Rusty Ornate Hinge Restoration - Copper Plating | Random Restoration

Welcome! In today's video I will be restoring a couple of old rusty ornate hinges, likely from the late 1800s. That's right, another day, another hardware restoration haha.
I started this hinge restoration, as per usual, with the disassembly of these rust covered hinges. Although this was quicker than usual, the hinge pins in each hinge were quite difficult to remove, both because they were rusty and had paint over the years seep down the hinge pins. That's okay in my books, as I always love a rusty restoration! These would have made your average squeaky hinge seem like nothing! Once Disassembled it was time for some rust removal. Since I don't have a sand blasting cabinet I use a rust remover - It's very effective and works great to remove rust from every hard to reach area. Instead of paint stripping using paint stripper, I let them sit in the rust remover for a week. This loosened up any remaining paint and allowed for easy paint removal.
Following this all parts were cleaned with an abrasive buff, wire wheeled and then it was time for sanding. Upon sanding down the rough pitted areas I noticed that no matter how much I sanded there was always a fine air pocked/bubble texture that ran throughout the entire hinge. As such, there was no way to mirror polish these parts, so I polished them as much as possible and that was that.
After all parts were polished as much as possible I decided to work on the hinge that had a broken hinge pin. I had to figure out how to repair the damage, and decided the best option for me (as I don't have a welder) would be an excessive quantity of body filler. With the hinge repair complete it was time to get the hardware ready for electroplating. I had to spend a huge amount of time cleaning the parts. Each one half hinge pin (there are four halves) took about two and a half hours to three hours to clean. In total, I spent approximately 12-15 hours cleaning all of the parts in preparation for electroplating.
I started by nickel plating the hardware, then I moved on to copper plating all of the parts. After this, I decided to paint the recessed area black. Painting the recessed areas was very common in old ornate door hardware, and it makes all of the intricate details pop. All of the parts were painted with a clear coat to protect them from tarnish. Then there was one last thing to do before assembling them: bluing the non-plated hinge pin. Bluing steel is always enjoyable to watch, unless you allow me to get an awful camera angle while doing it haha. Then it was time to get these beautiful antique hinges reassembled. This is always a very satisfying part to any restoration for me, as it's the trash to treasure moment, where you see the huge difference between the unrestored piece(s) and the freshly restored piece(s).
This is a restoration that I figured would go really quickly, but instead took way longer than anticipated to restore. Although I can't claim it to be a perfect restoration, maybe I can instead call it an awesome restoration? I'll let you decide haha.
Time Stamps:
0:00 Welcome!
0:25 Disassembly
1:59 Disassembly Complete
2:38 Paint Removal
3:06 Cleaning and Wire Wheeling
4:29 Sanding Rough Areas
5:28 Polishing
6:10 Questionable Repairs in Progress
7:04 Electroplating Prep
8:19 Electroplating
10:52 Painting Recessed Areas
13:30 Reassembly
14:53 Reassembly Complete
15:33 Before and After
16:23 Thanks for Watching!
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Thanks for watching the video Rusty Ornate Hinge Restoration - Copper Plating | Random Restoration

[@toriam15]

Wow, even the hinges were beautiful back in the 1800's!

[@randomrestoration6858]

Oh yeah, they made an impressive amount of different ornamental hardware back then! Thanks for watching!

[@PLuMUK54]

I've watched several of your videos now, and one thing that I have noticed is that whatever you restore is in a better condition than when it was made. I'm impressed how you remove the imperfections left by the manufacturer. It shows that antique does not always mean better.

[@randomrestoration6858]

Thanks! It definitely is pretty common to see imperfections in these old pieces. These hinges specifically were the most basic (and cheapest) option which were left as roughly cast pieces. There were sanded (sometimes called cut/ground in old catalogs) versions of these hinges that would have been a polished or finely polished finish, though they usually still had some imperfections like sanding marks visible. Thanks a lot for watching!

[@br6480]

The before and after shots are always amazing to me.❤❤

[@randomrestoration6858]

It’s always satisfying seeing the transformation! I always love editing that section of the video. Thanks as always for watching, and sorry for the late reply!

[@br6480]

@@randomrestoration6858 it’s all good. You do have life outside this channel after all.

[@valengreymoon5623]

Letter slot, lock set, and hinges. All that's needed is a nice antique door to finish off the collection.

[@randomrestoration6858]

Hahaha I sure do! It’s a bit of a shame seeing them lying around, so it’d be nice to finally find a spot for them in a proper door!

[@mattsherwoodandsteel1616]

I had the “ceylon” corbin locks and knobs and also these very hinges! I thought I made mine pretty decent, but yours look fresh as they would be from day one, 130 years ago! And you are hilarious without saying a word. Thank you!

[@randomrestoration6858]

Thank you so much, Matt! Very cool having both the Ceylon lock sets and these hinges. Now I need to guess another hardware item from your house to restore and see if I can make it 3/3 hahaha. Thanks again!

[@simonmuschamp4582]

Letter box ,handles and lock, now hinges...you've robbed a museum door haven't you! Nice job on the plating looked awesome.

[@randomrestoration6858]

I may have done just that, shhhh. Hahaha. Thank you for the kind words, Simon!

