"Princess" door handle question

[MtnBURN]

Hey all.

Apologies if this is redundant. I could only find one thread mentioning this and it was "closed for further replies".

Is the (pricey) door handle replacement ($170 or so) the only way to fix a loose door handle? Can the handle be taken apart and the "race" inside replaced... or is it a full on wallet drain/you have to buy a new handle? It's only held together via a split pin that should be able to be knocked out and the race replaced. (????)

Gotta say that the recommended "high density" gaskets are really hard on these handles. I have a spare handle from a door that was sent as a replacement for one that was damaged along the way...but I have 3 BK Princess stoves and all of em are loosening here in the same fashion. I can still get a good seal...but it's weaksauce that these handles are wearing out after 7 years. Should be an easily replaceable/fairly inexpensive part.

Any help appreciated...

 

[Highbeam]

I would question why you are blowing through door handles on three stoves. Are you overtightening?

 

[MtnBURN]

I don't think so...but hey... never say never. (I've historically tightened til a dollar bill won't slide through anywhere)

I think it started when I used high density gasketing as recommended here. The damn door would barely close. Thought I might break the hinges off before i got the hinge side to offer any give at all. Right or wrong...I've since gone to medium density and it works very well. However...the handle in my most used stove (house) is very loose. I'll replace it with the spare (new) handle off of the broken door I ended up with...but wondered how to fix the other 2 when the time comes. I was a machinist for a bit and it seems whack that you'd have to buy the entire assembly rather than the race but I've yet to see any other option. Thus...my question. Are there parts/is this a replaceable item...or is the only option to buy a new handle?

 

[MtnBURN]

Thanks so much for all of the help folks!

 

[bholler]

Only option is buy a new handle but I to find this very odd. Quadrafire are the only stoves I see this with commonly but that's usually after 15 to 20 years

 

[Murray01]

I just replaced my door gasket with a BK OEM and had to back off the door catch, way too tight

 

[MtnBURN]

chit happens. It's a stove. Thanks for the info and for your experience @Murray01 .

I figured out a few days ago that you have to buy a new handle by looking around the Net for parts and by looking closer at the handle itself.

I also found what appears to be the same handle...offered as a replacement...for a far more reasonable price than BK is asking.

Does BK make the handle for the Princess or do they outsource them?

 

[Murray01]

Does BK make the handle for the Princess or do they outsource them?

I have no idea

 

[bholler]

chit happens. It's a stove. Thanks for the info and for your experience @Murray01 .

I figured out a few days ago that you have to buy a new handle by looking around the Net for parts and by looking closer at the handle itself.

I also found what appears to be the same handle...offered as a replacement...for a far more reasonable price than BK is asking.

Does BK make the handle for the Princess or do they outsource them?

My guess is they are outsourced. But that's a total guess

 

[BKVP]

We make our own handles. A couple of thoughts.

Carefully peel back the door rope gasket and using a ball-end allen wrench, make certain the nose block is tight to the door frame.

Second, we use two metals to avoid galling.

Third, you must reset the door latch tension each time you replace the door gasket.

Door handle replacement is in fact a very rare occurrence.

BKVP

 

[Highbeam]

I just replaced my door gasket with a BK OEM and had to back off the door catch, way too tight

I'm glad to hear you're using BK gasket as there is no equivalent. People calling out high density or medium density are trying to get by with the wrong part and will regret it. Fortunately, the BK gasket is reasonably priced.

Then there is a lot of variation with how you actually install a door gasket. Deep bed of silicone is thicker than a paper thin layer of "gasket cement" that somestill use. Then of course there is the stretch factor. Some folks bunch up the gasket and some stretch it. Even in the corners there is some technique to avoid localized bunching and the resulting thick spots.

Replacing door gaskets is not as easy as just slapping a new one in there from the hardware store. I would always expect to adjust (loosen) the latch when replacing the gasket. Otherwise, why did you replace the gasket?

 

[Murray01]

I used BK gasket because of reading this forum plus our local hardware store is a BK dealer. Our “new” stove was plugged full of creosote so I figured lets start off with OEM. Definitely wasn’t OEM gasket that was in there. Window gasket was frayed so might as well do both. Our local hardware store was cheaper than Amazon.ca and with Amazon I have no idea what I’m getting other than 7/8”.

