Replacing Closet Door Pulls

[cmillsap]

Many models of Wanderlodges are equipped with the same closet door pull that is shown in the pic below. If your closet doors start to get hard to open it will put a lot of stress on the door pull handles and will result in a handle breaking if you are not careful. Tightening the door hinge screws and adjusting the top & bottom door latches will help the doors open more easily and save your existing door pulls.

These door pulls are getting scarce. I have been told that the Japanese manufacturer no longer makes them and availability is limited to stock on hand which is only in a brilliant chrome finish. As luck would have it, mine are plated in a brilliant bronze/gold.

Parliament still have some of the chrome door pulls in stock so I bought two. So I now have to decide if I will have the two re-chromed to match the other ones I have or replace the pull on the opposing door to match or just live with one pull with a different finish.

The next problem was how to remove the broken door pull from the door. I read about several ways that had been used to remove it as it is inserted into the door and becomes flush with the outside of the door. I decided to use a heat gun to heat up the door pull and soften the adhesive that holds it in place. I applied heat to the pull for about two minutes and used a pair of needle nosed pliers to tug on the door pull which didn't move. There is a cross member that the handle rests against in the door pull that makes for a handy place to tug on. I applied heat for another two minutes and repeated tugging on the door pull with the pliers. After about a minute of tugging on the pull it popped out.

So if you ever need to replace a closet door pull, I highly recommend using this procedure to remove and replace it.

[al perna]

thank you Chuck , this info will make me a hero one day for sure to the wife that is