[@WorkshopDC]

They turned out so Pretty. I love copper plating, great job Bro! ♥️

[@randomrestoration6858]

Thanks, man! Agreed, the copper plating/black is a great mix. I just wish that the metal hadn't been full of those fine air pockets and I'd have been able of giving them a mirror polish. Thanks again, and I'm happy to see you're closing in on 1,000 subs! ❤

[@ForgottenShineRestoration]

Wow, the result is amazing! Very good work!

[@randomrestoration6858]

Thank you so much, man, I really appreciate it!

[@jamesmoe9188]

Great project my friend! That copper plate looks fantastic! I liked your solution for the damaged hinge pin, being that I watch a number of restoration channels, I was expecting some welding, or possibly brazing, this was an elegant solution that would be replicable for someone whose skills/equipment would not be up to going full "my mechanics" on it. For constructive feedback this time, while I was reading through the comments I noted a suggestion to use a gun cleaning kit for the inside cleaning of the knuckles, which is a great idea. My idea, which I totally did not crib from Mustie1's carb rebuilds at all, is to use Q-Tips loaded into the drill. Be well, and thanks for continuing to share your work!

[@randomrestoration6858]

Thanks a bunch, James! I hope to get to a point in the future where I have enough space for things like a welder, but for now my horrendously small work area limits me significantly. Agreed about the gun cleaning kit - It's a great idea! I may try the Q-Tip idea out in the future. I have a bunch, but every time I decide to use them it's for a hole that's too small for them, and of course when an area like the knuckles pops up where they would fit I don't use them hahaha. Thanks again!

[@billbright1755]

P&F Corbin 1895 “Ceylon” perhaps. My what gorgeous hinges worthy of the finest hand crafted oaken entry door. Leaded bevel glassed, a homeowner, would be blessed to have as a portal.

[@randomrestoration6858]

So some designs of the time, such as the Windsor design by Reading Hardware or the Hoofed Urn design by Norwalk, included store handles, letter slots, hinges, and every single piece of hardware you could ever think of. That said, surprisingly, despite its popularity the Ceylon design was limited pretty much to what you saw in the video I did on it. There were other variants of lock set hardware, but there were no hinges, letter slots, door bells, ets surprisingly. These hinges may be a bit older than I estimated in the video, and at further glance , I would think they are a bit older - probably early to mid 1880s. If I ever find the manufacturer I’ll let you know though!

[@billbright1755]

@@randomrestoration6858 Yes, fine work my good man, I look forward to further details. The set I discovered has the most intricate pattern of very sharp raised detail. The fit and finish superb. If it is cast brass it’s the finest example of edge precision I’ve ever seen. It’s Corbin for sure but don’t know style name. It is somewhat as a radiating spiral pattern on door knobs of very square edges as opposed to more common rounds of contours. It is obvious artwork of the lock maker’s masterpiece. Your approach and appreciation of these pieces is a treasure to we historically minded viewers. A veritable link to a past time of quality door and window hardware. New Britain Connecticut was place of manufacture of described pieces. I would almost be hesitant to remove from situation as it is on original roof/ dormer porch construction. All wood from date of manufacture. There were five of these raised porches and this is the only remaining I know of. Just imagine the history of the people who sat on that porch enjoying a summers eve and opened that self same door in 1890.

[@randomrestoration6858]

​@@billbright1755 Depending on when some items were made they didn't always have any name given to them and instead were referred to as a series of numbers, so the design you're talking about may be nameless. This makes finding them very difficult, as if someone were to sell them they just have to give them a generic description. There was a lot of lovely hardware coming out of New Britain Connecticut at that time for sure. It's always interesting thinking back at those who used this style of hardware on a daily basis when it was shiny and new!

[@kathleendenison8925]

Gorgeous ❤️ luv the cooper color,!

[@randomrestoration6858]

Thank you! Yeah I totally agree, the copper really paired nicely with these hinges. Thanks for watching!

[@willymaes]

I love when you show the plating process. What a transformation.

[@randomrestoration6858]

Thanks a lot! It’s a very extensive time consuming process, but it’s definitely worth it in the end!

[@lootownica]

It blows my mind when i see stuff from 1800s, everything is so excessively decorative, even frigging hinges what normally are ignored till they break!

[@randomrestoration6858]

It really is impressive! There were so many different ornate designs from every hardware manufacturer of the time, and every piece of hardware you can think of, (door hinges, cabinet hinges, cabinet latches, keyhole covers, door bells, door pulls, door push plates, etc.) had seriously cool designs. That said, there was a lot of plain hardware, but the most popular finishes at the time for that hardware still have a unique style to it. Thanks for watching!

[@alo42d]

Those are gorgeous

[@randomrestoration6858]

Thanks a lot, Angela!

[@k.george8722]

Another gorgeous restoration. I couldn't make up my mind which color I liked best. Before the copper plating, after the copper plating before the black paint, then with paint. I love your ornate findings. You do a wonderful job. I enjoy your videos and learn something each time I watch.

[@randomrestoration6858]

Thank you for the kind words! Agreed, there are a number of different finishes with these hinges that would look great.

[@davidcovington901]

A full service restore. Inspires all us tryers. Thanks!

[@randomrestoration6858]

Thank you for the kind words, David!

