world traveler history! Please keep them. You can always duct tape the latch mechanism.

We had French doors in our old home and merely changed the locking mechanism. The knobs did not turn and we had magnets placed on the top that held the closed door in place. They closed and kept shut perfectly. We merely pulled them and they opened. You probably would not do this in a bathroom but this system could be used in rooms where there wasn't a need to lock the doors. Hate to see you replace these, just so beautiful. I have one of these displayed on a bookcase. It was taken from my childhood home before it was sold. A treasure.

We have the same issue. My old school contractor said to trade out the bedroom door knobs with the closet door knobs. These knobs will have had less use and will work better. You may also go to a salvage yard and get some matching knobs that are in better shape.

Try wrapping the threads with waxed dental floss in the direction they tighten, then screw them in. The was binds together where the floss overlaps itself, sticking to the screws. This is a great trick when locktite seems too extreme. I use it on my camper for screws that shake loose due to road vibration. Also a great trick for boats!

They're not much use in the house but make nice little quirky garden flowers when attached to a plastic garden rod.

Don't give up those beautiful knobs!

I have similar door knobs and have had the same problem. Mine are made of soft brass, the knob part and the screw that goes in to it, and most of the threads are stripped. Try finding a machinist friend and see if they can re-tap the holes for you. You'll have to get the next size screw that will fit, and use a light thread locker when you put it back together. I took mine to work and fixed them myself. Now they work great! Good luck!

Our 1925 colonial had doors with these knobs. I never wanted to make our home the way it originally was. I put new doors with handles on all but 3 closet doors because they happened to be in great shape and had the prettiest knobs and I did want to keep just a little of the history. One of them has already turned purple on one side and is getting that way on the inside knob. It's gorgeous. Since I don't use them regularly I don't have a lot of trouble with them loosening. But when they do, it is def important to screw them on the way the right way. And there is a right way. :) PS we had to do so much demo before we could even start on a reno that we dug a huge pit at the back of our place and burned about a dozen full pits. When my husband saw that I was keeping some of the knobs he said "I wish I had known that because I burned a bunch of them with old doors from the barn because you said you didn't want anything "antique". " AAAggghhh.

As a former locksmith and with 20+ years in the hardware industry in New England I have never seen a glass knob that does not scew onto a threaded knob spindle. The most common type will have a knob screw which is a special thread that srews into the splidle itself. The knob will be locked in place only in 180degree increments. There would be spacers on the spidle to prevent the knob from rattleing in the bolt mechanism.
On newer replacement glass knobs they would use a set screw, again a special knob thread, that allows the knob to be locked on the spindle in 90 degree increments with spacers.
It is possible and probable that over the years the threads on the spindle, knob screw, set screw or knob have been damaged from constant tightening. You can get replacements from a good hardware store (NOT a big box. They will not know what you are talking about) or locksmith. We are talking anywhere from 50 cents to $5 per door for repairs.
Last case scenario is to tap new threads and use conventional screws.

As much as I believe in preserving things from the past, sometimes it just comes down to calling it quits and just replacing the item. I think you've received a lot of good ideas above, and you have certainly put in a lot of effort already. But I agree with the person who suggested Emtek knobs. I replaced all cheap ugly knobs in my house with the Emtek glass knobs. They are beautiful and they won't break the budget. They come in a variety of finishes to match whatever else you have in the house.

have the same type of knobs and during a reno, we kept some but had to add new ones and their is a glass know, similar that is still available--but the mechanism works! I am in Canada, so I am sure you would also have it available. You can see what I am referring to on www.kent.ca and search for glass door knob

Be careful if you choose to replace with new! Our home is only 30 yrs. old and when we recently had all our doorknobs professionally replaced with new ones, oh my!, the contractor had a very difficult time. He said the knobs were sized/scaled differently than he expected. Luckily for us, it was all included as part of a larger job bid, so our cost wasn't affected.

Take the screw out use a drill and drill hole/indent into shift and set the screw

Have you tried using plumber's tape? We have successfully used it on stripped screws.

Find a store that carries vintage hardware, and ask them what to do... try very hard not to switch them out. There is a store on Labrea, not far from the Labrea bakery in Los Angeles, but unfortunately I can't think of the name right now.

Remove one of the set screws, take it to a good hardware store and get replacements. At 90 years old, the current screws are on their last leg! Replace all the set screws and see how it works! Or, hit Google, start here: http://www.houseofantiquehardware.com/antique-door-hardware

This has been eye opening. Thanks to all. These knobs add both charm and value to your house. I hope you can take advantage of the pros suggestions and make this work for you.

For glass knobs try Merlin Glass. They made knobs for me and sent them in a week or so. They have a great App and the owners are very nice and very tuned in to doing special orders.

I'd try the loctite....The last option would be to replace.

If you do get new screws, try the places like Restoration Hardware & get the brass, single slotted screws. Phillips are all wrong for vintage fixtures!

I have the glass knobs too, but with different escutcheons. Mine stay put pretty well.

