B737 CAPT WAS INFORMED BY FA THAT DOOR 1R WOULD NOT CLOSE PROPERLY. MAINT WAS CALLED AND ONE OF MECHANICS 'SIGNED OFF' THE DISCREPANCY WITH THE PROBLEM NOT SOLVED.

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PRIOR TO DEP; 'A' FLT ATTENDANT NOTIFIED ME (CAPT) THAT THEY WERE HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE R1 DOOR. DOOR HANDLE COULD BE MOVED TO FULL CLOSED POS; HOWEVER A SUBSTANTIAL GAP COULD BE OBSERVED AROUND THE EDGE; IE; DAYLIGHT. ENOUGH FOR A SMALL RODENT TO CRAWL THROUGH. I MADE A MAINT LOGBOOK ENTRY TO THIS EFFECT. SINCE A MAINT TECHNICIAN WAS ALREADY OUT AT THE ACFT; HE ATTENDED TO THE PROB WITH THE DOOR. HE QUICKLY RPTED THAT 'WE WERE NOT GOING ANYWHERE WITH THIS ACFT.' I CONTINUED MY PREFLT DUTIES; JUST IN CASE SOMETHING CHANGED. AFTER A WHILE; A DIFFERENT MAINT TECHNICIAN APPEARED IN THE COCKPIT. HE ASKED WHAT THE PROB WAS; AND I TOLD HIM. UNKNOWN TO ME AT THE TIME; WAS THE 'A' FLT ATTENDANT'S OBSERVANCE OF THE FIRST AND SECOND TECHNICIAN WORKING WITH THE DOOR; TRYING TO GET IT TO CLOSE PROPERLY. ALLEGEDLY; THE FIRST MECH REFUSED TO SIGN OFF THE DOOR. MECH X PRETENDED TO NOT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE PROB; AND THAT HE JUST SHOWED UP. A LIE; IN MY OPINION. AFTER WORKING WITH THE DOOR; HE SIGNED OFF THE LOGBOOK. I'M HAPPY; BUT WENT BACK TO CHK THE OP OF THE DOOR. DOOR DID STILL NOT WORK PROPERLY. FLT ATTENDANTS OBSERVED THAT IT TOOK A SECOND HAND PUSHING AGAINST THE DOOR; WITH MAYBE A LITTLE NHL STYLE HIP CHK TO GET THE DOOR TO SEAT PROPERLY. UNACCEPTABLE TO ME. AS MECH X STARTED TO BERATE ME IN FRONT OF PAX (THEY INTEND TO SEND A LETTER TO COMPANY); I MOVED THE CONVERSATION TO THE JETWAY. I WAS INFORMED THAT HE HAD BEEN OPERATING THESE DOORS FOR 20 YRS; AND THAT I (AND OTHER PLTS) DID NOT KNOW HOW TO OPERATE THEM. STRONG CONVERSATION IN JETWAY. CALLED FODO; ENTERED NEW WRITE-UP AND THE JET GOT FIXED; PROPERLY. ATTITUDE OF THIS MECH IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE HERE. SEVERAL OTHER SUPVRS AGREED. SO DID THIRD MECH; WHO CAME OVER FROM HANGAR. DON'T CARE IF HE GETS FIRED OR PROMOTED; BUT I WOULD LIKE THE OBVIOUS SAFETY ISSUE RESOLVED. INFORM ANY MECHS IN NEED OF TRAINING; THAT; ALTHOUGH THE CAPT OF THE ACFT IS NOT A MECH; HE MIGHT KNOW HOW DOORS WORK. CAPTS MIGHT INDEED BE INTERESTED IN FLYING AN AIRWORTHY ACFT. ALL THE PAX INSIST UPON IT.