[@bronxcheer031]

Just a quick tip for cleaning the inside diameters of the hinge knuckles. (Yes, that's a thing, I Googled® it.) Consider using rifle bore brushes along with jags and patches. Using my gunsmith's eye (I have an eye that I "borrowed" from another gunsmith,) I estimate that your hinge knuckles have a caliber of between .25 ACP and .270 Winchester. Very nice restore. BTW, thanks for your help and advice on the beak cleaner for cleaning polish residue. I found some on Ebay, but that seller took my money and then ripped me off, so I tried again with another seller whose name was, coincidentally, almost exactly the same as the first seller, but he too took my money and never sent the product. But, I finally connected with a seller in Madagascar who came through and sent me a 45 gallon drum of high-quality beak cleaner. I needed it to clean the polish residue from my Fernando Botero bronze "Maternidad" that I found one day while I was shooting at stop signs. Well, I had a lot of beak cleaner left over, so I decided to get a chicken so I would have something to use the cleaner up on, and it worked wonderfully. Being of a somewhat curious nature, I decided to try to find out what happens when you use chicken beak cleaner on an avian of a non-chicken nature. After much effort and band-aids, I captured a starling and used it on him, because screw starlings, and you will never guess what happened! It turned his beak bright red! I laughed and laughed. And now, when that starling tries to peck at a seed or bug on the ground, the other starlings dive-bomb and poop on what the red-beaked starling is trying to eat. Are there any more fun things one can do with chicken beak cleaner that you know of? Cheers!

[@randomrestoration6858]

Very good recommendation, thanks! Now I'm going to have to measure the hinge knuckles haha. That's a shockingly common occurrence whilst purchasing beak cleaner unfortunately. You have to keep buying until you find a seller that isn't scamming you. Gadzooks, a 45 Gallon drum! I wouldn't recommend lighting off any fireworks near it. Your new chicken is guaranteed to have the cleanest beak on the block. Well if I see a starling roaming around with a safety-red beak I'll know why! I'd imagine that beak will allow insects to get outta dodge before the red beaked wonder strikes. I've tried a few things, and the only thing I've found so far (aside from having the side effect of seemingly dissolving wooden objects at an alarming pace) is that you can soften coconut shells with it. It really is the perfect thing to bring with you in a survival situation, especially if you're stranded on a tropical island. I'll let you know if I find any additional questionable uses for it in the future!

[@bronxcheer031]

@@randomrestoration6858 Thanks for your thoughtful reply, much to think upon. However, I am concerned by your negative recommendation concerning the setting off of fireworks in the vicinity of my drum of beak cleaner. You see, I recently founded a starling haters group called Starling Haters and was going to hold a meeting in my yard featuring such keynote speakers as Nancy "Il Duce" Pelosi and Harpo Marx, and I wanted to conclude the meeting with a fireworks display, with the drum of beak cleaner and some stop signs at the center of the display. Now I'm thinking I may not want the meeting participants to shoot at the stop signs. Your expertise in the usage of beak cleaner, fireworks and hinges is greatly appreciated.

[@randomrestoration6858]

@@bronxcheer031 Well it really depends on your end goal. For example, if you are interested in demolishing a large barn full of starlings, and perhaps collect a significant quantity of insurance money in the process, I'd strongly recommend setting the drum up in there for the fireworks display. For added fun factor, you could hang torches above the fireworks via a thin rope from the rafters, set up stop signs behind the ropes, and attempt to shoot the ropes, dropping the torches on the fireworks. All the wile enjoying from a safe distance. Don't get your barns mixed up, as I'm sure your neighbors may not be particularly appreciative if you were to do this to theirs - I know from experience.

[@ryverwynd3134]

Wow, that copper plating made these look amazing I just love how copper looks when polished to a brilliant shine.

[@randomrestoration6858]

Thanks a lot! Agreed, I think it looks way better than it would have if I’d have left it plain cast iron.

[@leonardcrane6689]

excellent restoration

[@randomrestoration6858]

Thanks a lot!

[@Blackfeet3]

The results are stunning! The many steps involved and your patience is fascinating!

[@randomrestoration6858]

Thank you! These took way longer than expected to get done, but it was worth it! Thanks for watching!

[@Blackfeet3]

@@randomrestoration6858 my former home was a folk Victorian from 1890, and hardware similar to this was upstairs. I did my best to strip off the many layers of paint carefully without damaging the copper finish too badly. Some came out better than others. I did seal the finished hardware in lacquer, and that minimized some of rough spots. Your careful work makes mine look dreadful! I so enjoy your vids!

[@randomrestoration6858]

@@Blackfeet3 It's always a shame when previous owners paint over all the door hardware when they're painting the door. It causes some nasty rust issues at an alarming pace. I'm very glad to hear that you spent some time cleaning them up. Regardless of how they turned out I'm sure they're way better off than before!

[@VernAfterReading]

Nice work - copper is the best! I would prefer to let the copper turn to verdigris - that awesome weather vane look. Copper looks great either way though.

[@randomrestoration6858]

Thanks a lot! Weathered copper is also a good look, though I’m not sure the copper plating would hold up well enough. Thank you for watching!

[@rus333.]

Отличная работа! Привет из Беларуси!

[@randomrestoration6858]

Большое спасибо!