Hope the loctite, or maybe an eopxy, can do the trick. It's not as tho you're going to be removing them once they're in place, and after several years they will need a touch up, so it's not an "absolute" permanent thing.

you can use piping tape on the tread to keep them tight...had the same problem. .

Keep the knobs. We have 100 year old porcelain knobs in our house and there just isn't a suitable faux substitute. I have fixed dozens of these with a very simple procedure. I guarantee this will work.

Some shafts have countersunk holes drilled in them that should match the location of the set screws in the knobs. Over time these can get rotated out of position and ignored. Check the shaft to see if these holes exist. MOST older shafts are just smooth square stock.

The fix: You'll need a square metal file (or a small grinder like a Dremel tool with a small cut-off wheel), tin foil, Loctite Blue (available at ANY auto parts store), some lipstick and some patience.

You're going to mark the location of the set screws and put a notch into the square shaft - thereby locking the knobs onto the shaft even if the set screws come loose (this will also work for stripped threaded shafts).

Start by remove one single knob - leaving one knob attached to the shaft that's still in the door. Remove the set screw from the removed knob and put the knob back on the shaft with the set screw hole facing UP. Push both knobs towards each other so that they fit the thickness of the door snuggly. Put a liberal amount of lipstick on the tip of the set screw and run the set screw back into the UP facing knob. Remove the set screw and remove the knob.

You have just transferred the set screw location to the square metal shaft as accurately as possible. You're now going to file - or grind - a square notch into the soft metal shaft so that the set screw will go down into that notch and the knob can no longer pull off the shaft - even if the screw is loose. You can do this while the shaft is still IN the door, BUT, I'd recommend removing the knob/shaft combo and doing it on a work bench/flat surface. The idea here is to make the notch the same width of the set screw. This is what the lipstick transfer will tell you - location and width of the set screw.

The depth of your notch should be about the thickness of a nickel. If you're using a square file - purchase a file with a width that is close to the diameter of the set screw - typically 1/4" wide. Make sure that your notch is centered over the lipstick mark and start filing away. Stay square to the shaft and file about 1/2 the depth of a nickel. Now, repeat the procedure of transferring the lipstick mark - put the knob back on, add more lipstick to the set screw and run it in one more time. This will help keep your notch location correct and accurate. You'll immediately see where the set screw is in relation to your emerging notch. Adjust notch as necessary. Stay conservative - you can always file more later.

Once you have your first notch dialed in, the test is to LOOSELY run in the set screw and see if you can pull off the knob. If done correctly - you will NOT be able to - the set screw is now down in its own secure pocket. Repeat this procedure for all the knobs in your house. By knob three - you'll have this down to under 10 minutes per knob.

Once the notches are done - you'll have enough familiarity with the each knob and set screw to know if any of the set screws are loose. If there are any - take a piece of tin foil about the size of a penny and wrap it up and over the threads of the set screw - like a mini-cupcake tin. Threads only. Work the tin foil around the threads with a finger nail, trim the excess with cuticle scissors. You have now got notched shafts and solid set screws.

When replacing a completed set of two knobs and one shaft - rotate everything so that the set screws face DOWN. No point in seeing them. The final step - add a drop of Loctite Blue to the set screw, run it up into the knob and tighten.

About once a year I have to retighten a knob.

Your problem is not that the knobs are glass but, rather, that the old hardware is either shot or in need of repair. Repairs are possible but complex and expensive and hard to find parts or people to do the work. You can get replacements at RH or elsewhere. I like the Baldwin products, although they are more expensive. Unlacquered brass, milk white, or even black are all knobs of the same period. We have a lot of old hardware also, and are replacing almost everything with new on the advice of our contractor and architect who are very knowledgeable about old houses. You can get an almost identical look but now everything will work and for a long time. Good luck.

Genious, bushido1! I will ask my fiance to follow these exact steps for our closet door knob. Thanks so much. The diagram makes total sense.

bushido, thanks so much for the diagram and advice.

My parents house had the old glass knobs, and one in particular was always loose or the shaft was bad, and my now husband was forever having the knob come off in his hand. We were all used to it and thought that was the price you pay to live in a nice old home. He did not agree at all and would get mad whenever it happened.

Locative Jon the set screw threads

Love them either they work or not. Send them to me!

maybe you can try Silacone in a tube It is used on boats to mount the motors When you it on the knobs make sure you let it set to dry good. Hope it works

Perhaps a few coats of clear nail polish over the top of the screwed in nails to seal them.
Hope you find a way to save them as they are beautiful!

For further advice on how to deal with this problem without sacrificing the beauty and integrity of your original door hardware, try sending your question to the experts at www.oldhouseonline.com. This is the online site for the publisher of "Old House Journal,' a great publication for those of us who love and/or live in old houses and find ourselves dealing with their various quirks and problems. Once at the online site, you might also consider clicking on their "old house community" link and posting your question there for other readers to answer. Hope that's helpful!

katonah hardware!

