Where to Buy Odd Sized Antique Rim Locks
Sometimes, when restoring a house or moving into an older house you may need to replace missing rim locks. While it may be fairly easy to locate standard sized antique rim locks, it is a bit more difficult to find odd sized locks. Also, if it really is an unusual dimension you may need to be prepared to pay around $200 for one, as they are far scarcer than regular sized locks so be prepared. It is unlikely that you would find a cheaper reproduction antique lock if it is an unusual size so you may have to buy an original antique brass or Victorian rim lock instead.
One of the first places to start looking is on eBay or other auction sites. You may even want to try some local auction sites, especially in areas where there are a lot of older style housing. Another option is to advertise for what you need on Craigslist, as sometimes you will find that people have items yet they would never think of actually advertising them, including old front door locks.
You can also look out for local auctions. Chances are if your house has that type of rim lock other houses made around the same time, in the same area may also have used similar locks especially if they bought their locks from the same locksmith. Antique stores also often have these types of items; again search your local antique stores first before searching further abroad.
There are some online antique sites that will actually search their inventory for items if you request it. You could try contacting some of these sites to see if they have anything in stock that you could use. You may have to pay a small fee to have them do the search for you, however if it unearths the lock you have been searching for it would be well worth the small fee paid.
On a final note, if you need additional copies of the key made you may have to almost pay as much for the key as you pay for the lock. For example, if you end up paying $200 for a lock you may have to pay an additional $150 to have the right type of key made for it. It can be quite expensive to replace a missing rim lock in an old house, although it certainly does add to the charm of the house if you are able to.