[@kimburke575]

Absolutely beautiful hinges 🌸

[@randomrestoration6858]

Thanks a lot, Kim!

[@Waynesbusinesschanne]

I just found you today and I am so excited ! Your stuff is amazing and unique and different from all the other restores out there. Plus I love your sense of humour. Keep these videos coming!

[@randomrestoration6858]

Thank you so much for the kind words, Kimberly! I have another very cool (and quite unique) project coming up, and it is without a doubt the best restoration I've done so far! I'm pretty stoked about this one, and the video (assuming all goes well haha) should be up on the 14th of this month, so stay tuned :)

[@zlatan.krsmanovic1986]

excellent job

[@randomrestoration6858]

Thank you, Zlatan!

[@suejenkins1421]

Oh wow amazing job they look beautiful x

[@randomrestoration6858]

Thank you very much, Sue!

[@abo_fhad]

الاخراج و زوايا التصوير و الاهتمام بالتفاصيل جعل كل دقيقة في المقطع تحفة فنية . شكرا لك

[@randomrestoration6858]

شكرا جزيلا على الكلمات الرقيقة لك!

[@martyclack8782]

Nice work

[@randomrestoration6858]

Thank you, Marty!

[@shawnataylor7998]

Beautiful

[@randomrestoration6858]

Thanks a lot, Shawna!

[@nancygoodman8273]

😳🤔🤨 I love copper and brass and I wouldn't of painted it at all. I love shiney things but I like watching your restoration videos. Thank you 😊.

[@randomrestoration6858]

Thanks a lot, Nancy! They sure did look nice before painting as well, so I can understand where you’re coming from!

[@marcuscicero9587]

gorgeous details on that hinge

[@randomrestoration6858]

Thanks a lot, Marcus! Agreed, these are some pretty lovely hinges

[@iangaynor8611]

Beautiful restoration. Love the level of detail. Great work fella

[@randomrestoration6858]

Thank you very much, Ian!

[@sallyebsworth2531]

Beautiful hinges!

[@randomrestoration6858]

Thank you, Sally!

[@tomswindler64]

Beautiful craftsmanship,is this something that’s like on your home that your restoring,well done on them.😎😎👍👍

[@randomrestoration6858]

Thank you, Tom! In this instance these did not come off the house I live in, but I know I know I'll find a use for them eventually. 😁

[@MissLady-pq4hc]

Beautiful!

[@randomrestoration6858]

Thank you!

[@ArtisticEndeavors]

Stinkin’ gorgeous! ❤️

[@randomrestoration6858]

Thank you very much, Susannah!

[@pattywilliams5124]

Wow amazing as always!

[@randomrestoration6858]

Thank you very much, Patty, I appreciate it!

[@StealthDonut1]

Wonderful restoration! I hate that half of the work will be obscured by a door, but these appear to be reversible, so if you get tired of one pattern just flip it over! Also I couldn't help but notice the absence of goat noises. The Silence of the Goats. "Tell me about the Goats, Shanice". I presume they migrated over to Mr. Patina's yard.

[@randomrestoration6858]

I ran out of time to do a test instillation like in my previous video, but with these hinges the only portion that the door would have covered up is the painted black portion on the back of the hinges, so luckily the whole design shows when installed on a correct width door. Thanks for watching!

[@randomrestoration6858]

Also, I almost forgot. I shipped all 40 or so goats to Mr Patina’s house as an early April fools joke. It should be a nice surprise, so don’t spoil it hahaha.

[@hauntedkellySZ]

U had me at “neon orange paint” 🤣

[@randomrestoration6858]

I promise that’s what I was using 😆

[@howzatrestorations1538]

Awesome video and restoration mate!!!

[@randomrestoration6858]

Thank you very much, man!

[@doriWyo]

New subscriber. Fascinating to watch.

[@randomrestoration6858]

Welcome aboard, Dori! Thanks for watching!

[@adriamiraguilar]

Quedaron hermosas !

[@randomrestoration6858]

¡Muchas gracias, se lo agradezco!

[@debrabaum2020]

Just stunning 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼💖

[@randomrestoration6858]

Thank you, Debra!

[@Aleph-Noll]

when youre so fancy even your hinges are fancy

[@randomrestoration6858]

I make up for my awful sense of fashion in person with fancy door hardware hahaha

[@mrknittle532]

Great work and gorgeous restoration! You're going to get me in trouble by wanting to restore every detail of my small Victorian. I've already had to calm myself down last summer from wanting to restore all of the things...lol. With the hinge pins, I think it would look interesting to put the black screw with the copper pin and vice versa. It would complement the black and copper on both hinges, while not looking like two different pins for the set.

[@randomrestoration6858]

That’s always a bit of a problem with me. Too much stuff to restore too little time hahaha. Good idea about the hinge pins. I was tempted to paint the copper plated hinge pin and lower screw like the other, but that may be a nice alternative. Thanks for watching!

[@mrknittle532]

@@randomrestoration6858 I can always take those off of your hands, too, if you don't think they'll fit or if the pins don't match perfectly. ;)

[@randomrestoration6858]

@@mrknittle532 If I inspect them in the future and decide those mismatch hinge pons are just too much I’ll keep this comment in mind 😆

[@darkmerchant1]

“Beak cleaner?” Do you have birds?

