On a recent visit to Sidmouth in South Devon, an English seaside town with many lovely period buildings, it was noticeable that despite the houses and hotels being beautifully presented, very few had appropriate door fittings, which would have given the finishing touch. In some places small rusting cheap door knockers were used, with door handles that didn't even match.
It is understandably that the sea air effects cheaper brass imports, but it is possible now to get superb designs and quality stainless brass which stands up well to the salty air.
Stainless Brass (PVD) has 25 year guarantee against tarnishing, corrosion and abrasion. This specialist process is time-consuming and more expensive than standard brassware, but the long term advantages well outweigh extra costs and are already appreciated by many private and commercial users.
Stainless Brass (P.V.D.)is a process of the 1990's.This brass has no laquer covering which may break down due to modern day factors such as acid rain, carbon monoxide emissions and airborne chemical particles.
An extra bonus is the fact that it doesn't need daily polishing to maintain an attractive finish and lustre.
Architectural Ironmongery, keep a huge range of door and window hardware, including stainless brass and high class solid brass fittings.
Door Hardware - the Focal Point of the Home.
The door is the focal point of the home which is why door hardware is so important, creating a striking first impression as well as securing your property against intruders.
The right door fittings and locks will enhance your property both by adding to its value, keeping it secure and improving its appearance There is a huge range of door hardware available that has been made to suit all types of home.
Brassart produces a range of door and window furniture suitable for castles,palaces and other such gand buildings.As you can see from their name they mostly produce solid brass hardware, however they will supply ironmongery in gold plated brass. They also produce door hardware specially to suit the period of the building.
For those with smaller homes Kirkpatricks produce ranges of antique black iron and flat black iron which look perfect in a log house or country cottage.This company were established in 1855, still making much of their ironmongery using the same moulds and methods that were used then. Giving a really authentic feel to their products.
It is surprising that even listed buildings are allowed to spoil their facades by fitting totally inappropriate door and window hardware, when there are plenty of excellent examples of period ironmongery available, many made in exactly the same way, using the same moulds as the original ones.
Many cheap imported versions may look initially appropriate, but the feel and weight gives a different impression, also the finishes don't stand up to the rigours of the British climate.
Have a look through our online catalogue and see what is available.
Having problems finding suitable, secure lock for your period property or log cottage?
A ready made lock block, could be the answer. These are blocks of oak or pine with 5 lever mortice, very secure lock inside, all ready for screwing on to the inside of your door, the small holding piece fits on the door surround. They come with your choice of knobs, handles and escutcheans, screws for fixing and wooden dowls to hide the screw heads.
Once installed they can be painted or stained to fit the door, so would fit well in period houses.
This type of lock fitting has been used for centuries, updated to suit our modern world with high security locks inside.
The Difference Between Malleable and Cast Iron
The owners of Architectural Ironmongery Ltd would like to explain the difference between malleable iron and cast iron ironmongery. The products we sell from Kirkpatrick are all malleable. We feel that we need to explain this due to the cheaper cast iron products that are now are arriving in the country, many of which are identical in size, shape and general appearance. The difference is that cast iron will break.
The name Kirkpatrick Ltd has been synonymous with the production of high quality malleable iron builders's ironmongery for over 140 years. We keep an extensive range of their Black Antique and Plain Gothic styles.
Kirkpatrick's malleable iron products are hand-made in the their foundry in Walsall using greensand casting process. At this stage the castings are hard and brittle and cannot be hammered, so they are subjected to a heat treatment known as 'annealing'. In this process the castings are surrounded by an inert haematite ore within iron drums and loaded into ovens of six to eight tons capacity. The ovens take about two days to reach the annealing temperatue of 980 C. The castings are then soaked at this temperature for around 80 hours, after which they are allowed to cool naturally. During this process the carbon structure of the iron is changed. The resulting castings are no longer hard and brittle, but soft and malleable.
After shot blasting and grinding to remove any rough edges the castings are then assembled into finished or semi-finished products. Following assembly a rust proofing finish may be applied and a two-coat paint process is carried out, before being passed for final inspection.
By choosing Kirpatrick malleable iron products you can be confident that you are getting a product which is both functional and highly decorative and one that, well maintained, will give many years of service and pleasure
