Crazy Knobs

I’ve worked in hardware; I’ve worked in maintenance.  I’ve sold many, many different kinds of doorknobs; I’ve installed doorknobs; I’ve fixed doorknobs.  But, I had never seen a doorknob like this before.

Two and a half years I’ve lived in my fabulous little apartment and just the other day I accidentally discovered that I can lock the front door from the inside.  I thought it only had a deadbolt and chain for inside-locking.  From the outside,  I knew I could use a key to lock the deadbolt and the doorknob.  Two lock options inside; two lock options outside.  Seemed decent to me.

Then I was fiddling around with the knob while saying goodbye to Short Fabulous (whose goodbyes are never short) and I discovered I could lock the door from the inside!  There’s no button, no little switch, nothing on the knob itself, just a bump.  But, if you turn the knob while pushing it in, voila! locked. 

Short Fabulous was not impressed by my discovery.  Neither was Mr. Trizzle who placidly stated that he was familiar with such doorknobs when I tried to explain my astonishment with bubbling exclamations and half-sentences.  Apparently those doorknobs are quite common out here.

Bump on the knob

 

Unlocked

 

Locked

I’m excited to have learned something new, but I am also rather worried.  It is possible to lock myself out of the apartment now.