[@randomrestoration6858]

Well let's just say I have enough birds to need a steady supply of beak cleaner haha. Thanks for watching!

[@homeyshlitz]

They ended up great. I would've painted the hinge pin caps(that you plated copper) black also. Gives it a more elegant look.

[@randomrestoration6858]

Thank you! I agree, it would have looked much better to have them matching, but I was just too tempted to see how they would look copper plated hahaha.

[@donnakawana]

Amazing watching ya work... Be4 I knew it .... I subbed 👌🏻🍀✌🏻💗😊❣️

[@randomrestoration6858]

Thank you so much, Donna!

[@donnakawana]

@@randomrestoration6858 just amazing what you do!! ✌🏻💗😊❣️

[@eric_seguin]

7:20 I always start with beak cleaner. Poor bird. lol

[@randomrestoration6858]

They absolutely love the stuff hahaha

[@fatherofkayos]

New subscriber and I'm loving your videos! Thanks for all the chuckles too! (special 2 for 1 toasters!) 🤣

[@randomrestoration6858]

Thank you, Tim! I was sure someone was going to read that sooner or later hahaha.

[@bertrandep]

5:40 can't wait for this hand light restoration 🔦💡😂

[@bertrandep]

Like if you're missing the goats background sounds 🐐😉

[@randomrestoration6858]

Hahaha I've had that light for so long now and I haven't gotten around to restoring it yet. One day it'll make its way into a video!

[@misterpatina]

I don’t know how you manage to fascinate me everytime with your stuff, but you truly do. Thanks Bro! Are there further steps between nickel and copper plating?

[@randomrestoration6858]

Thank you so much, man - I really do appreciate all the kind words! The only step I did between nickel/copper plating was biting one of the hinges so hard that I chipped a tooth. I may be remembering things incorrectly again... I've been doing a bit of, so my steps change from time to time, so I'll say what I did in this video between nickel and copper, but the process could always change in the future! So after the nickel plating I removed the part and immediately gave them a quick bath of distilled water. I then soaked the parts in a hydrochloric acid/distilled water mix for about a minute. Then I gave them another quick bath by dunking them in distilled water, and then threw them into the copper plating solution. I did not polish them between the nickel and copper plating, as they were never going to be very polished in the first place. If I did I would have had to clean them thoroughly again before they were copper plated and they would have then gotten the hydrochloric acid/distilled water bath before the copper plating. Thanks again! ❤

[@chriscraft9681]

Nice 👍

[@randomrestoration6858]

Thanks a lot!

[@amilcarmoncada1801]

Excelente trabajo de restauracion y recubrimiento de cobre, de esta bisagra adornada oxidada, mis respetos y saludos desde Venezuela💯👍👊🤘

[@randomrestoration6858]

¡Gracias por todas las amables palabras, Amilcar! Te lo agradezco 😁

[@amilcarmoncada1801]

@@randomrestoration6858 👍💯👊👊

[@virginiacuevas4259]

I love all things from this era.... a time when things were built to last. Very unlike our disposable mindset of today. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and talents with all us peasants.... lol Why one set of hinge pins black and the other copper?

[@randomrestoration6858]

Agreed! I should have painted both pins black so that they matched, however since the broken hinge pin wasn’t welded or replaced it wouldn’t be able to be electroplated. I decided to electroplate the non broken hinge pin simply for fun and I liked the results so I kept it like that instead of painting it hahaha. Thank you for watching!

[@willaiml]

Beautiful, I would of welded the missing metal and then filed to the desired shape for a longer lasting fix and matching finish.

[@randomrestoration6858]

Agreed, alternatively since I don't have a welder I'm sure I could have found a very close matching hinge pin, as this style of pin was very popular. Thanks for watching!

[@solstar4778]

Handsome hinge 🆗

[@randomrestoration6858]

Thanks, Sol! They are some surprisingly cool hinges 😁

[@robinbohn7478]

magnificent

[@randomrestoration6858]

Thanks a lot!

[@spicynomad]

pretty doesnt even describe.

[@randomrestoration6858]

Thank you! I agree, these are some impressive looking hinges!

[@bruceshaw2402]

The " air bubble " effect is supposed to look like that and its called a " hammered finish " .

[@randomrestoration6858]

Thanks for the comment, Bruce! I’d say it’s either that or a lower quality casting. Thanks for watching!

[@michelleg9194]

U need a sandblaster!! Great project!! But I’m not sure why you would paint them after taking the time to electroplating them?

[@randomrestoration6858]

I do indeed! Unfortunately I don’t currently have any space for one, so I have to go without until I get a larger work area. These were originally either copper/brass plated and then had the recessed areas painted, so I wanted to recreate that. That said, I can definitely see the appeal of the plain copper finish!

[@michelleg9194]

@@randomrestoration6858 ty for the explanation and they do good great

[@chandarussell]

Beak cleaner or break cleaner? Beautiful hinges. How would the copper look with the brass handles? I’d have to see.

[@randomrestoration6858]

Oh trust me, I use nothing other than the worlds finest beak cleaner haha. I’ve tried copper plating next to brass and bronze and it really doesn’t mix as well as you’d think. I’d go for some ornate bronze hinges when installing a bronze lock/escutcheons/door knobs. Thanks for watching!

