Potentially dumb question. Are old brass door hinges, solid brass or just steel with a brass coating.
I have been stripping layers of paint with the hope of reusing them. They are about 50 years old (original to the original door and jambs which is the same age). There are about 16 pairs in total.
When I strip off all the paint, I’m left with what appears to be a brass hinge and obviously worth saving, except the pin is steel and the “brass” coating on the top of the pin has worn away. Also the brass coating on the hinges has a couple of areas that have been worn away and/or the coating can be scratched off.
So are these truly “brass hinges” worth saving?
Thanks,
Tark
Edited 11/4/2007 11:24 pm by Tark
Replies
Tark,
Get up from computer, walk to fridge, get magnet, walk to hinge and touch with magnet. Now you know!
Bill
I don't mean to be naive, but if a magnet sticks to the hinge then its steel, hence not solid brass and of course not really worth saving. Do I have that right?And for the record. . .a magnet does stick to the hinges. . .
Edited 11/5/2007 12:30 am by Tark
".a magnet does stick to the hinges. . ."Then you've got plated hinges. Nothing wrong with that. If they're really cool hinges with a lot of detail and you want the brass look, you can have them re-plated. We did it all the time back in old Brooklyn where the Victorian brownstones have all kinds of fancy hinges. One guy did them in silver on the parlor floor of his home.
Thanks Jer. The only really attractive part of the hinge was the detail on top of the pin, kind of a ornamental round top. But aside from that, I don't know enough to re-plate nor do I think the cost is worth it either. The hinges have about 4 - 5 layers of paint on them. If there were truly brass hinges, they would be worth it, but now. . . .
If you decide to reuse them, & don't want to spend $$$ replating them, go to a craft store & get a little jar or tube of brass-colored wax. You rub it on, buff it, and - instant brass good enough to fool everybody but me.
Not good for items that get heavy wear, like doorknobs, but great for hinges & other items that don't get handled much.
Right, you have steel hinges. As noted by Jer, they may be worth saving, or maybe not. Fancy details, robust construction, uniqueness, weird sizing, all of these could make them worth saving. Or maybe not. If they are generic plated hinges in worn out condition, it will be cheaper/easier to just replace them.Bill
Good way to clean them without strippers is boil them in water.
Mike
Trust in God, but row away from the rocks.
use a crock pot overnight and skip the stripper
My wife would be so p*ssed at me if I used her crock pot. I'll end up sleeping on the couch for a week. . .usually where I get my best sleep btw, but still. . .These are standard 3.5" square corner hinges. Nothing that special about them now that I know there not solid brass. I'm buying new.Thanks everyone!