Door knob

A door knob is a round handle you grip to open or close the door. It can turn, in which case it moves the latch just as a lever handle would, or be fixed, in which case it is only for pulling the door.

On many front doors the outside knob is fixed and the lever handle is on the inside. That way, from the street the door can only be opened with a key, even when it is only on the latch. Turning knobs are more common on internal doors, in bathrooms and bedrooms, sometimes with a privacy lock.

If you are replacing an outside knob, make sure it is solid and firmly fixed, because it is a part that gets gripped hard every day and, on the coast, takes a beating from the salt air. You will find it in handles and knobs.