[@doriWyo]

Thanks. I will check that out. Have you ever restored oil or kerosene lamps?

[@randomrestoration6858]

I have not restored any of those so far, but I’m sure at some point in the future I will!

[@ezequielsilva2709]

Perfeito! 👏

[@randomrestoration6858]

Muito obrigado!

[@Dog.soldier1950]

I would be interested to have more detail on your plating process

[@randomrestoration6858]

It's a bit too much to describe the process in a comment, but there are some great and very easy to follow tutorials on KZbin if you're interested in the nickel and copper processes. Thanks for watching!

[@mrhutt857]

After you apply paint to the recessed areas, how is the rest removed from the raised areas and what is the best equipment to use? Beautiful work, BTW...

[@randomrestoration6858]

Thanks a lot! To remove the excess paint I use a soft paper towel which I fold over four or so times so that it is rigid. Then I apply a small amount of acetone to the towel and gently brush it across the raised areas. I never apply much if any pressure, as it's very easy to remove paint from the recessed areas if you go a bit overboard. Thanks for watching!

[@normgraham8630]

I'm thinking the 3 holes, and not 4, and 3 1/2, places it between 1940 and 1952 (eastlake?). It's my guess. The widespread usage of plywood starting about 1940, was making doors lighter, and thus, more of the 3 1/2 hinges were used. However, the design, around C, could imply corbin.

[@randomrestoration6858]

Thanks for the comment, Norm! These hinges were made starting some time in the 1880s up until at least 1893, but not likely too much later than that. I have yet to spot them in a catalog yet, though it's possible they were made by a smaller company which doesn't have any catalogs that have survived over the years. These specific hinges were made for thin doors - Possibly thin French doors which were pretty common at the time, but they offered sizes up to 6x6in with this exact design which I have seen for sale in the past that were for much thicker/heavier doors. Thanks a lot for watching!

[@oneshotme]

They look great!! What was harder to get off the paint or the japanning?? Enjoyed your video and I gave it a Thumbs Up

[@randomrestoration6858]

This time around it wasn't really difficult to remove any of the paint, as it was all pretty equally loosened after a long soak in the rust remover. That said, with other projects japanning seems to hold up better against the paint strippers I've used. Thanks for watching!

[@sergeytolstov956]

Very good work. In my opinion you could remain them unpainted, just copper plated.

[@randomrestoration6858]

Thanks a lot, Sergey! Agreed, they’d also look nice with a plain copper plated finish. Thanks a lot for watching!

[@andrearyanvaccariello5528]

Hi amazing! Quick question: why did you nickle plate first before the doing the copper? Was there a specific reason? Also, what kind of paint is the black paint for the recess? Thanks!!

[@randomrestoration6858]

Thanks a lot, Andrea! Good question, I had to first nickel plate them because the copper won't directly plate to iron with this plating setup - On the other hand nickel can directly plate to iron and the copper plating will adhere to the nickel plating. The black paint was out of a spray paint can and wasn't anything super high quality if I remember correctly haha. I think it was a rust oleum brand paint, but can't remember which one specifically. I use it mainly because it's not too thick or too thin, so any textured recessed areas have will still be visible once applied and haven't found any decent alternatives haha. Sorry for the late reply, but thanks a lot for watching!

[@BBB-rd2qi]

Awesome job! (I read your description hee hee) I love, love the copper plating. Do you resale these these?

[@randomrestoration6858]

Thanks a lot! I currently am not selling any of the projects I restore, but I may sell some from time to time at some point in the future if I start running out of space for them haha. Thanks for watching!

[@user-sl3il5sz2s]

It turned out very nicely. But why is it written about the 1800s? From this time, nothing remained, this is a completely new product.

[@randomrestoration6858]

Thanks a lot! It may be something lost in translation, but this was manufactured in the 1800s, but you are correct, it is new now. Thanks for watching!

[@salnellen1381]

They look like hinges on the closet door of the old home I grew up in. The house was built in 1890.

[@randomrestoration6858]

Very cool, you never know, they could have been the exact same design! These hinges were made for thinner doors, so they’d definitely have been used for things like closet doors. Thanks for watching!

[@ellinib]

Love your videos! What type of black paint do you use? I'm cleaning some old door knobs and I accedently removed the orig. Black paint when I cleaned the back plates with vinegar. Is it like a Rustoleum black pre mix deal?

[@randomrestoration6858]

Holy smokes, that paint must have been in pretty bad shape haha. Yes indeed, for this project I used a flat black primer from Rustoleum, then I used a gloss lacquer over the whole piece both to make the flat black paint gloss, and to protect the copper finish. Thanks for watching!

[@ellinib]

@@randomrestoration6858 Thank you for your time and answer 🙂

[@randomrestoration6858]

@@ellinib You bet!

[@lucasb1324]

Became amazingly beautiful. 1910-?

[@randomrestoration6858]

Thanks, Carsten! Although I’m not sure if the manufacturer, I recently came across a listing on eBay selling an identical hinge to these and it had been removed from a house built in 1893. This design is a bit more basic than most from the 1890s, so it’s likely to have started production some time in the early 1880s and were made until some time in the 1890s. That’s my best guess at least. Thanks for watching!

