Cast Iron Oitomi Door Lock

This is a hand-cast iron lock for a sliding or hinged door, a weighty, tactile way to secure a pantry, a bathroom, a closet, a studio, or an outdoor wooden gate. It comes in two parts: the main lock body, with a bolt that slides side to side, and a separate piece called the strike, which receives the bolt to lock the door. The strike is recessed into the door or wall so it sits flush with the surface.

The lock body is cast iron, finished with tea tannin and beeswax, and the strike is forged iron. Both are made by Oitomi, a foundry in Mizusawa, Iwate that has worked in cast iron since 1848. The design is by Nobuo Araki of The Archetype.

Installation notes:
- On a hinged door, the lock body mounts on the door and the strike is recessed into the wall.
- On a sliding door, the positions reverse: the lock body mounts on the wall and the strike is recessed into the door. The bolt enters the strike on the door at a 90-degree angle, so the door must close at the end of a wall, with the door and wall meeting at a right angle. It cannot be used on a sliding door that runs along the middle of a wall.
- The strike is recessed with its opening facing the bolt.
- Check the alignment so the bolt enters the strike smoothly. The bolt moves 18mm.

Measurements:
W 3.9" × D 1" × H 1.2" (100 × 25 × 30mm)
Slide travel: 0.7" (18mm)