These old knobs are really nice and the design is really rather simple. Tighten the set screw down on the flat part of the shaft. Then when you open the door, ALWAYS TURN THE KNOB CLOCKWISE whether the knob is on the left or right side of the door. Each time you turn it counter-clockwise, you are loosening the knob. Unlike modern stuff, the old locks were made to be repaired, so you can replace worn parts without having the replace the whole unit.

Old glass doorknobs are constructed by crimping a steel or brass piece to the base of the glass knob. That metal piece is what is fastened to the spindle, either by screwing it on a treaded spindle (and then tightening a setscrew) or pinning it to the spindle with a screw that treads through base and into the spindle. If the glass is spinning inside the metal base, there may not be much you can do other than replace the knob. If it's the knob spinning on the spindle, Loctite can help to keep the setscrew from loosening, as has been suggested many times above. There's no way to tighten the base to the glass, but you (theoretically) might be able to drill a hole and inject some epoxy between the glass and the metal to stop if from spinning. There are a number of manufacturers who make replacement knobs, but you have to be careful that the diameter of the base matches the hole in the rose.

My house is over 100 yrs old and most of our doors have these glass door knobs.. Without having to read all of the comments, does anyone know where I could find these knobs on the market?

The house I grew up in had these beautiful glass knobs, some of which had the problem described above. There is lots of good advice here about how to solve the issue. I just wanted to add a lovely remark made by one of my younger cousins, that she told us a few years ago. She said she always liked visiting Aunt Eileen's house because of the "diamond doorknobs". I always remember them that way now.

Mark where the set-screw lines up with the post and drill through or into the post so the screw can go into the hole. Make the hole deep enough that the screw goes into it by a significant amount. May have to get longer screw but then even if it loosens, it will still turn the lockset.

I like O'Brien's suggestion best. One thing that I have done in the past is find the setting of the handle, and then find a longer set screw. Mark the shaft, drill it and find a setscrew that will go into the shaft making it impossible for it to spin back off. If the threads on the shafts are stripped out replace them first.

There is someone in a huge online store that makes new glass knobs that are authentic. I outfitted and renovated an old house with these after the former owner installed French doorknobs in brass. House was built in 1855.

Thanks for this question! I have been dealing with this for years now and am constantly worried that one of our guests will get stuck in their rooms at our bed and breakfast. We replaced the inside hardware (the connecting bar and screws) with new, however the problem still exists, so don't waste your money doing this. $160 dollars for 7 sets. I just did what Jennifer suggested, wrapping waxed dental floss clockwise around the threads of the screws and screwing them back in. I don't know how well it will work, but the idea is genius. It was very easy to do and no fumes to inhale or worry about getting it on my skin.

You can get replacement handles at Home Depot for $20 with a new spindle. Real glass like the originals. A slot lock is only 15 and fits the mortised hole of the original lock perfectly. This whole conversation is really no big deal...easy fix for the exact replacement.

sorry, it is only $10. http://www.homedepot.com/p/Prime-Line-2-in-Classic-Bronze-Fluted-Glass-Door-Knob-E-2537/203563870?MERCH=REC-_-SearchPLPHorizontal1-3-_-NA-_-203563870-_-N

I am totally overwhelmed.

1. I feel AWESOME knowing that so many other people have the same issue. Ha! Misery really does love company. I really like the knobs. :)

2. I now have a HUGE list of things to try. I'm going to start at the top and see if I can make something work.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

The shafts of the glass door knobs should be replaced if worn where the set screw contacts the shaft. You might try using Plumber's teflon tape to eliminate the gap thus tightening the knob. The other thing to note is that there are GLASS door knobs that are of less value than the CRYSTAL door knobs which are MORE VALUABLE as they refract sunlight in a prism effect on surrounding walls.

......get back to us and tell us what works, Emily Hurley.

I know this is an old thread, but if you are still looking for solutions, I recommend the kind and knowledgeable folks at the door store, in Toronto. They repaired my front door lock and it works perfectly. http://thedoorstore.ca/

We tell our customers to use lock tight on the hex screws that attach the door knobs to the spindle. No matter what, with use, these screws on knobs will come loose - it's the nature of the beast! A little bit of lock tight should do the trick. Also, if you are thinking about replacing the knobs --- please check us out! We carry a wide variety of beautiful crystal door knobs (not glass) in vintage styles that will retrofit to your original hardware. Nostalgic Warehouse

I have tried replacing with a replica from Lowes or Home Depot (can't remember) but they work the same way and do the same thing. I will definitely try the Lock Tight.

Hello,

I know this is an old thread, but, as anyone seen one of these old doorknobs, that doesn't have a second knob on the other side? I don't know how to replace the spindle without then having to find a second class door knob to match (I haven't seen any replacement spindles with a notch on it like this one). I love these door knobs and want to keep it as original as possible, but I can't stand getting locked out of my bedroom.

Thank you!

Heat shrink tubing

Thanks for sharing a nice blog on antique glass knob