[@andrearyanvaccariello5528]

Hi! How long did you leave the hinges in the nickel plating and copper plating solutions respectively? And at what voltage ? I’m doing the same but I can’t figure it out, thank you

[@marcuscicero9587]

thought you were gonna blob some weld on that chipped bolt and file and sand a profile. better you than me though! really stunning contrast with the black and copper.

[@randomrestoration6858]

If I had a welder I would have done just that! I like the way it turned out as well, but I reckon I should have painted the other hinge the same way so that they matched. Thanks for watching!

[@marcuscicero9587]

someone was banging on that 2nd hinge's bolt pretty hard to that damage

[@randomrestoration6858]

Right! I’ve not seen such a damaged pin like that, but I guess someone was using and abusing it!

[@Austeration]

Very nice 👍 silly question but how did you copper plate over the body filler or was that the one you painted black ?

[@randomrestoration6858]

Haha no worries - You're correct, the one that was painted black was the one I used body filler on. I really should have painted both sets the same way, but I thought the non damaged hinge pin would look way cooler copper plated haha. Thanks for watching!

[@Austeration]

@@randomrestoration6858 all good I actually thought it might have been some special product that allowed you to Copper plate it. I'm having issues with a plating job I'm working on and was looking for tips from this video.

[@gaylekowalchuk506]

Was the original finish brass? Could you have used gold over nickel to recreate that? Or was the original finish just what we saw do you think?

[@randomrestoration6858]

Good question! These would have always been bronze plated. Although some companies offered special order finishes, it’s exceedingly unlikely that any of these hinges would have ever been copper plated. This was more of an excuse to test out my nickel and copper plating setup haha. Thanks for watching!

[@sallyanngrisolia4876]

Could. you show how you clean up the pattern after the paint is applied? I'm curious to know if its easier when it's dried or not.

[@randomrestoration6858]

In my two most recent videos I finally decided to show how I remove the excess black paint, but incase you don't have time to watch them, I simply use a folded towel (specifically a Wypall X80 towel) with a bit of odorless paint thinner sprinkled on it. I always let the paint dry for about 15 minutes before removing it, as when it's still wet I've found that I don't get as sharp of edges. Thank you for watching!

[@sallyanngrisolia4876]

@@randomrestoration6858 Thank you. I'm binge watching!

[@user-of9ej6jg6h]

Здравствуйте где вы находите такие прекрасные вещи? И продаёте ли вы их

[@randomrestoration6858]

Я нашел их на eBay. В настоящее время я не продаю свои дизайны, но, вероятно, буду продавать их в будущем! Спасибо за просмотр!

[@andyldc1]

Lovey

[@randomrestoration6858]

Thanks a lot!

[@aboujad5916]

wawwwww ❤❤💯

[@randomrestoration6858]

Thank you very much for watching!

[@bruceanderson7762]

Have you ever tried small scale soda blasting?

[@randomrestoration6858]

I have not ever tried that, Bruce. One day when I have a larger work area I’d love to though!

[@nielsantsorensen881]

was it from any synagogue door?

[@randomrestoration6858]

These hinges would have most commonly been found in a standard home, and based on the size were used on thinner than average interior doors. Thanks for watching!

[@jakeedmondson5288]

Do you have any resources you could share on how to make the plating solutions?

[@randomrestoration6858]

There is a video on KZbin called something like “diy simple nickel electroplating” that covers nickel, copper and zinc plating. I (and many other restoration channels) use this method of electroplating, but quite frankly it’s not really worth it unless you want to use it for purely aesthetic purposes. This method of plating offers effectively zero rust protection, and will quickly start to rust if left outdoors. These hinges were lacquered to keep them rust and tarnish free, but the plating was only used for aesthetics in this case. I’ve personally stopped electroplating because it’s not worth the huge amount of prep work and nasty chemicals/fumes created only to have something that, while it technically is nickel/copper plated, offers no real protection and is only for show. Thanks a lot for watching!

[@WreckOfLamb]

They look like Eastlake hinges.

[@randomrestoration6858]

It certainly does fit the style. I was unable to find this style in a number of different catalogs, so I'm not sure about the date they were made. They may be a little older than I stated in the video. Thanks for watching!

[@feisdee1]

How did you get rid of all that extra black paint you got all over it???

[@randomrestoration6858]

Good question! I did record the process, but cut it out of the video in the end. What I used is a paper towel that I folded up four or so times so that it was rigid. Then I poured a small amount of acetone on the towel and carefully brushed it across the raised areas to remove all of the remaining paint. I never apply any pressure, as doing so can push the paper towel into the recessed areas and remove paint from there. Thanks for watching!

[@feisdee1]

So you're not as magical as i thought. Hmmmm. I 😉😉

[@randomrestoration6858]

​@@feisdee1 Ever since someone permanently relocated my slightly oversized wizard hat into their possession without my permission things haven't been the same hahaha.

[@feisdee1]

@@randomrestoration6858 jerks. So much good you could have done. Hey? Maybe you could find a vintage wizard hat and restore it!! 🤔🤔🤔😉

[@randomrestoration6858]

@@feisdee1 Right! I hope they find a good use for it. Now that would make a good video haha!

