Blanket Chest Hardware

[Dave Jeske]

I am trying to find cracks of time to work on my daughter's 16th birthday present which is hope chest. Her birthday is the 28th of this month and I am still working on the design details! Oh well, perhaps for Christmas or her 17th Birthday :(. The chest will be of frame and panel construction including the lid. I am in search of nice hardware for it. I would like the lid to open and not be able to crash down by accident so I am looking for stop hinges, quadrant hinges, torsion hinges, etc but I am not really finding what I want. Most of the nice brass hinges such as Brusso seem too small for a larger chest (40 inches wide and 20 inches deep). Am I missing something in my searching? I am also looking at locks and Horton Hardware has a nice looking half mortise lock. Has anyone used one and could comment on it? Thanks for any help or guidance. I think I am going to give her a sketch for her birthday.
Dave Jeske

[Robert Rozaieski]

Try searching for child's toybox hinges. I don't have a source off the top of my head but I know that I've seen soft close hinges large enough for a good sized toybox that hold the lid open when fully open and are soft close so that the hinges don't slam closed on little fingers.

[David Keller NC]

I am trying to find cracks of time to work on my daughter's 16th birthday present which is hope chest. Her birthday is the 28th of this month and I am still working on the design details! Oh well, perhaps for Christmas or her 17th Birthday :(. The chest will be of frame and panel construction including the lid. I am in search of nice hardware for it. I would like the lid to open and not be able to crash down by accident so I am looking for stop hinges, quadrant hinges, torsion hinges, etc but I am not really finding what I want. Most of the nice brass hinges such as Brusso seem too small for a larger chest (40 inches wide and 20 inches deep). Am I missing something in my searching? I am also looking at locks and Horton Hardware has a nice looking half mortise lock. Has anyone used one and could comment on it? Thanks for any help or guidance. I think I am going to give her a sketch for her birthday.
Dave Jeske

Dave - Based on the size, and if this is a period reproduction blanket chest, Brusso hinges (i.e., leaf hinges) would not be appropriate anyway, at least if you're going for authenticity. Such chests would have had strap hinges. There are several good alternatives - if you want authenticity (although at a high price), the blacksmithed Horton strap hinges are utterly authentic. However, Lee Valley sells sets of oxidized strap hinges at a much, much lower price, as well as "pyramid screws" to go in them. I'd note that pyramid screws aren't authentic, they are designed to give the appearance of wrought rose-head nails with the convenience and ease of installation of a screw.

For lid stays, the ultimate is the one that Lee Valley sells. It stands out as a modern "addition" to a period reproduction, but they work extremely well, and the soft-close feature is mesmerizing:

http://www.leevalley.com/hardware/page.aspx?c=2&p=40596&cat=3,41427,41390

Any stay other than a leather strap, cord or chain is not a period attribute to colonial pattern blanket chests (and these are just to keep the hinges from breaking out, not preventing pinched fingers), but I include them for the same reason that you state.

If this is a modern design, for convenience and low cost you might consider the solid brass leaf hinges that Brainerd makes for Home Depot and Lowes (though you must be careful to read the package that they're solid brass and not plated steel).

[Dave Jeske]

Thank You David.
This is not really a reproduction of anything but rather my "own" design. It may be similar to or influenced by any number of blanket chests I have seen in the past but I am not following any particular design that I know of. The period style strap hinges I have seen are usually used with a solid top. Mine will be of frame and panel construction. I think the strap hinges would not look appropriate on that style of lid. Thanks for the link to the Lee Valley closer. I had not seen that before. Since this is somewhat of an heirloom type of thing I want to use good quality hardware. Now if only I can actually make an heirloom quality piece! I plan on using electrons for the major grunt work but will put all the details and finish work with hand tools. Of course, I need to find a few new handtools to complete the project!
Dave

[Dave Jeske]

Rockler sells some nice torsion style hinges but they are made to "fold" around 3/4" stock and mine will be thicker than that. They still may work if I mortised them in.
Dave

[David Keller NC]

Some of the very early period chests were frame and panel. Many of them have snipe hinges, but quite a few have strap hinges - the frames in the lid are laid out so that the straps mount to the stiles in the panel. Note that on almost all of these chests, the hinges are on the inside of the lid - outside strap hinges are sort of a modern idea unless one goes back to medieval chests, which were heavily bound in black iron.

Anyway, Some of the leaf brass hinges available on Lee Valley's hardware site, as well as Horton, White Chapel, and Ball&Ball that are designed for smaller doors might fit your need. One other likely place that's often overlooked by woodworkers is marine hardware dealers, which often have very high quality brass hardware designed for extreme rugged use.

Finally, you might consider making pintle hinges out of wood. When well done, these look really good to my eye, and the price is right - just labor.

[Jim Rimmer]

I used the Rockler torsion hinges on a blanket chest and loved 'em. They are made for 3/4 stock so your extra thickness may be a problem but they are great finger savers.

[Dave Jeske]

They do look intriguing. If I mortise them into the frame they may just work.
Dave