To avoid trapped fingers the first thing to check is the distance from the edge of door to the center of the hole drilled for the lock. Make certain that it is long enough not to trap your fingers on turning the door knob. If the distance looks rather short, get a lever door handle instead.

There are a few sets of matching reclaimed door knobs available these days. If you have time to look around you might be lucky enough to find them. If not then you can always buy new ones. Companies like Drummonds produce exact replicas of beautiful original pieces.

There is a mouth watering quality of designs to select from if you are planning to purchase antique knobs. For that you do have to go out and search. And you also need to make sure that the antique door knobs will work. New door knobs are much simpler to install and naturally works better.

Style of door knobs is a matter of personal preference. You have to ask yourself whether you want the style of door knob to conform to the rest of house, or you wish the door knob to conform to the style just the door on which it is installed or you simply want to select the doorknob that you like whether it matches with its surroundings or not.

Door knobs and handles made of brass are the best. Brass has a big plus of not rusting or rotting. It is decorative and when polished acquires an attractive patina over time you can easily plate it for a silver or copper finish. Well polished knobs will get a wonderful patina if they are not lacquered.

Iron knobs need protecting except for pure black which is slow to rust. The most popular form of protection is to paint them, but ailing or waxing look more natural and wear to a nice patina over time.

Ebony and fruitwoods are traditional but modern looking; hardwoods are mainly utilized these days, often stained to look like ebony. Cracks in these knobs are generally not serious problems and mix with surroundings.

Ceramic or glass knobs generally have brass parts. You should watch for hairline cracks. Small cracks are harmless but serious cracks can cause lot of damage.

There is a Rim lock type of lock. In this a box is planted on the door that catches in a box on the door frame. The benefit of Rim lock is that it has knobs on both sides of the door. You have to be sure in your mind that this is the type of knob you want for your lock. If you wish slight alteration can be made.

As a device door handles are necessary to lock the doors and facilitate your entry inside or outside the house. Entering and exiting is comfortable with door handles around, so there is a premium attached to there being reliable 24/7.