[@asluicer4536]

Moment of silence for the polishing wheel😞

[@randomrestoration6858]

It is sad, but the moral of the story is that cheaper polishing wheels don’t last very long hahaha. Thanks for watching!

[@canizares69]

Ill take the vacum cleaner please, I already have a couple of toasters

[@randomrestoration6858]

It looks like that little hinge screw is quite the convincing salesperson. You just know that people are going to read this and have no clue what in the world we’re talking about hahaha

[@senomefta4158]

This guy is showning off that's all

[@randomrestoration6858]

Hahaha maybe. Thanks for watching!

[@PLuMUK54]

Are you envious because you have no skills worth showing off?

[@vincephillips4331]

Beautiful work, but what would you say to the accusation that by removing all the patina you've basically changed a pair of 18th century hinges into a pair of modern reproduction hinges ?

[@randomrestoration6858]

Thank you, Vince! I usually receive a comment that states just that with each hardware restoration video I do, and it honestly seems (I’m not intending to sound super rude here) like a nonsensical conclusion to me, and is a statement that could be applied to every single restoration that has ever been done. It’s still the same set of hinges that were cast 120+ years ago, not a modern casting meant to to look like an old ornate hinge set. Think of it like an individual restoring a vehicle. Sure, a body panel here and there was replaced and/or had body filler applied to fill a few dents, but at the end of the day it’s recognizable as the same make and model vehicle. If people saw the finished restoration the first conclusion would never be that it now looks like a reproduction. They’d logically conclude that it had been restored. My main goal is to make these look closer to what they would have looked like when new, and even with the work I did here there are still some imperfections from years of use. One important thing I’d like to note is that those familiar with door hardware would still instantly recognize these as being original. Those that aren’t familiar with this style of hardware would never question their authenticity in their current state, as they wouldn’t know they existed in the first place. Apologies for the extra long comment haha. Thanks for the question, and thanks a lot for watching!

[@vincephillips4331]

I totally understand what you're saying, but l don't think you can shove every restoration job under one umbrella. There is a need for total restoration on some objects, but even then there is a way of doing it sensitively, and making sure the object still retains some of it's character that can only be achieved by having a long life. In my opinion if you sand off all the lumps, scratches, and bumps off a 17th century table top it's like making a brand new table out of old timber. Restoration done without sensitivity just makes an object which had character look like a reproduction.

[@randomrestoration6858]

@@vincephillips4331 Thanks for the reply, Vince! While I certainly agree that not every restoration should fall under that category, one huge thing about old ornate hardware like these hinges is that with every imperfection they are valued less and less. For example, the Corbin Ceylon lockset I restored normally would sell (regardless of whether it has been polished within the last few years or if it has original patina) for around $250-$300. I picked that lockset up for $70, as nobody was interested in it. I’m not interested in selling these projects, so the monetary value doesn’t really matter to me, but the point is that rough examples of hardware in this style are much less desirable. Why purchase a rusty pair of hinges when you can get an original identical pair that is in better condition with all or almost all the remaining brass plating for slightly more? These hinges in their original state likely would not have ever sold - not only because they’re cast iron which is much less desirable in comparison to bronze variants, but also because of how rough they were. Those that are interested in this style of hardware love it for it’s ornate nature, not for the dents, chips, pitting, etc. all of which severely detract from the desirability. I absolutely see where you’re coming from, however I really don’t believe ornate hardware like this really falls into a category where keeping the defects from years of use should be the top priority when being restored.

[@danadavila5138]

My sister helps run an architectural salvage/ antique & vintage wares shop. Would be awesome to get the 2 of you in contact!

[@randomrestoration6858]

It would be great to be in contact with shops that sell these sorts of items at some point in the future, as they are bound to have some awesome items for sale that are just waiting to be restored! As of right now I’m pretty well stocked and very busy with projects. Unfortunately i don’t think I have the time currently for a large number of back and forth emails to find the right item/items and navigating all of that, but I might imagine six months down the line having a bit more time and would love being in contact with shops like what you described. If she’s still helping run it in six or so months (and you remember/are willing to) to you can always send me an email. It’s located in the about section on my channel page, and I’ll respond as soon as I can!

[@aped3]

Can or have you tried denature Alcohol to clean the Parts ???

[@randomrestoration6858]

I have not tried using denatured alcohol, but it may work, I’ll do a bit of research. The most important thing is that it can’t leave any sort of film on the item that will cause issues with the plating. Thanks for watching!

[@Wolshanze]

Sweet lord and the baby Jesus. !

[@randomrestoration6858]

Hahaha thanks for watching!

[@busman2000]

Brake Cleaner

[@randomrestoration6858]

Think of all the beaks that need to be cleaned though haha

[@OldenburgIR91]

Now you just need a door

[@randomrestoration6858]

Hahaha I really do!

[@zippymacadoo6336]

"Beak cleaner"? Brake cleaner maybe?

[@brazillady5119]

I just don’t have the patience for all that work. As a result, I don’t have beautiful stuff around my house. Add in, I don’t have the talent.

[@randomrestoration6858]

It certainly isn't for everyone! Like I mentioned in the video, cleaning these before electroplating took SO long, and I'd imagine most folks would have called it quits at that stage hahaha. Thank you very much for watching!