 

[kborndale]

I used BK gasket because of reading this forum plus our local hardware store is a BK dealer. Our “new” stove was plugged full of creosote so I figured lets start off with OEM. Definitely wasn’t OEM gasket that was in there. Window gasket was frayed so might as well do both. Our local hardware store was cheaper than Amazon.ca and with Amazon I have no idea what I’m getting other than 7/8”.

If excessive creosote is your problem I can't see the gasket being your issue, a bad gasket normally would make it burn hotter and produce less creosote.

 

[Murray01]

If excessive creosote is your problem I can't see the gasket being your issue, a bad gasket normally would make it burn hotter and produce less creosote.

Agreed. Bringing the stove back to OEM. Creosote was/is operator error and lack of maintenance. Old cat with a 1” hole probably didn’t help. Handle is original, in keeping with the thread title.

 

[Jeff in Maine]

We make our own handles. A couple of thoughts.

Carefully peel back the door rope gasket and using a ball-end allen wrench, make certain the nose block is tight to the door frame.

Second, we use two metals to avoid galling.

Third, you must reset the door latch tension each time you replace the door gasket.

Door handle replacement is in fact a very rare occurrence.

BKVP

So just to jump in for a second, I discovered the 2 Allen Head screws BKVP is referring to were loose on my stove this fall. I just 2 minutes ago took my door to the work shop and using a small set of good quality needle nose vice grips grabbed the head of the Allen bolt and in small increments tightened them up.
One was backed off about 5 complete turns/ threads the other was maybe a 1/16 of one turn loose. I used some Blue loc-tite which is not the high temperature type but its what I had.
I also lubed the door hinge pins with some high temp anti-seize it closes like butter now and no more need at least today to adjust the door tension. The tension was off/ loose each of the last 2 seasons , however it was not the door tension that needed to be adjusted, it was the 2 small Allen head bolts in behind the gasket material that were the cause. When loose they allow the door latch to operate in an," off kilter" fashion sort of way causing you to think the door latch is a little loose and needs adjusting. I hope this helps. Jeff

 

[MtnBURN]

Thanks for the insightful input, Jeff. Much appreciated. I'll check that out when I replace the gaskets.

Couldn't find the receipt...but I'm fairly sure I bought the last gasket material from Midwest when I bought 2 cats from 'em about 3 years ago. Looking on their site now I don't see an OEM gasket listed. Yeah...I probably f*kk-ed up. Won't be the last time.

3 - 155.0186 OEM's on the way. Gonna snag a couple of new handles as well.

In an attempt to reduce my overall energy usage, I moved my greenhouse stove into the greenhouse last month. I originally had it in a shed next to the greenhouse...but that made me dependent on electricity to move the heat via fans. It was fun moving it by myself but I got it done. Them f'ers are heavy. Stove store in town is so busy they wouldn't even consider helping out. Saved me a $285 service call though...so that's good.

But they are coming out later this month to extend the pipe on the house stove from 12 to 16 ft. I'm doubting it will change the creosote buildup inside the stove that I clean out a few times a year (because all 3 stoves do it and all burn differently w/differing chimney heights/sq ft to heat/etc. )...but from reading here...it's just something else I seem to be doing wrong...LOL. Whatever. Kinda hard to run these stoves much above "low" when you are only heating 800 sq ft. so the buildup is a real thing....and the design is a bit whack with all of those extra spaces to fill up...but it is what it is.

Still love my stoves but like me...they aren't perfect. Try again tomorrow...

 

[MtnBURN]

FWIW....I disassembled the Princess handle. It's a push pin...as I suspected...easily knocked out of the handle shaft with the right punch. Once apart I see it's NOT a bushing...it's a rod w/2 washers...one on each side of the handle...that travels through the BRASS fitting that affixes to the door. Over time the brass wears...and the washer has somewhat waffled to mirror that wear....and that's where the wobble is.

I see multiple ways to address this...none of which involve a new handle.